What To Expect When You Are Expecting A Mastectomy

Yep. There is a class for that. Someday maybe an app for that? An approx 2 hour class that lets you know what to expect during and after a (b/l) mastectomy. I didn’t want to go…for the simple reason that it is just so unreal. But Jane, remember Jane? My new BFF? She really encouraged me to attend so I grabbed my mom and off we went.

Luckily, there was only one other woman there (along with her husband) because I really didn’t like the thought of sitting around with a bunch of women in a circle discussing our upcoming mastectomies. Kind  of thought it would be like a “Hi, my name is Leah and I have breast cancer” kind of scenario. The other woman? Her surgery is tomorrow. I am holding her close to my heart tonight.

So anyway, it was them, me and mom, Jane, a breast cancer survivor and briefly a woman who I will see in about six weeks who will check me for lymphedema. Have I mentioned that yet? No? Well, not going to now either. That’s just another one of those “if this then that” things. I’ll talk about it if I get it.

So….from what I understand, during the surgery Dr. C (surgical oncologist, remember?) will first and foremost do a sentinel lymph node study. That is kind of hard to explain but a radioactive isotope dye will be injected into my right breast (ok, nipple really ) the day before surgery. That dye will show her my sentinel lymph nodes and they will be removed and immediately checked for cancer cells. If cancer cells are found she will remove some more nodes…and on and on till they find a node without cancer. (do I have this right mom?) So, anywhere from 2 to say….17ish or more lymph nodes could be removed. Fun huh? Then she will remove the whole right breast and when she moves over to the left breast (no node stuff there) Dr. S. will move in (plastic surgeon) and place the expander under my pectoral muscle. Then he will do the same to the left. A port will be inserted under my collar bone (for chemo) and I will have 2 drains, one on either side of my torso, like…in the armpit area I think. And then I will wake up, about 5 hours later. Boobless. Easy peasy. And settle in for an overnight stay.

The drains won’t be as bad as I have thought they would be. I think I can handle the care of them. But still…the thought of emptying them out…ewww….They will stay in till I am emptying less then 30cc/24 hrs. Usually about 10 to 14 days. And, during those days, I will not be able to raise my arms above my head. No more then 90*.

The list of restrictions is endless…really. I’m not going to get into it. And, since every week after surgery I will see Dr. S. to get my expanders expanded he will be in charge of all those restrictions. I will only have one post op visit with Dr. C. I think that is weird, but whatever. Anyway, I hope that it won’t take too long to lift the restrictions once the drains come out. I can’t help but wonder how long till I can lift 50 pounds. This, surprisingly, is exactly how much Michelle weighs.

I will be sent home with the area of my body that use to be breasts glued and steri-stripped. No bandages at all. Which seems weird, I know, but there is one very good thing about that: I can shower. And I checked, I can reach my head if I just lower it a little and raise my arms 90*.

And for added comfort I was sent home with these nice little fabric bags that I can tie around my neck and put my drains in. For the days when I don’t feel like wearing my cami with the drain holders and fake boobs already attached.

It would be hard for me to believe all this stuff if it weren’t happening to me.