MASTECTOMY WORKSHEET
Ann Fonfa from THE APPLESEED Project has provided these
prior to surgery and after surgery tips:
Ann's TIP - On the day you leave the hospital, be sure to wear a shirt that buttons up the front, rather than one which goes over your head.
IMPLANTS AND BODY TEMPERATURE
Some women must be careful not to become over-heated in reference to their implants.
(I am one.)
It takes longer to cool down since the implants are like little hot-water bottles and do not cool as quickly as the rest of me. I can become very faint if I don't take precautions to avoid becoming over-heated: I try to keep in the shade and try to get inside after an hour or so in very warm weather. I also keep a cold bottle of water with me at all times in the summer when indoors without A/C or outside in the hot sun.
When driving, my implants can get a bit over-heated from the direct sun, even with the A/C on. It's a good opportunity to stop often and stretch at a road side rest stop, with air-conditioning, when I can.
MORE TIPS:
- Have a pillow handy for the ride home! After surgery, hugging a pillow makes a bumpy ride home much more comfortable! :)
- Pajamas with open fronts make caring for drains easier to deal with, save your over the head nighties for after the drains are out.
- Need a ride to and from your treatment appointments?
Contact your local American Cancer Society REACH TO RECOVERY group for information on getting the rides you need!
MARITAL SEXUAL ABUSE: "NO ONE WILL EVER KNOW..."
What happens when You are NOT READY to say "Yes" to sex?
There is anecdotal evidence but very little online post-surgical information or statistics about the number of women who face this dilemma.
