Six Simple Things That Helped Me Recover From My Breast Cancer Surgery

In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, I am getting personal.

In May 2022, I was diagnosed with an early-stage breast cancer, detected by a routine screening mammogram. I chose to undergo a skin-sparing double mastectomy with reconstruction in late June 2022 and spent the summer recovering. Fortunately, the cancer was caught very early, and I was given an excellent prognosis without chemotherapy.

This blog is from my perspective as a patient, not as a physician. This is not about my decision to undergo a double mastectomy with reconstruction, nor is it about breast cancer treatment - conventional or alternative. This is simply practical advice gathered from my own personal experience.

SIX SIMPLE THINGS THAT HELPED ME RECOVER FROM MY BREAST CANCER SURGERY

1️⃣ I kept a detailed notes file with all of my medical information.

This might seem like really basic advice, but it was essential to keeping me organized. This process is filled with fear and anxiety, and it’s easy for simple information to get away from you. There are also a lot of appointments! It is a lot to keep track of, especially when juggling work and/or family life.

From the very first abnormal mammogram, I opened a new “notes” file on my phone and used this to document phone numbers, appointment times, addresses, provider names, and any special instructions. I always wrote down the name and extension number of the team member I was speaking with, which came in handy if I had to call back.

This could also be done using a 3-ring binder to include copies of imaging and pathology reports, hospital bills, and insurance information.

2️⃣ I consulted a physical therapist prior to surgery.

A double mastectomy, with or without reconstruction, is major surgery. I already had some lingering upper back/neck issues from a life of desk work, and the last thing I wanted was to feel worse. I reached out to a physical therapist friend who insisted we meet - and I’m glad we did! She outlined what to expect in a more detailed fashion than my surgeons, provided a simple post-surgical movement routine, and gave me tips on using rolled-up towels and pillows to position myself properly during recovery to avoid upper back and neck strain.

3️⃣ I borrowed an electric reclining chair.

This chair was truly my saving grace. My parents had an electric reclining La-Z-Boy-style chair from my dad’s prior surgery. We rearranged our living room furniture to include the chair, and I literally lived in this chair for 4-6 weeks after my surgery. We covered the chair with a clean sheet each day, and this is where I sat, ate, and slept (it made sleeping on my back much easier). A room-darkening eye mask was also helpful for sleeping during the day, which I did a lot of the first few weeks after surgery.

4️⃣ I arranged for healthy post-operative meals.

As an Integrative/Functional medicine physician, proper post-surgical nutrition was very important to me. Knowing that optimal healing requires a variety of nutrients and adequate protein, I arranged my meal program ahead of time. I chose a plant-based meal delivery service for the first two weeks following my surgery and supplemented this with wild-caught salmon and daily protein/collagen drinks for added protein. Another benefit to this was taking pressure off of my husband to cook for me.

Instead of a meal-delivery service, you could delegate healthy meals to your friends and family - they want to help! Ask for healthy organic meals rich in protein and vegetables in lieu of cheesy casseroles.

5️⃣ I purchased a comfy oversized front-button shirt.

A double mastectomy comes with drains. In my case, four drains for nearly two weeks, each a long plastic tube coming out of my chest that drained body fluids into plastic containers that had to be emptied several times per day. That is a lot of stuff to keep under a shirt! Also, I was not able to raise my arms above my head for 2 months after surgery making for another clothing challenge.

Be sure to pack your oversized shirt in your hospital bag!

6️⃣ I used a “fanny-pack” style belt bag for my drains.

The hospital sent me home with a “vest” that closed with velcro and had pockets to hold my drains. I found this vest to be uncomfortable and did not like the feeling of so much “stuff” pressed onto my body. I felt sweaty and claustrophobic.

A friend had given me the tip of using a cross-body bag to store drains (she actually sat at a restaurant this way and nobody was the wiser). I took it one step further and enlisted a fanny-pack-style belt bag. The drains came through my front-button shirt and zipped into the bag. It felt so great to get the drains away from my body and not have extra pressure on my upper body.

While every breast cancer journey is unique, and there is so much more to breast cancer surgery than what is contained in this blog, I hope that this simple, practical advice can be of help to you or a loved one facing a similar surgery. If I can offer further advice based on my own personal experience please email me at info@carinnielsenmd.com.