Bras

Miss Murphy

katznc said:

Yep I'm in North Carolina
I couldn't think of a good name so I just used that. Originally from Michigan, spent 12 years in Florida and moved to Charlotte in May 2008. I'm doing good. No real pain, but very numb above my incision all the way to my collarbone. I had a hematoma in the hospital and almost had to go back to surgery but my doc bound me up in ace bandages and was good to go. But oh the drains(2 on my right mast). My skin is so sore from the tape and the plastic touching me. I have been reading all the "drain" messages and had no idea that they could stay in so long. Mine are doing good keep dropping every day. Have my first post sugery appt on Wednesday. I am unable to get a good bandage around my tubes as I have only one friend to help and she passes out at blood needles etc so I have not let her see my incision.

I am just starting to feel very sad and alone. For the past week I have focused on not being constipated lol and now that I have that fixed I don't know what to focus on. I stopped going outside 2 days ago as it is so hot here now and I cant hide the tubes well. I was walking around my little apt. block a couple times a day. I'm going to go shower and try to go out in a few minutes.

Thanks for the hugs
Debby

More Hugs!
Sorry to hear you're having a bad day - we all do so just hang in there and ride it out. The drain issue is enough to put anyone over the edge. And hopefully on Wednesday you can be done with them. I also live in NC - the Winston area. So I know how hot it's gotten all of a sudden. My husband and I have a toy poodle and we've had to give up her afternoon walks as she can't deal with the heat. It seems to be nice first thing in the morning and early evening so maybe you can try walking then with a light weight jacket to help conceal your drains.
Take care - things do get better.

Hugs, Sally

katznc

Skeezie said:

Hi Debby,
I was sad to read that you are feeling sad and alone. :-( But every one of us here has gone thru that and I promise it will get better. The drains were the absolute worse part..hopefully your will come out soon.

Is it cooler to get out in the evening for a walk? I'm glad you're up to taking a walk, that is really good.

Keep us posted on your progress. When the drains come out, maybe you could go mall walking with your friend, in the great air conditioning.

Hugs, Judy :-)

PS I live in Algonac,Mi near Port Huron...where were you from?

H Judy
I was born and raised in Detroit. We moved to Ann Arbor when i was a senior in high school and then my parents moved to Houghton Lake later and I stayed in the A2 area. My ex and I kept our boat just outside Port Huron. (all many moons ago).

Thanks for the Mall idea. I actually have a mall close by and there are quite a few walkers in there early in the morning. I guess when I can drive I could go there. At the end of this week temp is suppose to drop back down from the high 80's to 70 again.

katznc

Miss Murphy said:

More Hugs!
Sorry to hear you're having a bad day - we all do so just hang in there and ride it out. The drain issue is enough to put anyone over the edge. And hopefully on Wednesday you can be done with them. I also live in NC - the Winston area. So I know how hot it's gotten all of a sudden. My husband and I have a toy poodle and we've had to give up her afternoon walks as she can't deal with the heat. It seems to be nice first thing in the morning and early evening so maybe you can try walking then with a light weight jacket to help conceal your drains.
Take care - things do get better.

Hugs, Sally

Thanks Sally
Thanks for the hugs. I did go out this morning and it helped make me feel better. The good news is it is suppose to drop back down to 70 by the end of the week. I can a jacket on again. I knew I would have down days but they sneak up on you. Thanks again.

ms_independent

walmart
Walmart has front closure sports bras for under $10. They are made by fruit-of-the-loom.

I think most hospitals will send you home in a camisole. I made the mistake of telling them I had one (I bought before surgery) so they didn't give me one. I would have loved having one to wear while the other one was in the laundry. BTW, my camisole came from TLC (velcro front, pockets for drains, pretty pink print ribbon on front), washing instructions said to hang to dry---I put it in the dryer and it came out fine.

I can't give any more pratical advice that you haven't already read. This site will be a god-send, the support and advice are amazing.

Hugs, El

katznc

Youcandothis said:

Hey debby!
I used a big safety pin to attach the drain collector to my cami around my lower ribs. Then I put a handkerchief between it and my skin. You use sports trainers tape to hold it down where it's attached to you. Then the fitted sports cami holds the tubes down, holds the collector in, and you either go out like that--I did, was proud of being a survivor and if folks were turned off by the outlne of the drain under the cami it's their prob, not mine--or throw a loose shirt overtop.
Is there a mall nearby? Walk there, air conditioning, something to look at, no worries about overdoing in a weakened condition as there are benches etc. Why not concentrate on physical conditioning next?!

Thanks for the great ideas
Now why didn't i think of that LOL. What a great idea and the tape too. I am so sick of wearing the cami with the pockets day and night for a week now but am glad to have it. i didn't think of a sports cami. It sounds perfect. You guys are so great !!! Thanks so much for the good ideas. And thanks for cheering me on.

katznc

Youcandothis said:

Hey debby!
I used a big safety pin to attach the drain collector to my cami around my lower ribs. Then I put a handkerchief between it and my skin. You use sports trainers tape to hold it down where it's attached to you. Then the fitted sports cami holds the tubes down, holds the collector in, and you either go out like that--I did, was proud of being a survivor and if folks were turned off by the outlne of the drain under the cami it's their prob, not mine--or throw a loose shirt overtop.
Is there a mall nearby? Walk there, air conditioning, something to look at, no worries about overdoing in a weakened condition as there are benches etc. Why not concentrate on physical conditioning next?!

Thanks for the great ideas
Now why didn't i think of that LOL. What a great idea and the tape too. I am so sick of wearing the cami with the pockets day and night for a week now but am glad to have it. i didn't think of a sports cami. It sounds perfect. You guys are so great !!! Thanks so much for the good ideas. And thanks for cheering me on.

katznc

ms_independent said:

walmart
Walmart has front closure sports bras for under $10. They are made by fruit-of-the-loom.

I think most hospitals will send you home in a camisole. I made the mistake of telling them I had one (I bought before surgery) so they didn't give me one. I would have loved having one to wear while the other one was in the laundry. BTW, my camisole came from TLC (velcro front, pockets for drains, pretty pink print ribbon on front), washing instructions said to hang to dry---I put it in the dryer and it came out fine.

I can't give any more pratical advice that you haven't already read. This site will be a god-send, the support and advice are amazing.

Hugs, El

my cami from TLC
My cami came from TLC also. I was afraid to put it in the dryer and spent half a day in my little bag with the ribbon that was the only thing the hospital gave me. I use it to shower so I couldn't shower that morning so it wouldn't be wet. What a pain. That puppy is going in the dryer tomorrow am. Thanks