Even though the scientific evidence shows that women recover just as well at home after a mastectomy, I don’t believe women should be sent home the day after surgery. In the late 1990s, the switch was made to sending women home quickly after surgery to remove a breast. The evidence suggested that women recover just as well at home as in the hospital. Prior to that decision, many women were in the hospital for several days — now it is up to doctors whether to keep a woman longer than the initial day of recovery. They need a medical reason for insurance to pay for the extended hospital stay. But the evidence doesn’t address the emotional impact that breast cancer and losing a breast has on a woman. We especially need time to assess our feelings about losing a breast before returning to our busy lives. Although mastectomy is a less invasive surgery than many others, it can be a highly emotional one. Women just need more support and time to recover emotionally, and for many that might mean the opportunity to stay longer in a health-care facility. I think this would help prepare women for the ravages of treatment and the years it really does take to recover from breast cancer. Initially, I had a lumpectomy and then a mastectomy. I went home the following day after both surgeries. At the time the lumpectomy was the emotionally harder recovery, because I had been informed that the cancer was more extensive than expected and that I would need the mastectomy. I had two weeks to prepare myself for the mastectomy and the thought of battling a far more invasive breast cancer. The day before the mastectomy, I spent hours sitting alone in a park crying over the prospect of an extensive battle with cancer — the disease that had threatened my mother and claimed several in my father’s family. In hindsight, I needed more emotional support after the mastectomy than I originally thought. My hospital system offered me some support through a meeting prior to the lumpectomy that involved a nurse, a chaplain, and a physical therapist. They discussed the emotional impact of the surgery and provided some instruction for preventing lymphedema. It was a whirlwind, but I was glad I had met the chaplain when I called her after the surgery to help me deal with the news that the cancer would require a follow-up mastectomy. When I went to Johns Hopkins for reconstruction and a prophylactic mastectomy of the other breast, they too had a nurse educator visit me with a lovely tote bag filled with well wishes and gifts from other organizations, and even letters from an elementary class before my surgery. These efforts were all prior to the surgery and I truly appreciated them. Recently though, after talking with several women survivors, we all agreed there is a need for more support during the initial recovery, away from our demanding lives. At a time when our bodies may be adjusting well, our hearts and souls may need just a little more support.
Posted on: Sun, 05 Oct 2014 20:33:01 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015