Recovery

I personally recommend Chunyi Lin's CD "Small Universe". It's a CD from Spring Forest QiGong. Google It. It's a very powerful CD for balancing and healing the entire body.

Hope that helps Yes, there are CDs with guided meditations that are extremely helpful. Comprehensive pain management approaches including pre-emptive analgesia with nerve blocks and the use of pain pumps is also very beneficial.

It depends on the patient and if reconstruction is performed, and what type of reconstruction. If a mastectomy without reconstruction is performed, usually a 24-48 hour hospital stay is required, and a patient is discharged with drainage tubes in place. The drains are usually removed after about 7-10 days, but may stay in place longer depending on the amount of fluid that is being produced. Overall recovery in terms of return to work and other normal activities can take anywhere from 2-3 weeks up to 6-8 weeks.

If reconstruction is performed using tissue expanders or implants, the recovery is similar to that of a mastectomy without reconstruction but the initial pain is usually more as the tissue expanders or implants are placed underneath the pectoralis muscle. If reconstruction using muscle or fatty tissue is performed, the hospital stay is usually 3-5 days, and may include an intensive care unit stay; overall recovery is typically 6-8 weeks and sometimes longer. It depends on the patient and if reconstruction is performed, and what type of reconstruction. If a mastectomy without reconstruction is performed, usually a 24-48 hour hospital stay is required, and a patient is discharged with drainage tubes in place. The drains are usually removed after about 7-10 days, but may stay in place longer depending on the amount of fluid that is being produced. Overall recovery in terms of return to work and other normal activities can take anywhere from 2-3 weeks up to 6-8 weeks.

If reconstruction is performed using tissue expanders or implants, the recovery is similar to that of a mastectomy without reconstruction but the initial pain is usually more as the tissue expanders or implants are placed underneath the pectoralis muscle. If reconstruction using muscle or fatty tissue is performed, the hospital stay is usually 3-5 days, and may include an intensive care unit stay; overall recovery is typically 6-8 weeks and sometimes longer.

I am about 4 weeks post op today. I went out on 11/13 and will return to work on 1/23. I'm a nurse and I work in a busy psych clinic. I was active and in good health prior to surgery, but there is no way I could return to work yet. I believe that I will need the full ten weeks to recover.

There is a big psychological component that needs to be processed during this time. It is a time to be gentle with yourself, I believe it is important to give yourself enough time to heal both physically, and emotionally. I usually recommend that patients take one month off from work to fully recuperate. Depending on what they do, how quickly they heal, and how motivated they are to get back, this can be variable. The only absolute restrictions are no heavy lifting or rigorous activity for 4 weeks. After that, there are no restrictions. After DIEP patients are walking on the first day after surgery, and discharged on the 4th. By that time they can do whatever they need to take care of themselves, like shower, walk stairs and drive a car.

I am fortunate to be able to swim pretty much every day and that is true escape time. The pool is outdoor and I clock up 800 metres before work which sets me up emotionally and mentally as much as physically.

I also rely on music with playlists according to mood! I also enjoy reading as an escape. And watching butterflies in the garden - I can do that for ages!!
:) Many times during the day I can get stressed out; teenagers, work and health issues are usually the cause. And many times there is just no time to grab an hour here or there to meditate uninterrupted! So I compiled a CD of some really "feel good" insirational songs I especially love to sing along with and play it in the car whenever I am feeling stressed or down. Works for me! :)