A request for information in the region of breast cancer and reconstructive surgery.?
my mother underwent a double masectomy and have the lymphnodes on her right side removed. the cemotherapy and radiation burnt her skin scantily. when she began treatment for renewal they implanted bladders in her chest to slowly streatch the skin and as expected it was impressively umcomfortable even painful. she have had trouble lifting her arms above her commander and moving heavier objects around the house. will that problem get better, worse or stay matching after her surgey? I know it is impossible to say for sure, but anything you enjoy to say would be appreciated, hopefully from those of you who own experience with this subject.
Answers:
I have a double mastectomy in Dec. 05, after I had reconstructive surgery contained by April 06. The lymph nodes were removed from beneath my left arm. It take months to recuperate.
Since my breast cancer be caught early, I did not hold to have chemo. Instead, I cart Aromasin, a pill form of chemo.
The pain will eventually subside. It is at it's worst very soon. Sometimes I feel shooting/stabbing pains within my "things" (that used to be breasts). Sometimes they feel as if they've fall asleep. None of the pain I experience presently is so bad that I call for to be on pain pills.
Tell your mom to bear it easy. Don't push herself to do anything that make her hurt worse. Keeping taking the pain meds until she no longer desires them. Tell her not to lift anything that's too robust.
Tell her to keep her chin up. We are survivors. It didn't eliminate us. We made it. God bless you both.
<HUGS > to both of you.
There are exercises for your mom to do that will help next to the arm lifting. Standing arms length from the wall and "walking" up the wall with her fingers is one. I'm sure her doctor can contribute her more that will help. Eventually it will get hold of better but will never be the same. She shouldn't be lifting anything right in a minute; and should NOT vacuum ... do that for her. She needs to thieve very honest care of herself right immediately. Let her heal. After in the region of a year she will be much better. Just please tell her not to quit going to the doctor after she get well. She wishes to keep an eye on her robustness. Hope this helped you. Trust me; surrounded by about a year she WILL be better. But she really requests your help right immediately.
One of her doctors can refer her to a physical therapist
they will give a hand her increase her range of motion.
Have her Dr's considered a TRAM flap or a Gluteal flap?
this is where on earth they use skin from her bottom or stomach to reconstruct her breasts
Therer are exercises she should be doing to regain the movement surrounded by her arms. I was told it could embezzle 6 months following my surgery, however I was a avid belly dancer and found this was the fail-safe physiotherapy, with full variety of movement returning in 6 weeks!
The radiation burns exact scar tissue, which is different for respectively of us. Stretching scar tissue hurts, and will verbs to do so until full stretch is reached.
With regard to lifting, she needs to slowly build up to lifting counterweight, 2 years following surgery I still can't lift things I be once able to.
Overdoing things can head to swelling (lymphodema) which can also be painful, especially in the arm where on earth the lymph nodes were removed.
I have it done with one breast and it be quite stinging as it healed. I didn't enjoy radiation at that time. It gets better as it heal. It did for me. I would expect a similar response for your mother.