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Hi phurst, I hope I can help a little--I had two separate mastectomies-the first one also included removing lymph nodes. I was in the hospital for about five days, which is an unusally long time. I think my problem was that I kept hitting the pain-relief button and kept myself all woozy from the pain drugs instead of forcing myself to get up and get moving. The second mastectomy (preventative, on the "good" side) went much more smoothly and the recovery was much quicker. My husband had to work, too, so my mom came out and helped out with my little kids and made sure the dog didn't jump on me, etc. while I just stayed in bed and rested for a few days. My sure your wife uses her arm (to reach for her water, etc.) so she doesn't end up with something they call "frozen shoulder"--it's so easy to baby the side of your surgery, when actually they really want you to use that side so you don't get too stiff. As far as the drains, the nurses will show you how to drain them and record the amount of fluid. It's easy to do, just gross. I hated the drains--they were always getting pulled -ouch! until someone suggested that I pin the drainage tube up so it wouldn't move or place it in a pocket. Other people may differ, but I recall being up and feeling pretty good after about a week. Best of luck to you both--Oh, if you can find it, I also highly recommend a relaxation tape I found at my local wellness center, by a woman named Belleruth Naparstak, called something like "Before Surgery" --you listen to this relaxing tape to calm your anxiety and you picture the doctors smiling and saying how well everything is going, etc. Sounds silly, but it really helped with my anxiety over the procedure.
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Audrey
diagnosed July 2001, at age 36
large tumor, 11+ nodes
Stage IIIb, er/pr-, Her2+
treated with A/C, weekly Taxol
radiation, + year of Herceptin
on clinical trial. double mastectomy
followed by reconstruction
NED!!
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