Free Post-Mastectomy Drain Support Items Available

I gave mine to vitamins, maybe I helped someone? Good idea to give them away!!

Not vitamins, vets, VVA.

Thanks Catherine.

Karen! Hi! I have been wondering how you are doing? I have also been trying to donate some items I have from my DMX and no one seems to want them. Anyway, quick update on me… I just finished my second week of radiation and no real side effects. My skin is doing well so far thank goodness. I do have a side issue of kidney stones that I may need surgery for, probably after I finish radiation. They are not moving so they are not causing any pain but according to imaging, they are too large to pass. When it rains…. I have had stones in the past so it is nothing new but I am ready to be over this year! We are going on a trip to Disney in October so I just want to get it done by then. Have you started the medications yet? I will be taking tamoxifen but not until 3 weeks after radiation ends.

Good to hear from you Terri and glad radiation is going well. That's funny I too had kidney stones removed but it's been years ago. A friend of mine daughters was having a DMX so I was actually able to donate a lot of stuff to her. Doing well as far as my surgery goes although I have noticed something which seems a little weird to me and wonder if you have the same thing. The left side of my mastectomy on the underneath part is raised and looks like there's still tissue there. I don't see the surgeon for three more months so I guess I'll ask her about it. My oncologist ordered a baseline chest CT which showed my lung disease getting worse. So I had a bronchoscopy last week and now waiting for the cultures to see if it grows the bacterium that I've been fighting for 9 years. Like you said if it's not one thing it's three others. Still extremely grateful that I don't have cancer now and pray that it stays away from both of us. I have a one week trip to Monterey Coast planned in 3 weeks to celebrate my 20th wedding anniversary. Take good care of and it was great to hear from you.

Terri, also yes I have started my aromatase inhibitor and I'm having no side effects at all.

Terri, I knew you didn't need chemo but forgot that you were having radiation. Why did you need that with the mastectomy? Did you have positive lymph nodes?

Terri, hi! I managed to bypass radiation 🙌 which is such a blessing! Went straight to chemo which sucks but today is my last infusion 😄. I'll be praying about those kidney stones! I've been in hospital before with them, they're no joke! Enjoy Disney word! 🙏

Hi Karen and Catherine!, I was actually borderline for needing radiation. I had clear margins after the dmx and a 19 oncotype score but I did have on micro metastasis in my sentinel node. It was only 1.5 cm or mm (I cant remember which) but if it is 2cm the you definitely need radiation. So I got three opinions (my surgical oncologist, my medical oncologist and my radiation oncologist) and everyone was torn about doing it. But we all decided that it was a good idea in case I can’t tolerate the Tamoxifen followed by the AI for the full 5 or 7 years. With my Crohn’s disease, I might not be able to tolerate the meds. So at least we are doing everything we can before those meds.

And Karen yes I have some extra tissue as well (kind of on the very sides of each scar). The surgeon had said that might happen. He didn’t seem concerned about the tissue though as long as the margins were very clear and the meds should take care of any cells that try to grow. Happy anniversary and enjoy your trip!

Also how did the bronchoscope results go? Sorry I am sending so many messages but I keep rereading your messages and wanting to add more lol. Catherine, so sorry you are doing chemo, that has got to be the worst of all these treatments. Glad it is almost over! And funny that we all have had kidney stones!

Terri, I didn't know about the micro metastasis. I would have chosen to err on the side of caution too. Hope it's still going well. The bronchoscopy went fine just waiting for 6-8 weeks for the cultures to grow. We're all moving forward and that's awesome.

What a thoughtful and generous offer to help fellow community members during their recovery journey. Having the right support items during this time can make such a meaningful difference in comfort and daily activities. This kind of peer-to-peer sharing creates valuable connections and shows how community members can support each other through practical acts of kindness.