My daughter had her lumpectomy and removal of her lymph nodes yesterday. She will be discharged today. However her wounds are just glued together. No dressings or anything. She lives alone with her 2 daughters aged 8 and 6. Whilst I’ll stay with her for a few days obviously and the girls are with their dad for a couple of days, that can’t continue until everything is healed simply because the girls aren’t near school at their dads. She also has two cats. She is worried about the risk of infection with having no dressings but also she’s worried about the wounds reopening. And is she expected to bathe and shower with no dressing on them?
Also, when she had the ultrasound etc they said the tumour was 3.5 cms, which means it had grown quite a lot from the 2cms originally. the consultant said that it was border line as to whether they did the lumpectomy or the mastectomy. Stef said she wanted the mastectomy. With such a small difference she wanted to be sure and she’d rather have the full breast removed. When she came round, they’d just done the lumpectomy. Could that mean that the tumour was smaller than they thought and isn’t that a good sign? Also she had no drain in - is this usual?
layla
Hello and welcome, sending very good wishes to your daughter for her speedy recovery from surgery.
I know you have posted on the Ask Our Nurses thread, but also just in case they are not able to get back to you today, you could also ring the helpline and see if anyone there can answer your question the numbe is in the top right hand corner and I think they are open until 1pm today.
Helena x
Hi Layla - no need to worry about the glue! Some surgeons prefer glue to dressings. Having had both, I think glue is better. And you are actually less likely to get an infection with glue and can shower more easily - just don’t soak it in the bath. I had a mastectomy and tummy flap, all just glue with no dressings and it healed really well because no stitches. The glue gradually comes off after a week or two. I also have 2 cats and really they are not an infection risk (even on chemo) as long as you wash your hands after handling them or litter tray.
I also started with a lumpectomy but the tumour turned out to be bigger than they could see on the MRI so I had to go back and have a mastectomy. Some surgeons prefer to try a lumpectomy where possible because it has less long-term potential complications than a mastectomy. Your daughter will get a pathology report a few weeks after the op. If there is any doubt as to whether they have managed to cut it all out (“clear margins”) they will either do a resection (cut another slice out) or a mastectomy. They will not leave her with any cancer cells in her breast! And then she will also have radiotherapy to make double sure.
It is quite normal not to have a drain in so no need to worry about that either. If your daughter gets any fluid build up (a seroma) it normally goes away by itself after a few weeks or they can drain it with a needle.
I promise you she will feel back to normal within a week. But she shouldn’t do housework for a few weeks and no heavy lifting for at least 6 weeks (check with consultant or breast care nurse) - I.e. don’t pick the cats or kids up for a few weeks, no ironing, no hoovering etc! Sending you and your family all my best wishes. I wish your daughter a speedy recovery. Xxx