Mastectomy Fashions 101

I could teach a class.
Since being diagnosed with breast cancer a little more than a month ago,
I have managed to Jerri-rig enough wardrobe separates to "make it work."

My ability to adopt is part necessity,
part wanting to look cute.
Here are five of my mastectomy fashion favorites:

1) The issue of concealing drains (see 10/19 blog), is a temporary
problem, that can last several weeks. I usually put my drains in a
fanny pack for convenience. Since fanny packs are not cute (and that
is the point here), I try to conceal them underneath a long shirt
or in my pants, whenever possible. Be forewarned:
this will NOT work if you are wearing tight pants. (Got the visual?)
However, if you have a pair of "fat" jeans hanging in the back of the
closet, tuck away. Just remember, you don't want others noticing your
"man package." That's just plain weird.

2) Under wire bras from Victoria's Secret are not your friends!
"Ta-ta for now!" (Pun intended.)
I've made the switch to silky camisoles. When I still had one of my original
parts, I wore camis with the shelf bra. But after the second mastectomy,
I switched to the camisoles sans the shelf bra. This eliminates the rubbing
and binding. And let's be honest, my girls aren't going anywhere for the next
80 years.

Which leads me to sleeping.

3) After having a mastectomy, sleeping is tricky, especially following a
bilateral mastectomy. I was left with one option: sleeping on my back. When
even my most delicate pajamas irritated my surgical scars, I got desperate.
My solution was simple: go topless. It's a crowd pleaser...especially to my
husband.

4) Razor-back tees, tank tops, wife-beaters (or whatever you call them)
really work well. But watch out for high contents of Lycra. You don't
wants SPANX smooshing everything in. Love them on my thighs: on my boobs,
not so much.

Finally, in honor of Thanksgiving...

5) If you have a mastectomy on one side, it's okay to admit that your
"new" side may look better than your original parts (see Nov. 5 blog).
Take a page from a Martha Stewart "Living" Magazine and "stuff" that breast.
Bon Appetit!