Preparing for breast cancer surgery seems like a daunting task, however, being aware of the steps required can ease up the process. Having a hand with simple issues like gathering resources and familiarizing oneself with the process can lead to combating anxiety. Step-by-step, planning in regard to emotional stability and practicality can help with controlling the process.
They do get ideas on managing their stay in the hospital, recovery schedules, and even how to handle their emotional issues. Pre-operative procedures must be well understood and in the case of surgeries, the expectations after the operations must be clear in order to avoid hitches during transition and enhance healing. In fact, it enables people to gain more power in turning the process into a positive experience, when facing it with more information and structure.
Steps to Prepare for Your Breast Cancer Surgery
We propose the following steps to prepare for breast cancer surgery:
- Consult your surgeon about the specifics of your surgical treatment, including risks and expected recovery time. Ask all of your queries.
- Attending pre-operative appointments for any required physical exams, bloodwork, and medical testing to assess your readiness for surgery.
- Meet ahead of time with your entire care team, including the surgeon, oncologist, anesthesiologist, reconstructive surgeon, nurses, and so on.
- Schedule any necessary pre-operative scans, biopsies, or consultations for breast reconstruction.
- To ensure good healing, quit smoking at least two weeks before surgery and for at least six weeks thereafter.
- Alcohol use should be limited around the time of surgery since it can interfere with healing.
- Optimize your health with medical approval by changing your nutrition, physical exercise, and medication adherence.
- After being released from the hospital, arrange for transportation home. Make arrangements for a driver.
- If it’s convenient, schedule food delivery and stock up on simple-to-prepare meals. If at all feasible, prepare meals in advance.
- Everything you will need, including cushions, cold packs, medicine, chargers, and loose, comfortable clothing, should be kept close at hand in your at-home recovery area.
- In the weeks after surgery, ask family and friends to help with things like transportation, light workhouse, yard work, pet care, etc. so you can concentrate on recovering.
What to Expect on the Day of Surgery
The surgery day will begin by arriving at the hospital a few hours before the scheduled time. You will fill out any necessary intake papers and then be ready for the treatment. This entails putting on a hospital gown, having an IV line inserted, and meeting with your entire surgery care team, which includes the surgeon, anesthesiologist, nurses, and, if necessary, a plastic surgeon for reconstruction.
Your medical team will go over anesthesia instructions, mark the surgical site on your breast, confirm the specifics of the procedure, and address any last-minute queries you may have. Before the procedure starts, the anesthesiologist will give you a drug to put you to sleep. The procedure you’re having will determine whether general or local anesthesia with sedation is used.
To reach the tumor or breast tissue that needs to be removed, the surgeon will make incisions and apply cauterizing agents during the procedure. To maintain the contour of your breast, just the tumor and the edges of healthy tissue will be removed during a lumpectomy. The entire breast is removed during a mastectomy. It is also possible to test and remove lymph nodes. After that, stitches or surgical glue will be used to seal the incisions.
The operation can last for 1 to 3 hours for lumpectomy; however, it can go up to 5 hours for complex surgeries involving extensive reconstruction. You will wake up after the surgery in the recovery area when nurses will be monitoring your status. Your recovery period will be determined in part by your health prior to surgery, but you should be able to resume typical activities, such as eating and showering, within a day of the procedure. Patients are usually able to return home the same day as their mastectomy or breast-conserving surgery unless reconstruction is also performed.
Final Thoughts
Breast cancer surgery is often daunting when preparing for it, but it is always important to take some time, make slight moves, and ensure that you are informed about everything hence making the whole process much easier. To some extent having a schedule, discussing the situation with the medical staff, and getting ready for rehabilitation makes it possible to face the journey boldly.
