Coping With Mastectomy Drains After Breast Cancer Surgery
It occurs to me much too late that I should have been labeling these posts as Post 1, Post 20 and not Day 1, Day 20. But hey, it’s too late for that now—so who cares? Not me! This is still part of my post breast cancer surgery recovery journey (and my very real mastectomy drains recovery season).
I’m Whiny
I am a whiny little baby today. My chest hurts from the skin expanders and, for the love of all that is holy, these drains are KILLING me.
There are two of them, with tubes that run under the skin of my underarm and connect to those two little hand-grenade looking bulbs. They are painful, they are gross, and they fill with the most disgusting stuff imaginable. Fun fact, twice a day, I, yes that’s me, gets the fun job of emptying the drains into a little medical measuring cup. I then have to remember to record the amount of disgusting, icky, gross fluid that comes out. I have to say, I hate them ore than words can say. Honestly, I could probably tolerate the pain from the skin expanders, but the drains? They are simply intolerable. (Hello again, mastectomy drains recovery.)
Chinese Food Therapy
Last night, I dreamed about Chinese food. Naturally, that meant we had to get Chinese food. My favorite place, Aloha, doesn’t deliver, but I was 
determined. Since I can’t drive yet, my son took me, and I tagged along.
Technically, the visiting nurse told me I’m only supposed to leave the house for medical appointments or religious services. But I decided this was a mental health medical appointment. Sometimes healing isn’t just about stitches and drains, it’s about small joys and comfort food.
And yes, even though my son hates my Jeep, we took it. I love my Jeep. I hadn’t ridden in it for over a week, so it felt wonderful to be back in it, even just as a passenger. It’s amazing how a little thing like a change of scenery can improve your mood and your outlook. The pain? Not so much. My emotional state, WAY BETTER.
More About Food
We brought the food home, but all I could manage was a bowl of wonton soup. That’s it. Maybe my lack of appetite is a side effect of recovery. Maybe it’s my body’s way of healing. Or maybe my tummy is shrinking a little. Either way, I’m counting it as a small positive. I have what feels like nine million pounds to lose, so I’ll take every little step in the right direction. I was wicked bummed that I couldn’t sit and eat all the food we ordered. After the soup, it was sleepy nap time for me.
Sleeping
I am exhausted from all of this. All I want to do is sleep, but here is the kicker. When you have these disgusting tubes stuck in you, under your arms, the only way you can sleep is on your back. I am not a back sleeper. I am very much a side sleeper, and that wasn’t happening. The only way i could sleep was in the recliner, in the living room, half sitting up with pillows wedged in on either side of me. These damn mastectomy drains were even making the healing sleep I needed next to impossible! Curse them!!!
Looking Back, Looking Forward
Twenty entries ago, I was terrified, bracing for surgery. Today, I’m frustrated, tender, and frankly over it, but I’m also still here, still moving. Mastectomy drains recovery is messy and uncomfortable, yet every annoying drain bulb and every tiny bowl of soup is a step away from cancer and a step toward healing. I don’t have all the answers, but I do have momentum, and I intend to keep it.
Helpful Resources
- External: Your Surgical Drain (American College of Surgeons) — practical guidance on what the drains do, how to empty them, and when to call your surgeon.
