READ! Mastectomy Hospital Bill in Congress

Breast Cancer
#1

Mastectomy Hospital Bill in Congress~

A mastectomy is a procedure that removes a woman’s breast in order to remove cancerous cells/tissue.
If you know anyone who has had a mastectomy, you may know that there is a lot of discomfort and pain afterwards. Insurance companies are trying to make mastectomies an outpatient procedure. Let’s give women the chance to recover properly in the hospital for 2 days after surgery.

Mastectomy Bill in Congress: It takes 2 seconds to do this and is very important. Please take the time and do it really quickly! Breast Cancer Hospitalization Bill - Important
legislation for all women. Please send this to everyone in your address book. If there was ever a time when our voices and choices should be heard, this is one of those times. If you 're receiving this, it’s because I think you will take the 30 seconds to go to vote on this issue and send it on to others you know who will do the same. There’s a bill called the Breast Cancer Patient Protection Act which will require insurance companies to cover a minimum 48-hour hospital stay for patients undergoing a mastectomy.
It’s about eliminating the " Drive-Through Mastectomy " where women are forced to go home just a few hours after surgery, against the wishes of their doctor, still groggy from anesthesia and sometimes with drainage tubes still attached.
Lifetime Television has put this bill on their web page with a petition drive to show your support.
Last year over half the House signed.

PLEASE sign the petition by clicking on the web site below. You need not give more than your name and zip code number. This takes about 10 seconds.
PLEASE PASS THIS ON to your friends and family, and on behalf of all women ~ THANKS
Jade ~

http://www.lifetimetv.com/breastcancer/petition/signpetition.php

#2

From gramms aka grandma nubu, I signed the petition because I believe that women could use the 48 hour stay. I was sent home the morning after with drain tubes attached. Family and friends popped in for a few days to check on me and I did make arrangements with the hospital to have a visiting nurse visit me a few times during the first 2 weeks. It made me feel more confident to have her check me. The doctors office is usually available to answer questions.
The one thought that I would like to add to what was written was concerning the amount of pain and discomfort. The breast doesn,t contain alot of nerve ends to carry on after surgery. When you speak to women who have undergone this proceedure they will tell you they had very little discomfort . When you first come home your chest is usually wrapped in a snug binder that keeps you feeling secure and protected. When you start making doctor visits you will be given a sheet of stretching exercises to prevent tightness. You do a bit each day and they pay off.
I had a radical mastectomy of the left breast, reduction of the right breast, the breast lifted and nipple moved up , and reconstruction all at once and had very little discomfort. I also must confess that I am a Classic Sissy. So women who are looking forward to thier surgery won,t be unnecessarily alarmed,you,ll be happy to know, there is little to no discomfort, and a bit of stiffness in recovery that will be helped by doing your exercises.
You do not have to anticipate discomfort . For those of you who have a lot of anxiety there is medication available.
Many blessings to Peace who has a loving heart and always thinks of others. She has a very special place in my life and will always have my love.
Any one who has the tummy flap or more entailed proceedures may have other discomforts that I didn,t experience.Perhaps if you make a specific plea concerning these proceedures you’ll get even more information that you need or want. Respectfully Gramms

#3

Totally agree with your assessment of pain associated with mastectomy. I
too was sent home the morning after my surgery and had most of my pain with
the drain and port site, but not intolerable. I was sent home with pain
medication but didn’t really need a lot of it. I was also visited by the PT
before I went home to practice my exercises. They weren’t easy to do for
the first week but keep up with them because they make a lot of difference
as you heal and the scar tissue tries to form. Best of luck to anyone going
on this journey.
teachermom
----- Original Message -----
From: “gramms” bc-cpt1581@lists.careplace.com
To: bsiems@esu8.org
Sent: Wednesday, April 25, 2007 4:59 AM
Subject: Re: [bc] READ!! Mastectomy Hospital Bill in Congress

#4

Thank you for your comments Teachermom. They give me hope.

I plan to be up and around in a short period of time. I will however have pain around my stomach area I do believe, as they will be using my stomach muscle for the recontruction of my breast (tram flap procedure).

Patsy12

#5

Hi Patsy,

I had reconstruction about 2 months ago and I am already back at work. I did wonderfully. The pain medication worked very well. I didn’t have the tram, but I did have the back muscle moved to the front the same way. The drains are the most uncomfortable part of the whole experience. But they are not in for long. I had four and you probably will too. I found it hard to find someone who had reconstruction when I was going through it. So, if you have any questions, just ask. It is a very scary thing, and it sounds a whole lot worse than it is.

Suzie

#6

Suzie;

Thanks so much for the information. I plan to be down and out for 2
weeks, then i will start to work from home, going in in late afternoon
and evening when no none is in the office and the phone is not
ringing… I watch the surgeries on the Health-Discovery Channel on
television every chance I get so you can actually see the surgeries
being performed. That has helped me a lot. My re-coop time for any
procedure is always 50% less than everyone else. I am positive in this
as well, so I know I will do good.

i will keep in touch.

On Apr 25, 2007, at 2:56 PM, Suzie wrote: