The Road to the Perfect Post Mastectomy Bra

Rated M for mature audiences :)

It is hard enough to find the perfect bra for someone with normal breasts.  Walk into any lingerie department and you find a slew of cups, widths, coverage, padding, wires, minimizers and colors.  Then, look at the price tag and you will understand that this is serious business.  Normal breasts?  Maybe I should say natural breasts.  I have seemed to have forgotten what that feels or looks like.  For those of us who have had remodeling of the breasts (a little addition here or there, an update, or in my case a demolition), finding the right bra can be very, very difficult.  

I was diagnosed with breast cancer mid-March of 2008.  A month later I was waking up from surgery being told that the single mastectomy I had just endured had revealed positive lymph nodes.  Hence, I was not a candidate for immediate reconstruction and I would have to live with one breast till the end of my treatment.  Cry, scream, fear, disfigured, anger, shock.  One breast?  I couldn’t imagine me, a 30-something year old mom trying to figure out how to cope without one of my breast girls.    

Chemo started May 13, 2008- my sister’s birthday.  My college roommates Shannon & Katie drove in from Dallas to be with me and my family for that first round.  Talk about angels.  Brett was with me at the hospital and my friends were taking care of the circus at home- because we all know that life does not stop for cancer.  The day after chemo, we were off to the prosthesis store.  It had been a month since my mastectomy and my skin was healing “nicely” so the docs said.  Up until that point I was wearing bandages, comfy sports bras and big t-shirts.  Now, I was ready for a prosthesis and a bra.

Shannon, Katie and I found ourselves at a lovely boutique that sold everything breast cancer and more.  The owner was there and she calmly helped me get fitted for a prosthesis and a new bra.  I was in denial.  From one side I looked like an adolescent boy with my torso concave.  My ribs protruded and my skin was not nice, it was tight and wrinkled.  Cry, scream, cry.  I mean really, who says “Gotta go get my breast prosthesis today”.  Oh Lord, what a humbling experience.  After hours of shopping at the breast store (because I needed that lace cami and the arm sleeve in case of lymphedema and the pink note cards and the feel good book and the empowering pink t-shirt and the burn cream for radiation) we had become best pals with the owner.  My new bra had pockets to insert what looked like a squishy swim toy.  Many of you probably have no idea what a breast prosthesis even looks like.  Well, here is a pic of a typical breast prosthesis.  And, yes mine was heavy-

I got used to the prosthetic bras and swim suits.  But, never fully comfortable.  It took searching and searching to find a mastectomy swimsuit that fit skinny ‘ole me.  Everywhere I went I was told the smallest size was an 8.  There were no cute binkinis or tankinis.  It was depressing!  Finally, I found more fashionable swimsuits in small sizes at www.landsend.com .   If I was more of the entrepreneur-type, I would have created a line of mastectomy swimsuits for young mothers with children.  Stylish suits that looked just like the ones the others mommas were wearing.  In fact, I still think there is a need- hint, hint for any of you out there. 

Fast forward a year later.

Reconstruction was planned and staged.  I had so many surgeries I simply lost count.  I had to be careful with bras and most of the time wore a post-surgical tank top from Amoena that I loved.  It even had pouches for drains that could be velcroed on the tank.  (Now that was a genius invention!) 

 
      
Soon I was into Champion sports bras from Target- I slept in them too.  They were good at keeping bandages in tack and hiding tape, etc. 

Once I graduated from Target bras, I was off to Nordstrom.  There I found the sweetest ladies trained in measuring breasts.  At the time my doctor only wanted me to wear wireless bras and I was able to find several from Wacoal that were decent.  For years I wore mostly Wacoal, up until last week.

Fast forward to present day.

After months of telling myself I needed to go for a bra check-up, I finally made a stop into Nordstrom at the Houston Galleria.  I was looking in the Wacoal section and asked a woman for help.  Kim Ayrom was her name and she was an angel, I swear I could hear her wings flapping.  She handed me her card which read Certified Fit Specialist, Prosthesis Specialist.  Oh Kim, where were you 5 years ago?  Kim took me to the back of the dressing rooms where there is a room with certificates hanging on the wall with important titles all related to bra fitting.  She was so kind, professional and not alarmed by any of my crazy scars.  She had me fitted into some great bras and a swimsuit.  And guess what, I had been wearing the wrong size.  Yes, I needed wider coverage for my implants.  I know you are thinking TMI, but this is a great resource, cancer or not.  This gal was heaven sent.  She kept apologizing for me not knowing about the Nordstrom Breast Prosthesis Program.  http://shop.nordstrom.com/c/breast-prosthesis-program?origin=leftnav  Nordstrom has a program that helps women through all stages of breast cancer surgery.  Most insurances reimburse for the products, which is a huge bonus!  Last week I made a vow to spread the word about Nordstrom’s Breast Program.  So here it is!  Whether you have had a lumpectomy, mastectomy or cosmetic implants, it is worth a visit for a bra check-up at Nordstrom.  It is free of charge and there is no pressure to purchase from Nordstrom.  You can just go in to get measured and then go elsewhere to purchase if you choose.  Kim Ayrom’s number is 832-201-2700 x1240. 

This week I received an email from Nordstrom informing me of the Half-Yearly Sale for Women and Kids.  And lo and behold, one of the bras I purchased is on sale.  I will be grabbing a couple of more because this is a great price!

Natori
'Mod' Low Cut Underwire Push-Up Bra
Was: $58.00 Now: $38.86 33% OFF Free Shipping

• item #923779

You might be curious now about breast surgeries and what it all looks like.  Last year, Pink Ribbons Project had the honor of bringing The Scar Project exhibition to Houston (www.thescarproject.org) .  This project is a series of raw photos of young breast cancer survivors.  It is difficult to find the right words to describe how I felt at this event.  Sad, empowered, angry, proud, sad, cry.  I’m not sure.  But, what I am sure of is that the photos I saw of men and women touched by breast cancer was a crystal clear definition of breast cancer awareness. 

The road to finding the perfect post mastectomy bra has been bumpy, newly paved, graveled and yeah, fu-nee!  Sometimes I just have to laugh.  If any of you would like a friend to go for a bra-check, I am always available.  Our Nordstrom has a yummy café next to the lingerie department where we can have lunch after meeting with Kim!

Be Well,