Weekly Tips for Better Recovery

Week 1: Prepare your bedside station

If you’re sleeping in a reclining chair or elevated in your bed (your surgeon most likely has asked you to sleep on your back elevated for the first week or longer), make sure you put a TV tray table, night stand, or some other sort of table right next to you within a close hand’s reach. 

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You will want to put a large bottle of water and your meds close by within reach. It’s a good idea to keep your laptop, a book, TV remote, your cell phone, anything you will use to pass time all close by. 

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There’s nothing more frustrating than needing one of these items and not being able to get to them in these early hours/days of recovery!

Week 2: Minimizing Back Pain

Are you experiencing back pain? One of the most common complaints women have in the first couple of weeks is back pain. There are a couple things you can do to help alleviate this discomfort. 

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First, positioning your body properly during sleep is very important. If you’ve been told to sleep on your back, which most women are, try sleeping with a pillow under your knees as well as under both arms. You may feel like a cocoon or trapped by pillows, but by propping up your knees and arms, you put your body and spine in a less strained position. Please visit our blog for more information and tips on this topic. In addition, you can visit our YouTube Channel for videos demonstrating proper sleeping positions.  Click here to be taken there. 

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Second, you can try alternating heat and ice on your back. It’s not recommended to use heat on your implants during this acute phase of healing due to the inflammation from surgery, but the heat on your back may provide some comfort. Ice is typically a safe option on your back and breasts to decrease any swelling or inflammation, however it must first be wrapped in a cloth and never directly applied to the skin. 

Lastly, if you can get some small balls (like tennis balls) and place them between your back and a wall or back of a chair, this pressure may provide some relief like a massage. Gently roll up/down/side/side on the balls gently pressing your back into the balls for a self-massage.

Week 3: Pamper Yourself

Now that you feel like you can get out of the house and safely drive, this week’s tip is aimed at you embracing your decision to have this surgery and to feel great about it. 

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This week, I encourage you to pick one thing to pamper yourself. Getting out of the house and doing one thing to pamper yourself will go a long way in your overall wellbeing. Try one of these if you can’t think of something to do: get a pedicure, get a manicure, get your hair washed and styled, meet a friend for a mid-day glass of wine or coffee, go shopping and buy a new shirt that makes you feel great, go to a make-up counter at a shopping mall and get a make-over, surprise your child and bring him/her lunch at school, or meet a friend out for a movie! 

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When you have something planned FOR YOURSELF that you haven’t been able to do the last 2 weeks, you will feel amazing afterwards.

Week 4: Stand up Girl

One thing that we are all guilty of is letting our posture go every once in a while. 

Think about how we spend so much time now on our phones, computers, reading books, etc. where our necks are bending forward, and our overall posture is forward. With the added strain of weight (if you’ve had surgical implants) or just the tightness of the incisions from any breast surgery, it’s especially important that you are aware of your posture and you don’t let your surgery contribute to poor posture.

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In the weeks to come if you haven’t already, be mindful of your posture. Set a timer on your phone and force yourself to pull your shoulders back and perform gentle neck rolls to remind yourself to bring your shoulders back. 

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There are studies that have actually shown a connection between good posture and confidence. Use this simple tip to add to your mood and self-confidence as well as decrease back pain and unnecessary added strain.

Week 5: Scar Therapy

If your incision is completely closed and your scabs have all fallen off by themselves, you can begin massaging your scars. Scar massage can effectively decrease the scar tissue build-up making them less noticeable after surgery. If your surgeon has given you any recommendations on creams to use, apply these and gently take your index finger and middle fingers together firmly and massage back and forth across the scar in a perpendicular direction. 

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This is called cross-friction massage and a technique commonly used by physical therapists to decrease scar tissue build up. It aids in tissue mobility and decreases the formation of scar tissue and adhesions. If you notice bumps under your incision, it’s most likely the sutures that haven’t dissolved yet.

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If they continue to bother you and don’t dissolve on their own, you will need to contact your surgeon to have them removed, which is very common. It’s a simple procedure and provides relief from those bumps in/around the incisions. They should be totally dissolved by week 8 or sooner.

Week 6: Range of Motion

Now that you’re entering week 6, check your range of motion for your upper body. Stand in front of a mirror and raise one arm straight out to the side first to a T position, then slowly continue raising in an arc to an overhead position. 

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This is called shoulder abduction. Do the same thing on the opposite arm. Do you have full range creating an arc around your body? Next, take one arm and raise it directly in front of your body, parallel to the floor. If you are able to do this, then continue raising the arm from parallel to the floor to overhead. Repeat on the opposite arm. 

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This is full flexion of the shoulder. You should aim at getting full range of motion to return without pain. Never force a motion. Tightness is normal, but significant pain may be an indicator that you need further assistance. You can repeat these basic motions (WITH NO WEIGHT) to assure you are returning to full range of motion in both directions. 

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Again, never force a motion, go slowly, use caution, and listen to your body. Repeat these basic motions 10 times in the morning and before going to bed to keep your shoulders loose.

Week 7: Love Yourself

This week’s tip is unique in the sense of not giving you a physical tip, but rather a mental tip. Your goal/tip of the week is to look in the mirror every single morning (perhaps when your brushing your teeth each morning as a reminder) and state something that you love about yourself.

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We as women tend to criticize ourselves and not recognize our positive attributes. Thus, forcing yourself to say out loud while looking in the mirror something positive and different each day is an excellent exercise that we should all practice. Please share your thoughts around this exercise in the group forum!

Week 8: Check your progress

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Some of you may have gotten back to your normal routine by this point in your recovery, whether returning to work with full physical responsibilities, returning to full time mommy duties, returning to both mommy and working responsibilities, or whatever your routine may be. 

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Regardless of that “norm,” you may not be checking into the forum anymore, or not tracking your activity and healthy eating on your logs. This week’s tip is to do both and compare to the first week. Go to the log and see if you’re still doing all of the recommended items and holding yourself accountable. 

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And, go to the forum and report how you feel this week compared to week one. This tip is not only for you to see your progress but also to help others see where they are headed. You will be an inspiration to yourself and others if you can do this one thing!

Week 9: Embrace Confidence

This week’s tip is to encourage you to engage with others and wear your confidence like a badge. 

Make a lunch date with a friend, co-worker, or loved one. 

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Take a long warm shower, throw on lipstick and a shirt you’ve been looking forward to wearing for a while. 

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Walk into that lunch date with your shoulders back, head held high and smile. 

Remind yourself throughout your lunch that a smile and good posture resound with confidence. 

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If you show you’ve got confidence, then you will learn to have confidence. Enjoy this time with your friend and be proud of your decision to take time for yourself as well as your decision to have the breast surgery.

Week 10: Stop being Sorry

Chrysalis has several goals for women and one of those is to help women be more confident. After attending several leadership conferences, workshops, and continuing education courses, I learned that one common denominator addressed was a woman’s tendency to say “I’m sorry” even when it wasn’t warranted. Some believe this habit has even been linked to damaging self-confidence. 

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"According to a study conducted by the University of Waterloo Canada, women apologize more frequently than men because they have a lower threshold for what’s considered offensive behavior.”-Celia Fernandez. 

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Dr. Phyllis Chesler, psychologist and author of A Politically Incorrect Feminist, stated, “Even if women don’t really mean it, they will be quick to apologize, back down, or diplomatically moderate their opinion. It’s because we bond very deeply with others and are sometimes afraid of losing that person. There’s also a common fear of being shunned by a clique that we value. To avoid that, we just say ‘I’m sorry,’ even if we aren’t.” 

Be conscious of the words you use and instead of starting a sentence with “Sorry, but…” or ending it with, “I’m sorry,” try using stronger statements to get your point across and don’t add the word, sorry. Use this tip of the week and make a strong effort to acknowledge when you apologize. Is it warranted? Your confidence doesn’t owe anyone an apology.

Week 11: Try Meditation

Have you ever meditated? For some reason the thought of meditation intimidates some people and they never try it. Regardless if you have or haven’t, this week you are going to do it. Take 10 minutes before you go to bed and perform this practice. 

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Lay on the bed flat or on the floor in a room alone. 

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Turn off all electronics, music, sound, etc. 

Lay perfectly still with your eyes closed. 

Try and clear your mind completely. This can be the most difficult part. 

Concentrate on your breathing. Take a long slow deep breath in through your nose counting to 10 and then slowly exhale out your mouth again counting to 10. 

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This slow, controlled, deep breathing can help relax and clear your mind bringing you to a place a calmness that is much needed for self-care. If you feel this practice is beneficial and you can make it part of your routine, add it to your nightly ritual before going to bed. It can also help you fall asleep faster when done with awareness. 

Week 12: Reflect & Rejoice

Since this is the final week of your inclusive 12-week program, this week’s tip is one of self-reflection. Take a piece of paper and a pen. Write down on this piece of paper a conversation you see yourself having with yourself as a 90-year-old female. 

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What would that conversation look like? 

How do you feel that 90-year-old you would reflect on the you today? 

Would it be one of self-confidence? 

Would it be one of positivity? 

Would it be one of great self-worth? 

What would she tell you? 

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Think of these things and then use this reflection to shape your decisions in the days, weeks, and years to come. Never forget the above quote, “Love yourself. Be clear on how you want to be treated. Know your worth. Always.” -Maryam Hasnaa