I'll let her know, Witz.
I got onto the Breast Care nurse today. Actually, I got two of them, because when the one in my district didn't call me back, I rang another district. I had what I thought was a fairly simple question - is reconstructive surgery covered under Medicare?
They finally called me back, both of them, at 6 pm (just as the thunderstorm broke overhead!). Thank goodness for cordless phones during a storm...
The information was useful, especially when the Breast Care nurse form my own district called me back. They have my files on computer there, so her information could be more specific.
I feel a bit of a wimp asking about breast reconstruction, when all I had was a lumpectomy. The info on line only seems to talk about reconstruction following mastectomy. But it's five weeks post surgery now, and I'm realising more each day, how much they took. Of course it was necessary, but now I have to find ways to manage what I have left. Bouncing info off the Breast Care nurse was useful. The upshot of it all - immediately after surgery, there was a lot of bruising and swelling, probably at least partly due to the surgeon having to go back in to take some more. I reckon I was at least two cup sizes larger on the right side. Then as the post-op infection subsided, tat swelling went down. The bruising took another few weeks to heal, it's all gone now. There is still a sore, hard lump at the wound site in the breast (top of the breast, about an inch above the nipple) and that lump seems to pull on the scar so there is an obvious 'dish' there, almost like a golf ball divot. It pulls more on one side, which also makes me think it will pass with time. The Breast Care nurse confirmed that this is likely.
Now, my right breast now seems to be at least one cup size, possible heading for two, smaller than the left. I really saw it yesterday in the full-length mirror at the bra shop (OK, full-length - the mirror helped me see in perspective, it doesn't mean my boobs now sag down to my ankles!)
So smaller as it is now, when the scar finishes healing it will be smaller still.
And also, radiotherapy will cause some swelling but after it all settles, the irradiated breast will likely shrink a little more. So I have to wait for the scar to soften up; then wait until after the radiotherapy, then wait until the swelling from radiotherapy settles down.
Doctors don't recommend breast implants or any other reconstructive work before radiotherapy, because it can harden implants; it causes breast tissue to eventually shrink; there are still too many changes.
So the suggestion now is - when I turn up for my first radiotherapy session, I get the receptionist to give the Breast Care nurse a call and she will come round with some breast forms for me. Once the scar softens, I should be able to put a small breast form in and lift the whole breast enough so it won't fall out of the bra cup so readily. At the moment it won't work because of the hard lump attached to the scar, and it's on top of my breast. if it was underneath already, it would work.
Also the Breast Care nurse confirmed - the fitting I had yesterday DID take into account my recent surgery. It turns out that the bra I bought was one of the options that are suggested to women in my situation. However, there is another type of bra she said I should ask about, it could be even better for me at the moment.
Oh, and the final bit of information - breast reconstruction IS covered by our national health insurance. But there will be a long waiting time (maybe several years) if I choose a public hospital. It's all those inconsiderate people needing cardiac bypass who keep bumping non-essential surgery down the lists!
So there you go - bra shopping can get a little more complicated, but there is so much help available, it is wonderful.
Marg