another use for biking jerseys

[marni]

About the most irritating thing about the mastectomy is that I have a drain bottle and two feet of tubing attached to my chest to suck out the blood and cell liquid from the cavity where the breast tissue used to be. It is sort of like a fist sized bottle looking leech that needs to be emptied when it fills up- which at this point is about three times in a 24 hour period.

I had been wearing it pinned to a chain around my neck and sort of just dangling lose under my shirt when it suddenly occurred to me that my jerseys have pockets that are about the same distance from the wound as the chain. What a good solution this has turned out to be. the tube only shows a little as it passes out from under the jersey and dives into the pocket, the bottle is secure and not flapping around and I used to having a lump on my right hip. Plus the jerseys all have full length zippers which is easier on the sore arm than a t shirt.

Obviously I am a slow learner.

Will hit the doctor tomorrow for a follow up, biopsy results and possibly permission to drive. I think I am stuck with the drain for a bit longer because the drainage is nowhere under 1 ounce in 24 hours.

I may just decide to live in jerseys, they are the ultimate useful garment.

[bmccasland]

Marni,
Hope things go well at your doc's tomorrow. With the useful pockets, does this mean you'll be buying more jersey's

[zoom-zoom]

I wish I'd thought of this a few years back when I had my reduction surgery and drains. I ended up pinning them to my post-op bra. IIRC. Just putting them in the pockets of a jersey would have been SO much easier.

Hope everything goes well and you can be rid of the drains soon. They are so freaking annoying!

[shootingstar]

Geez, Marni. You're a real trooper, a real survivor. Climbing mountains figuratively beyond what most of us have done.
Hope you gain some strength slowly over time.

[Crankin]

What a good idea. I would definitely use this as an excuse to buy more jerseys.

[jessmarimba]

You seem to be doing so well - and you're right, that's a brilliant idea! I don't know how you deal with it though. I get so squeamish. I probably would pass out to see the drain

[Tri Girl]

You've a clever woman, Marni!

Hoping the doctor clears you for driving today, and that the drains come out soon!
How much longer until you can resume riding?

[Veronica]

That's absolutely brilliant!

Hope the doc has good news for you.

Veronica

[Grits]

Brilliant! You need to find a way to spread that useful tip around some way.

[MomOnBike]

Brilliant!

[Jo-n-NY]

And who would have thought of such a great idea!!!

I hope all goes well with your doctor visit.

[tangentgirl]

I think you deserve a new jersey just for coming up with that idea.

[Bike Writer]

Good luck to you Marni and hope all goes well with your recovery and test results. Breast cancer survivor for over 20+ years.

Godspeed quick healing for you!

[marni]

You seem to be doing so well - and you're right, that's a brilliant idea! I don't know how you deal with it though. I get so squeamish. I probably would pass out to see the drain

well I grew up on a farm, raised three kids and have always had cats, dogs and assorted other animals around who do periodically have "accidents of the front or back" and I was always the one who cleaned it up so I obviously don't gross out easily.

I'm actually finding it kind of interesting to follow the color of discharge and trying to determine what the relationship is between what I've done, what I've eaten and the color which ranges from the color of the meat juice that is in the meat tray from the grocery store, and the yellowish clear serum that a slight healing wound seeps.

If you can't learn something from it what's the point?

As for new jerseys, well I have a plentiful sufficiency plus two new giftie jerseys that friends have sent so I can know ride more than two weeks without running out of jerseys. Shorts are another matter.

Doctors appointment today went smoothly. I didn't get the drains out but based on the drainage, I wasn't really expecting to, but I am cleared to drive and can use my left arm normally as long as I don't start lifting more than five pounds of flailing it around.

The biopsy report came back showing what was expected, massive precancerous changes in the cells along with widely distributed ductal and lobular carcinoma so we got it at a good time. The margins are completely clean so..... Hopefully this will be the end of it.

I have been walking the dogs and doing some speed walking intervals with my arm clamped firmly against my side, some full body squats and lunges and a lot of very therapeutic stretching and the trainer is holding my training times open for the next three weeks so that the minute the drain comes out I should be hitting the gym and the bike.

i got my son to move my trainer and bike inside today so that's on the agenda for the morning, some slow easy spinning. Cany anyone say booored and restless?

I have no doubt that the jersey idea is not original with me, but please feel free to share it with anyone you know.

Thanks for all the positive response, it is so inspiring and helps so much.

[szsz]

Excellent news, Marni! I'm so glad to hear how well you are on your road to recovery. The drains (I called them ornaments) are a pain, but you have a super smart and stylish workaround! Best to you, fellow survivor.