Inform health care providers to use your other arm for blood pressure, blood drawing and shots unless approved by your surgeon. Make every effort to avoid cuts and burns to this arm. Treat any injured area very carefully. If you have swelling, elevate your arm on pillows when you are lying down. There are also special elastic arm sleeves that you can use if the swelling is severe.
Arm exercises help to minimize the swelling.
There are several support groups available to assist you with emotional needs as well as give you advice concerning prostheses or reconstructive surgery. Click here for the American Cancer Society's local WWW site on breast cancer. Click here for the West Bay Region of the American Cancer Society's WWW site. The West Bay Region covers San Francisco, San Mateo, and Marin counties. They offer the full range of American Cancer Society service and education programs.