There are a lot of resources available through the American Cancer Society. Support groups help not just the patient, but also the entire family. Your local librarian may be a resource. Many hospitals and cancer centers maintain information centers or have volunteers who can point to resources in the community. People tend to forget how a diagnosis of breast cancer affects the whole family, so that is a really important question.
Most women are in the hospital for two to three days.
Generally they go home with a small drainage tube and are seen back in the office or clinic within a week to have the drain removed. During that week, a woman may have a visiting nurse if necessary to help with dressings. The woman will begin exercising and using the arm during the next week. Depending upon the kind of activity, a woman may return to activities within two or three weeks. Generally by that time a plan has been made as to further treatment.