wordpaintervs

As many of you may know, woman are freqrently sent home from breast surgery (lumpectomy or breast removal) the next day, or otherwise is too short a time. Those losing a breast (s) are given pint sized bottles (bottle?) to catch the 'drainage' in. Sometimes, according to what I have read, they are given a pillowcase to keep the bottles in.

I have a pattern I downloaded sometime back and since October is Breast cancer awareness month, I am going to make a few bags. Tapestry or somehing weightier might be better, as I read some 'bottles' can get heavy. I think I will use quilt batting for mine. On my pattern, as opposed to the pattern I found a link for, they made a tab about 5 inches by 2 and 1/2 inches and sewed it to the side of the bag. On the other side was a strap made from a 56 inch width made into a tube or strip. The one end was sewn onto the side opposite the tab. It could then be worn as a shoulder bag or acros the chest, by tying the open end of the strap through the tab. Instead of a tab, I suppose a couple D rings would also work. (Hope that made sense.) Here is a simple pattern on the link below. Give it some thought folks, and call your hospitals or the ACS (American cancer society) and see if they can tell you where to send your bags. It would be fun to make them extra pretty while leaving them practical. Like I said....please give it some thought. If you can't gt the link, please let me now.

Vickey Stamps

http://mamaspocketbook.com/freepinkoctpattern.htm

COYOTEMAGIC

Awesome!! Thank you! Those little bottles are a pain in the ..... They game me this belt thing that was suppose to hold the bottles. It was worthless!

I think if you had something that the bottle could fit into and that could either be supported around your neck or waist it would be great.

Thanks for what you do!!

ETA---We should be able to come up with something better than this. http://www.tlcdirect.org/products/sk...__dept-35.html

dressmakergurl

All I see is directions for a regular purse.
Where are the bottle directions?
I would like to help.
Why wouldn't a smaller holder just for the bottles work?
It could be worn as a sling style purse I make purses and
would love to try and design something.

COYOTEMAGIC

Found this one.
http://www.flattops.webs.com/drainbelt.html

Here are a few other designs. I'm sure we can come up with something better.

http://stores.helppersons.com/-strse-New/Categories.bok

Ramona Byrd

I think if you had something that the bottle could fit into and that could either be supported around your neck or waist it would be great.
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If I remember correctly, I had a tube running from the bottom of the scars, with it dropping into a concertina type of plastic bottle that was in a mesh bag pinned to a strip around my neck. I was not in any pain, and still worked in the blood bank. That marvelous charge nurse insisted on checking it every day I was there!! She had been the one to urge me to have the mammogram along with other hospital employees, since as a volunteer I was considered non-salaried personnel.
(Thanks, Merlita!! You just may have saved my life!) And another employee in the blood bank gave me a soft baby pillow. That sure did help, since I sleep on my right side all the time and that pillow kept my arm off the stitches till they healed.

Maia B

Do you mean the bulb drains? I'm a nurse, we just usually have patients pin them (there's a tab for this) to the surgical bra or clothes. Can the sewn pouch can be used later for something else? Would the pouch/bag be an unpleasant reminder of the post-op period and the drains?

quiltingcandy

I had a double mastectomy this past April and my drains were in for about 3 weeks. I just pinned the drain to a pocket or inside of a shirt. I am not sure how the first purse item would work. But the belt idea would work, but they would need to be given to the woman at the surgeon's office (to be taken to the hospital) or given upon release at the hospital.

I agree with Maria B. It would be something I would get rid of once the drains are pulled. It's easier to put that out of your mind with the fewer reminders left around. So one should not go to a great deal of expense or detail in making them.