lara henderson bodywork, llc

“Water is sacred to all Human Beings. If you do not have water, you cannot have life. I always remember to honor and pour the water because it is traditional.” 🫗

- Autumn Morning Star

In making such a personal decision, the role of professional guidance can’t be understated. Surgeons, oncologists, and specialized fitters like those who have gone through the process of becoming certified bra fitters can provide invaluable insights, addressing both the physical and emotional aspects of each option. 🤍

Choosing between breast reconstruction and prosthesis is deeply personal. Here are some key factors women often consider:

🩵 Health and Recovery: Those with ongoing health issues may opt for the non-invasive route of prosthesis.

💙 Lifestyle: Women who lead active lifestyles may prefer the flexibility of prostheses, while others may lean towards the permanence of reconstruction.

💜 Emotional and Psychological Impact: Personal comfort with one’s body image and the emotional aftermath of cancer and surgery can heavily influence the decision.

🩷 Financial and Time Investment: The cost and time required for reconstruction versus the relatively simpler process of fitting for a prosthesis can be deciding factors.

Breast prostheses, often called breast forms, are an alternative for those who opt out of additional surgery. Companies like Amoena and Trulife specialize in these products, offering a variety of shapes, sizes, and materials to fit individual needs.

1. Advantages:
🩵 Non-Invasive: Prostheses eliminate the risks and recovery associated with surgery, offering immediate results.
🩵 Flexibility and Variety: With various options, women can choose different shapes, sizes, and even weights to suit multiple activities and clothing styles.
🩵 Personal Choice: Removing the prosthesis allows for control over personal comfort and appearance.
🩵 A partial breast shaper is designed to mold to your breast tissue and is ideal for a biopsied area where only some tissue was removed. The tapered edges and soft silicone ensure a smooth, natural look.

2. Considerations:
🩵 Maintenance and Care: Prostheses need regular cleaning and may require replacement over time due to wear and tear.
🩵 Adjustment Period: It can take time to find the perfect fit and to become accustomed to wearing a prosthesis daily.
🩵 Physical Sensations: A prosthesis will not feel the same as natural tissue, which can be a significant consideration for some women.

Breast reconstruction surgery aims to rebuild the breast shape using implants or tissue from other parts of the body. It’s a path that offers some women a sense of wholeness and restores a semblance of their pre-mastectomy body.

1. Advantages:
🩷 Aesthetic and Psychological: For many, waking up from mastectomy flat-chested can be an unsettling experience at best... choosing reconstructed breasts can immensely aid their sense of continuity and body image.
🩷 Permanent Solution: Unlike prostheses, reconstruction offers a permanent solution, removing the daily need to wear and adjust a prosthesis.
🩷 For those choosing reconstruction there are specialized medical grade seamless compression bras delivered pre-washed and sterile packaged to be used straight after surgery.

2. Considerations:
🩷 Surgical Risks: Like any surgery, reconstruction carries risks such as infection, complications from anesthesia, and longer recovery periods.
🩷 Multiple Surgeries: Often, reconstruction isn't a one-time procedure and may involve multiple surgeries to achieve the desired outcome.
🩷 Time and Expense: The process can be time-consuming and costly, with insurance coverage varying widely.
🩷 Though being debated heavily in the scientific community, reports of BII (breast implant illness) are on the rise and the potential is something many women are unaware of when they are faced with this choice.

🩷 A diagnosis of breast cancer and the subsequent decision to undergo mastectomy can be an overwhelmingly emotional and physical journey for women. The complexities extend beyond the surgery itself, into the personal choices around post-mastectomy body image and identity.

🩷 Two prominent options for many women are breast reconstruction surgery or the use of breast prosthesis (breast forms). This decision is profoundly personal, reflecting each individual's needs, lifestyle, and values.

“Though I cannot flee from the world of corruption, I can prepare tea with water from a mountain stream and put my heart to rest.” 💙

- Ueda Akinari

More benefits of Manual Lymphatic Drainage:

🟦 Improves circulation and removes excess fluid
🟦 Stimulates neuromuscular responses
🟦 Improves muscle tone
🟦 Decreases cell swelling, positively affecting cellulite
🟦 Oxygenates cells
🟦 Post injury/surgery: removes excess fibrin to reduce scar formation

"Good will is a power that can be used every day of the year and every hour of the day. It is instantly available. By continuously practicing good will we cultivate a deep subconscious habit of good will. It becomes a pattern of our response in all situations. Good will works as silently as the sun and with as much power. It thaws the ice and snow of resistance and indifference. It warms and wins human hearts. It draws forth the best in others as flowers are drawn from the soil. It stimulates growth."

- Wilferd Peterson 🏖️

SECONDARY LYMPHOID ORGANS:
💚 Lymph nodes
💚 Spleen
💚 M.A.L.T (Mucosa-Associated Lymphoid Tissue):
• Peyer’s patches
• Tonsils
• Vermilform Appendix
• And other locations throughout the body

🟢 Lymph Nodes 🟢
These are soft, ovoid organs lying along the course of lymphatic vessels. The lymph node is made up of many parts, but it is most important to understand that the nodes act as a clearing house. For instance, various types of T cells circulating in the blood enter the node though specialized endothelial venues. When activated by an antigen (bad guy) T cells divide to produce clones of activated or sensitized T cells which then join the body’s blood circulation. More troops to handle the invaders!

🟢 Spleen 🟢
This organ is sometimes likened to a “lymph node for the blood” because of the filtering and antigen-trapping functions it provides for the circulating blood.

🟢 Mucosa-Associated Lymphoid Tissue (MALT) 🟢
Most important to know here that 75% of all antibodies are produced by MALT, which are non-encapsulated clusters of lymphoid tissue found in numerous organs of the body.

So suffice it to say... Manual Lymphatic Drainage stimulates specific and nonspecific immunity (covering all the bases!) It makes the immune system more efficient by increasing the circulation of lymphocytes and removal of toxins and antigens.