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Company provides prosthetics, self-esteem for women after a mastectomyAs the saying goes – “you don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone.” For women who have endured breast cancer and a mastectomy, this saying takes on a very personal meaning. To lose something that is so closely connected with a woman’s femininity invokes feelings that only those who have experienced it can describe. Easing the trauma of that loss is a major focus of an Eden Prairie-based company called “Underneath It All.” The company sells prosthetics, undergarments, swimsuits and other items for women who have had mastectomies. They coordinate with Allina Home Oxygen and Medical Equipment to travel to New Ulm and provide their services to women in the area whenever there is a need. Co-owner Cathy Rieckenberg clearly loves her job. “There’s nothing like making a woman feel better about herself, especially after all they’ve been through,” she said. “The other day, I fit a woman who was on medical assistance and when she got her new bras, she started to cry.” Brenda Hofmeister, the outgoing leader of the local breast cancer support group and a survivor of the disease herself, understands that kind of emotion. “A lot of women really don’t think they’ll have a problem with losing a breast, but then they find that it really does affect them,” Hofmeister said. “It can be as simple as the fact that your clothes don’t fit you quite right any more.” Rieckenberg and her partner, Lorraine Dressel, have been doing mastectomy fittings since the mid-1990s and are certified mastectomy fitters. “We started offering services in out-state areas because both of us were originally home care nurses and we know the difficulty of getting out of the house sometimes for these patients, especially after surgery,” Rieckenberg said. “For them to have to travel up to the Twin Cities or elsewhere when they are not feeling well is just too much to ask.” New Ulm breast cancer survivor Elaine Roiger can attest to that. “The first time I got a prosthesis nine years ago I had to go to Mankato. Then that company left Mankato and I felt a little lost,” Roiger said. Roiger was delighted when Underneath It All started coming down to New Ulm about three years ago. She was also thrilled with the wide variety of choices that she found available. “I found that with my old prosthesis, it was so heavy, I would take it off at the end of the day as soon as I could,” Roiger said. “The products available now are much more comfortable.” Rieckenberger said that women are often surprised at the variety of products available and the contemporary styles. “These are not archaic by any means. We deal with a fair number of women in their 20s and 30s and they want pretty, lacy things,” Rieckenberger said. They also have more simple designs for women who prefer that style. As for the prosthetics, “we carry many different prosthetics so we can be sure to match a woman’s existing breast. “We can match a woman’s skin color if we do a radiant impression, which is a custom form,” Rieckenberg explained. “We cast her chest wall and a second casting is done with her prosthetic and bra on. Some insurance companies cover this – we do a prior authorization so the client knows up front.” Other products include sports bras, swimsuits, t-shirts, and pajamas – all with pockets for the prosthetics. One product Rieckenberger is particularly excited about is a post-surgical camisole that has a pocket in it for the drain that has to be carried around for a period of time after surgery. “It even stretches out so you can step into it rather than having to pull it over your head – which can be difficult after surgery. They’ve really thought of everything!” The most appealing aspect of the company is that they travel to New Ulm with an enormous variety of products and Underneath it All bills the insurance company directly for items, Hofmeister said. Also, Roiger said, “Cathy is so sensitive and makes you feel comfortable – which is important on such a private issue.” Underneath It All is contacted by Allina Home Oxygen and Medical Equipment to visit their site at 1601 South Broadway in New Ulm whenever they have a few women who are in need of their products. To find out more about their services, call Allina HOME at 507-233-1585 or check out their website at underneathitall.com. |
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New Ulm Medical Center
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