Shopping/packing/to-do list for surgery + recovery....

flatchested2013

I had my surgery 3 weeks ago.  All the suggestions are great and I wish I had read this before having surgery. The only thing that I would add is is a wide back brace... I used this to wrap around the drains when I would go out in public. I had 4 and they tended to bounce around under the t-shirt.  The brace held them down and even gave me a slimmer look.  It also helped to have 2 drain belts .... one for daily wear and one for the shower.  I came home in a compression bra that I wore for several days.  It feels better to have a little pressure.  

Fighter69

Hi all 

Just had my surgery 3 days ago all went well . Left breast masectomy with lymph node disection with a breast reduction on the right .taking it easy at home on the mend .

Hope everyone feels better 

ldesim

Fighter69 & Flatchested, wishing you both a speedy recovery!!!

PortlandLady

Hi Ladies,



I have just graduated from chemo and cold cap forums to the surgery forums - not sure congratulations are in order. ;-}



Anyway, I'm scheduled for lumpectomy and possible lymph node removal on Oct 16. Most of the posts here seem relevant to mastectomy surgeries. I'm wondering how best to prepare for lumpectomy and how much difference there is in preparing for recovery e.g. sleeping in bed, drains, ability to fend for myself. I'm pretty much alone except my brother will be coming to town to help care for me the first few days. But I have pets who need care and I'm just worried how able I'll be to care for myself and my little beings - especially the older ones with health issues of their own. Lifting, arm raising, clothing, so many questions!



Thanks in advance for your help. I respect all of you who have been through so much more than I... Hugs!

butterfleyez

where do you purchase cami w pockets? That sounds like an awesome solution. Is it hard to pull over your head?

beatrice00

Anyone looking at this thread that will have surgery at Sloan Kettering - they gave me everything I needed in a large package to take home including two post-surgical bras to hold the bulbs and a belt to hold the bulbs while washing. I was freaking out about it before the surgery but it turned out great. I bought a cotton scrub top with snap closure from the scrubs store at the mall for $6 and that was enough to wear at home. Everything turned out ok. Good luck.

aviva5675

Portland, alot of what is said ref mastect surgery applies to your lumpectomy as well- but less so! I had lx w/other side reduction, outpatient, no drains, drove after 6 days... when I had my bmx 10 days later (bad path outcome ) was in hospital 2 nights, worse pain, 2 drains, so alot more of the things on the list applied. Stay ahead of pain by taking meds, dont fret if you have drains. I got a drain belt online before the surgery and it was great. Got a cammi at the hospital that zipped up the front, so no over the head- drains pinned to it. But there were seams inside that were uncomfortable, so switched to drain belt after that (after bmx). After lx used sports bra with a soft tshirt strip folded and tucked under the bottom of the bra so the scars there were cushioned.

Butt (ha , thats button) front shirts are a must after either surgery.

PortlandLady

Thanks aviva! I go in Wed morning and have stocked up on open front tops but no drain belt. I did get a post surgical bra with drain pockets that insurance paid for. Nervous to say the least but so much to do to prepare as I live alone that I guess I'll just deal with stuff as it comes up. I do appreciate your help and sorry you had to go through bmx as well!!!

bobogirl

Hey everyone,

Scheduled for BMX with TE implants 6 December. Should we get post-mx bras before sx? Don't have any idea what size I'd be. Or should we wait until after surgery?

Moonflwr912

I hot 2 camis from my breast surgeon. One if my drains hit the underboob velcro for the drain holders so I didnt were anything til after that drain was out. But my surgeon wrapped my TEs with gauze gor the first week. After that it was just steri strips. They were the amoena cami with fluffy pouffs so you could adjust the size if you were uneven. After that one drain was out I wore those for almost 2 years as I had about 6 sx. You step into them so very easy to get on an off. My PS was one where no showers till all drains were out. So for me almost 5 weeks till the last one.

Much love to all and fast healing and quick drain removals!

timeheart

as you suggested a notepad.

Electronics - iPods iPhone charger. Ear buds times 2. 2 pair of glasses. Laptop and a big DVD notebook with the favorite movies ready to play. Also 1 or. 2 fleecy blankets. They keep me warm like nothing else. And are light weight and easily cleaned. Don't forget your face lotions and toiletries. .

aviva5675

bump for newbies

drdolittle

chapstick or lip balm - my lips are always so dry after surgery

ziggypop

I've found that anytime I am going to be in the hospital an eye-patch is a good idea for sleeping through those bright lights. Also if you use reading glasses - two pairs just in case (also important by the bed at home). Make sure there's lots of TP in the bathroom & if you live with somebody who doesn't change the roll when it's low, have an extra right there. Phone charger for sure.

I have a question - I've got a TE & will be going for the exchange in the next couple months (can't wait for that). My PS said she's going to take some fat from my thighs and inject it around the gummy. Has anybody had this done? I hear that you have to wear some kind of compression (like spanx) 24 hours a day for like 3 weeks after. I also feel like I might be missing some 'list' items, since my hips will be sore. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

butterfleyez

hey ladies

I am 3 weeks out of deip surgery and thought Id chime in. I found that reading material is a total wasted effort. You will be focused on recovery and watching TV was all I did. It would work to have an audio book or positive meditation downloaded on a phone or something to play. I also didn't wear any underwear until I got my drains out. In the hospital they usually provide some kind of drain belt.

At home after the deip surgery: consider renting a lift recliner. It was a GOd send. The regular recliner is tough to pull the handle and doesn't help you stand on your own. Just a bit of independence. Be sure to have alcohol wipes, bacitracin, Qtips, flushable toilet wipes (hey it's hard to get your arms back there) comfy pj pants( satin helps you slide off bed) and a button down pj shirt. Loose pants are needed but through the other threads we have discovered that maternity pants are awesome for the first 6 weeks. They have the material that can gently cover drains or fold underneath and they work good for not irritating your scar while swollen.

Hope this helps. If you have any questions feel free to reach out. If I think of anything else ill add.

mnmbeck

I love this list. I, too, did a lot of planning before my surgery. I love your list. I would add these few items....

-Long-handled back scratcher. I always felt like I wanted to scratch my back, but I couldn't move to do it. My husband used this on me for the first couple of days. Once I could move even a little, I had HUGE relief from this.

-Peri-bottle. I was really worried about being able to care for myself entirely after surgery. My husband gladly cleaned my 'top half' , but I wanted to feel like my bottom was clean without his help :-) . I looked everywhere for a peri-bottle, but couldn't find one anywhere except Amazon.com. It was cheap....I think $1-2.00. I ordered one for each bathroom in my house. For less than $4.00, I always felt fresh and clean! If you have ever had a baby, you probably know what a peri bottle is. It is simply a soft squeeze bottle that you can fill with warm water and spray after using the bathroom....kind of like a beaudet/sitz bath.

-long-handled loofah/sponge/brush for the shower for those hard to reach places that your arms won't go quite yet.

-LOTS of new pillows of varying sizes to prop myself into a comfortable position for sleeping. I bought cheap ones with new pillowcases. It was both a necessity and a treat.

-Before surgery, think about the people (or person) in your life that you would call with 'sensitive issues'. Who are you willing to have help you change a bra, or help you with a shower if you do end up needing that kind of help? Who would you call to ask to get you laxatives if you need them? Who would you show your scars or drains to if you think they don't look right? I had a very small list of people who I felt comfortable with for that stuff.

-I was completely unable to wash my hair after mastectomy....for about 10 days. I was thankful that my husband and I had planned to have him wash my hair (over the sink with the spray nozzle), and I had my 12 year old daughter practice how to "do" my hair, since I knew I might not be able to get my arms, or a blow dryer, brushest, etc... up that far for awhile.....

I also spent a lot of time getting my house ready for friends who might be at my house helping me with laundry or bringing me a meal. I cleaned out closets, refrigerator, etc.....so that it would make sense to anybody who happened to be at my house. I didn't want the stress of knowing people were digging through my messy closets looking for things that may be on a floor in a pile! I know this isn't a big deal to everyone, but it has given me a great deal of peace as I am recovering.

Thanks for a great list. It will be SO helpful for so many people!!

eva2trek

Thanks for all the great ideas for necessary stuff, it was a big help. I found a very cheap and comfortable sport bra by Fruit of the Loom, it's their Shape and Support comfort front-close bra, and it gave enough support to feel good but wasn't too tight to sleep in. BTW, does anyone else find it ironic that all the shirts sold to support BC awareness are T-shirts and pull-overs, not button-fronts that we need while we can't lift our arms over our head?

Reenthequeen

I appreciate all of the tips! Having a bi-lateral, on 12/16/13, with reconstruction via tissue expanders. I think (hope!!!) I've gotten everything organized. The biggest issue, for me, is bras...will I need one, won't I need one? I'm a DDD, and have NO clue what to purchase, to fit post surgery. The sports bras that I've tried on seem like they would be really uncomfortable, with surgical scars, drains, etc. I appreciate this thread, SO much!!!

aviva5675

There wont be much or anything there after the bmx, so I dont think youll need anything. Its personal preference and comfort also. I wore very loose soft tanks for a few weeks, with my husb help getting it on til I was able. Now after about 14 weeks I wear a mens sleeveless tank as an undershirt. Im fully filled, but still smallish, at 400cc, and dont wear a bra.

Your incisions are tender for quite awhile after surgery, so wearing something constricting, unless told to by my doc wouldnt have been fun.

MsJAR

The one good thing about having a bmx is being able to go braless after! I've had extensive spine surgeries, and a bra band and hooks always irritated the scars... now if i go out and want to wear prostheses, i just pin them to a camisole.  Don't torture yourself if you don't have to!

Reenthequeen

Thank you, SO much for your help!!!  I came home from the hospital on 12/19, in a surgical bra...two drains, on each side.  I'm still in the surgical bra, having one drain, per side, removed today.  The other drains should be removed on Thursday or Friday, of this week.  (I really hope SO!)  I have had a lot of cramping, in my arm pits, since the drain removal, today...easily the most uncomfortable day since I've gotten home.  Surgery went great, though.  They did put 400cc into each of the tissue expanders, during the surgery.  I'm finding, right now, a nightgown is all I still want, when we're at home, but know, once I'm feeling more like my old self, that I'll be thrilled for your guidance!

luvmygoats

Bump

mama20kidz

hi i just had my surgery last Wed and i feel  scare sometime. what should i do?

pattij

fly fishing vest... LMFAO.. that is a GREAT idea !!

my friend told me about the mastectomy camis with pockets going to try and get one but my surgery is a week away and i dont now if i will be able to squeeze in a shopping trip in between all of these dam doctor appointments

nwest125

I don't think I could have made it without my pocket camis After I was done with them I gave them to someone one on  this site and when she was finished with them she did the same maybe someone from here will donate

TXRangersGirl80

I didn't realize, and no one told me, my IV would be in my foot for my bilateral mastectomy. Therefore, I was super leery about wearing my own slippers or Crocs while walking in the hospital because they were snug on my feet. Thankfully my husband had also brought his Crocs which provided plenty of room for the IV while I walked the floor. 

twoam

Thank you, and lots of love, to all the ladies that have contributed to this thread! After reading every single post, my stress level has gone down 99%. I am an obsessive list maker (I find it relaxing lol) and even more so, about being able to cross things of lists. So many wonderful suggestions, especially for those on a limited budget, or just do not want to buy lots of extra stuff. I am suddenly very glad that my DH just had hip replacement surgery. Already have back scratcher (all pain meds make me itch), grabber thingy, shower seat, long handled body scrubbers, and much more! Lots of good ideas on shower laynards, but I think that is the one thing I will treat myself to, as I need one for work (when I am able to return) anyway, and have found several online that are bright orange, or water themed (2 of my favorite things). 1 question. I have many, oversized tank tops, that I could step into, and pull up. Is this something I could physically do after BMX with TE's? My husband will be able to help, as he is still home recovering from his own surgery. Sure would save having to buy more stuff.

Cceandme

I only used button down shirt once. Mostly used large tank tops that I could step into with boyfriends help. 

twoam

This probably seems silly, considering the big picture, but I am worried about gaining weight during recovery. I lost 90lbs, and have kept it off, for 4 years now. How soon did you all feel up to exercising (walking, yoga...gentle stuff) ?

IzzyB

Just wanted to add a tip for those worried about how to sleep comfortably post surgery or with your TE's. I sleep with 1-2 do the Fom Fun pillows from Brookstone (http://m.brookstone.com/fom-fun-pillow). I used them in the recliner to prop my arms comfortably. Now I am able to sleep on both sides since about 4wks post op (once drains were out) if I squish one in front of me. The pillows are filled with tiny foam beads so mold just to where you need support. A friend of mine's mom is a BC survivor & she worked at a BC center where they swore by these amazing little pillows. You can probably find or make similar pillows a bit cheaper -- these have truly made my recovery & sleep soo much better so I had to share with you all.