BMX w/ direct implants (hopefully) next week. What to expect?

Tara, best wishes to you for a speedy recovery. I will do my best to answer your questions and give you a heads up on some things.

1. You will be fine the second week. You will need help the first week as you would after any major surgery. My mother in law stayed four days with me after surgery, oh my gosh loved it, love her. She was a big help in changing the dressings around the drains.Plus meal preparation, bathing, just getting a drink, is a challenge the first few days. Pulling open the freezer...thats a no no. Your movements will be limited the first few days but improve daily. The drains are what will give you the most fits....you will have long tubes (I had 3 drains, 2 on my affected side, one on the other). The fluid has to be drained out of the pouches several times a day. You will rejoice when they are out!. I could empty them myself, but it was nice to have help with the bandages.

2. Pain was not a problem for me, I did take pain meds. Just stay ahead of it. Take the pain meds, not a time to be a suffering hero!

3. I was up and around, but not really doing anything around the house at all the first week, and much more normal, I mean super light stuff, the second week. Nothing that involves upper body strength for sure. No laundry, no vaccuum, no groceries. Just lifting your arms will be difficult. Your implants will probably be under the chest pectoral muscles, this feels very strange at first, but your implants will settle and it wont feel so odd later. But you will have no strength up top at first, at least I didnt.

4. Get lots of pillows! Some ladies (me included) found the recliner more comfy than the bed. Do not hesitate to ask for help putting the foot rest down. When in bed I looked like a pampered princess, pillows everywhere! I cannot stress the importance of multiple pillows enough!

Rest Rest. And check in your handout info when discharged, you will be given a sheet of range of motion exercises to start after a few days, I found this to be very important to do, as you heal the skin and muscles get super tight. Do not start until your doc says to though. The excercises are very simple and keep you stretched out.

Get a zip hoodie, as you will NOT be putting anything on over your head...a hoodie or light jacket with pockets in it. I wore mine inside out so the pockets were next to my body, and I put my lovely drains in the pockets. Hopefully you will get more tips on managing the drains in clothes, dont get discouraged with them, but they kinda suck.

Anyone else have tips for her? Keep us posted and hugs to you as you have surgery.

I did not have direct to implant, had bi-lat mastectomy with expanders.
1.  I came home from the hospital on Wed. My husband took off Thurs/Fri, went back to work on Mon.  I was fine - had no other assistance during the day.    
2.  I am not a personal fan of pain meds - I took the prescribed ones for less than a week and then switched to Tylenol, but I have a very high pain threshold.  I was allowed to shower immediately and found more relief from the warm water.  That said, take the meds for as long as you need them, and stay ahead of the pain - don't chase it.  Some get more relief - especially if you have direct to implant - from a combo of pain meds and muscle relaxers, such as Flexiril, Skelaxin, Soma, or Valium.         

3.   I did easy stuff around the house the following week, just didn't lift anything, or do any push/pull motions.
4.  I did not sleep in a recliner, but rather in bed with a LOT of pillows - like, a throne of pillows.  I slept for a long time in a partially sitting up position, which was hard as I am a side sleeper.  I found I could sort of sleep on my side, like a 45 degree angle after a few weeks by jamming a squishy feather pillow in the small of my back.

 I used a basket on the bed that held the remotes, phones, tissues, lotion, lip balm, hard candies, pen and paper, etc.  I recommend a drinking cup with a lid and straw.  My husband got lamp extension cords with dimmers - saved reaching over to turn lamps on and off, link below.  When I showered I used a clean shoelace and strung my drains (they have a tab at the top) on like beads, knotted the ends together and wore them around my neck like a necklace.  I pinned my drains to the side seams of tank tops - I got some inexpensive ones that I could step into and pull up.  I wore lightweight zip up track style jackets.  Satin PJs help you slide in and out of bed.  Keep paper plates and utensils on the counter, and drinking glasses, etc., so you don't have to reach up into cabinets, or do dishes.  I recommend getting a handheld shower head - if you are not allowed to get your chest wet you can still use that for below the waist.  You can also use plastic wrap to protect your chest - wrap it around several times to keep things dry.  You can use a plastic garden chair in the shower if you are at all shaky and the hand held shower reaches far enough.  I also sat with my back to the shower head and my husband could wash my hair with the hand held shower.    

 http://www.homedepot.com/p/Lutron-Credenza-300-Watt-Plug-In-Lamp-Dimmer-White-TT-300H-WH/100001525

So glad for this thread! I'm having the same surgery and feel like I have a better idea of what to expect!

Tara, hoping you can check in soon and let us know how you are getting along. Hoping healing is going well.