Masthead Pink Surgical Bra: Make sure to ask your doctor about writing a prescription for surgical bras and camis, my insurance covered both! The cami is a vest that holds the drains. The surgical bras that the hospital gave me through insurance are quite annoying to zip, really tight, itchy, and stiff. I was SO grateful to have had this Masthead Pink Bra. It is a soft material and fit so much better. The best part- it has holes on the sides for the drains AND a clip to hold the drains. On instagram the company is often doing giveaways and they sent me mine for free! It has truly been a godsend.
Mastectomy Pillow: This item was a must have. I used it in the hospital and on the way home. For the first 5 weeks I used it every time I went in a car and to sleep every night. You can buy them online ranging from $15.00-$35.00 but there are also some incredible people and non-profits out there that will send you them for free! I got mine from the Blessing Box Project. The amazing women who runs the project sends them as a gift if you are having a mastectomy (she will accept money for shipping but it's not required). Winter's Gift is also a non-profit that sends mastectomy recovery kits.
(A sweet dog to comfort you is a bonus!)
Blessing Box Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2385592998176652/
Winters Gift: http://www.wintersgift.org/
Eye Mask: At the beginning I needed to sleep a lot, the combination of surgery and the painkillers knocked me out. An eye mask for sleeping during the day was an essential. You can find them for around $5.00 at CVS or Forever 21.
Button Down Pajamas: I was happy I stocked up on really comfortable button down pajamas...as I lived in them the first 5 weeks or so! The button down feature is a necessity as I wasn't able to lift my arms for a while. It was also a great excuse to empty out my closet to replace my old ugly PJ's with cute matching sets. I had the best luck at TJ Maxx, Marshalls, and Target.
Sippy Cups: I know this sounds crazy, but yes sippy cups for a baby! At the beginning, any sort of adult cup we had in the house was too heavy for me to hold. Plastic bottles...I couldn't lift them up high enough to drink. Not to mention, I also couldn't reach to the table so I wanted a drink with me on the couch. You could also use plastic cups with straws. However, I liked how I could close the top and have the cups right with me.
(We took out the baby straw and put in a regular plastic straw)
Dry Shampoo and Body Wipes: These item are self explanatory. I couldn't shower for 3 weeks while the drains were in!
Wedge Pillow: This pillow really helped me the first few weeks. Both for sleeping and sitting on the couch comfortably. I have heard some women don't love the wedge pillow, so it's definitely personal preference. My mother in law got me mine off of Amazon, but I recommend looking places like Facebook Marketplace to save some money. The Wedge pillow really saved me when I couldn't go a day longer without washing my hair! We leaned it against the bathtub so I could lean back.
I didn't know hair washing trays existed until now, but if I had, that would have made hair washing easier!
Pregnancy Pillow: I was relieved I didn't get rid of my massive pregnancy pillow! Even though it's huge and made me hot, I used it at least the first 5 weeks to sleep. Some nights I would switch back to the wedge pillow... it is really hard getting comfortable at night! Thank goodness we have a king bed. Between me, my pillow fort, and Sadie (our dog)... my poor husband was falling off the edge!
Step Stool: Speaking of that king bed...our bed is SO high. If you have a high bed make sure to have some sort of step stool to get in and out of bed. They have them on Amazon for $10 for convenience, but you can totally get this at TJ Maxx or Ocean State Job Lot for cheaper. I also borrowed an adjustable table for next to my bed, like they have at the hospital. If you can get your hands on one of these it has been really helpful.
Revlon One Step Hairdryer: I didn't find out about this until too late in my recovery and bought it 6 weeks post-op. However, I wish I had it sooner! It is so light and makes drying my hair significantly easier. I am thrilled to have this item regardless of the surgery! For those beginning weeks when my mom had to blow dry my hair, this would have been a huge help. I got it at Bed Bath and Beyond and used the 20% off coupon, it was well worth the $48. I was also relieved I cut off 6 inches of my very long hair before surgery. It just made it easier to manage when I couldn't shower and when others had to wash my hair. Turns out, I actually like my shorter hair better anyways!
Zip Bath Robe: My husband got me a zip up bathrobe from TJ Maxx and I lived in it (still do). Since I really couldn't move my arms much at the beginning, this was much easier than a tie. Plus I always lose the tie and the bathrobe doesn't stay on! I look like a grandma in a moo moo, but who's judging?
Zip up Supportive Sports Bra: It turns out, it's incredibly hard to find affordable and comfortable front zip sports bras. After I didn't need to wear surgical bras anymore, my surgeon gave me the OK to wear supportive sports bras. The front zip is a no brainer, since I still can't lift my arms all the way over my head 7 weeks post-op. I tried and ordered a bunch from Amazon and none fit right and the material was awful. I finally found the perfect one from Target. It has adjustable straps more like a regular bra which is also a bonus.
Bum Wiper: Yes, this is exactly what it sounds like; a mobility tool so you can independently wipe in the bathroom. Here's the thing about this, not everyone will need it. Some women are able to wipe independently before they have to go number 2 (the painkillers back you up!) I have heard if you have lymph nodes removed, it makes mobility even harder and this would be a huge help. I needed it the first week and it was money well spent. I really didn't want my husband or mom to have to help me...I still have a TINY bit of modesty apparently!
Wet Flushable Wipes: Even without the bum tool, these are imperative!
These are some of my favorite items throughout recovery. I hope you find them helpful!
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