Many women have reached out to me via Instagram asking for advice for my breast surgery must-haves. I had some wonderful women suggesting items to have at home before surgery and they really helped. I also discovered some on my own after surgery, so I thought I’d share what helped me the most for any of you out there preparing for a any type of breast surgery, whether it be a biopsy, revision, mastectomy, double mastectomy, whatever! Now as I’m gearing up for reconstruction, I’m pulling these out of the closet to use again as I recover.
Items to have to prepare for a mastectomy
For your body:
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The Recovery Shirt was phenomenal for holding my drains. It was the only thing I could really get comfortable in because there wasn’t the weight of the drains hanging on me. I ended up buying two!
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Zip-front sports bras were essentially what I lived in for the first three weeks until I felt comfortable sleeping without a bra on.
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Ana Ono Pocketed Front Closure Bra. This was a life safer after I got out of the post-op surgical bra.
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This shower drain holder to hold your drains so you can shower was a game-changer. Nothing like a hot shower after surgery.
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Button downs. I lived in flannels and tunics from LLBean because I’m always cold and these were perfect. Plus they have a breast pocket that I could stick my phone in.
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Seat belt pillow. You’re going to need to comfortably get home from the hospital, as well as go back and forth to doctor’s appointments after surgery. This pillow was a great way to ride painlessly.
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Style Esteem Turbans: These turbans were created by a friend of mine and a fellow survivor. Turbans are a great way to keep your head warm and fashionable when going through chemo and losing hair. There is a turban included as part of our Chemo Survival Kit as well if you have chemo on the horizon.
FOR SLEEP
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The Bed Wedge was a literal life saver! I don’t know what I would have done if my girlfriend hadn’t told me to get one of these before surgery. I couldn’t lay flat for at least a month without pain, so this was essential!
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The Recovery Heart Pillow was the perfect size to put under my arm for a little added support
How to prepare your mind:
I struggled with this. I was going through breast cancer at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Meditate. My husband downloaded the Calm app and we tried to do nightly mediations together to help us decompress before bed.
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Exercise. You won’t be able to do too much exercise after surgery other than walking, so if this is a way you manage your stress, go for it!
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Get a massage. I’m 3 months from my mastectomy as I write this and I still can’t lay on my stomach comfortably.
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Listen to an audiobook or a podcast. I find that when I get really into something, my mind just listens and I have a momentary break from my stressful thoughts.
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