If you are about to have a double mastectomy with (or without) reconstruction. Here is a list of things that will help you the most.
1 - Buy a drain belt. I bought a cute pink one on Amazon.com
2 - Buy several button down shirts. Get them a size bigger than usual and make sure they are soft and cozy. You may want a couple long sleeved ones and a couple short sleeved ones. I even have one sleeveless one.
3 - Buy button down PJs. You will need more than one pair. I lived in button down PJs exclusively for the first 10 days or so. I bought some pants / short sleeved pairs and shorts / short sleeves along with one button-down nightgown. All good options.
4 - Buy an electric razor to shave your armpits. You will not be able to raise your arm up properly to use a traditional razor and you don't want to risk any cuts for fear of infection near your surgery site.
5 - Have plenty of gauze and waterproof tape on hand to change your dressings on the drain sites once they are removed.
6 - Alcohol wipes are very handy to strip the drain tubes
7- Lightweight cups with straws are a must
8 - After the surgeon sees you at your first post-surgery appointment, they will ask you to wear a sports bra 24 hours a day. This is very tricky. You will want something super soft and nothing that digs into your incisions if they are made under the breast like mine were. It will be impossible to pull a bra over your head. I ended up buying probably a dozen different bras and finally found that Jockey makes a super soft, very stretchy, sports bra that I could pull on over my hips. They sell them at Department stores. I bought 2 of them in a large when usually I would wear a small. Believe me, you want them to be on the bigger side. I also bought front zip sports bras from Aerie in a large. They are tighter and I couldn't wear them until after I was a solid 2 weeks post surgery.
9 - If you can swing it, you should buy a reclining chair. It is an absolute lifesaver. I was completely unable to get in and out of a bed by myself and there was no way I could lay flat and if we tried propping myself up on pillows, I just couldn't get comfortable. I couldn't raise my arms to fix the pillows behind my head the way I wanted to. Granted I could not recline myself for a couple of weeks, a recliner is still much easier than anything else. I slept in it for 17 nights and continue to use it to rest during the days.
10 - Plenty of meals frozen ahead of time.
1 - Buy a drain belt. I bought a cute pink one on Amazon.com
2 - Buy several button down shirts. Get them a size bigger than usual and make sure they are soft and cozy. You may want a couple long sleeved ones and a couple short sleeved ones. I even have one sleeveless one.
3 - Buy button down PJs. You will need more than one pair. I lived in button down PJs exclusively for the first 10 days or so. I bought some pants / short sleeved pairs and shorts / short sleeves along with one button-down nightgown. All good options.
4 - Buy an electric razor to shave your armpits. You will not be able to raise your arm up properly to use a traditional razor and you don't want to risk any cuts for fear of infection near your surgery site.
5 - Have plenty of gauze and waterproof tape on hand to change your dressings on the drain sites once they are removed.
6 - Alcohol wipes are very handy to strip the drain tubes
7- Lightweight cups with straws are a must
8 - After the surgeon sees you at your first post-surgery appointment, they will ask you to wear a sports bra 24 hours a day. This is very tricky. You will want something super soft and nothing that digs into your incisions if they are made under the breast like mine were. It will be impossible to pull a bra over your head. I ended up buying probably a dozen different bras and finally found that Jockey makes a super soft, very stretchy, sports bra that I could pull on over my hips. They sell them at Department stores. I bought 2 of them in a large when usually I would wear a small. Believe me, you want them to be on the bigger side. I also bought front zip sports bras from Aerie in a large. They are tighter and I couldn't wear them until after I was a solid 2 weeks post surgery.
9 - If you can swing it, you should buy a reclining chair. It is an absolute lifesaver. I was completely unable to get in and out of a bed by myself and there was no way I could lay flat and if we tried propping myself up on pillows, I just couldn't get comfortable. I couldn't raise my arms to fix the pillows behind my head the way I wanted to. Granted I could not recline myself for a couple of weeks, a recliner is still much easier than anything else. I slept in it for 17 nights and continue to use it to rest during the days.
10 - Plenty of meals frozen ahead of time.
BONUS TIP: Invest in an electric wine opener. You will not be able to open a bottle of wine for at least a month!
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