Mastectomy pillow
I am scheduled for my double mastectomy this month. What actually helped do I am not buying unnecessary things.
pillow?
bra?
Shirt with pocket for pump?
Comments
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I didn’t need any special pillows. Got the cheap cotton bras that open in the front. Those were useful after a few days. And got the pocket for the pump thingy but I am not sure I used it. I believe I used an internal pocket of my regular jacket. But they are good to have.
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I’m with laughingull. Though there is no shortage of special post mastectomy items. Most of them are used for a very brief time and you can often find ways to use things you already have. Bras? Please ask your doctor because some provide post surgical bras, some may be covered by insurance and… doctors seem to have their own preferences on types of bras.
Pump? Do you mean drains? There are many ways to deal with them and most don’t involve spending money. Pinning them to the inside of a shirt being the easiest. Do get some shirts that you can either step into and pull up or button front shirts. You may already have some.
Special pillows? I used pillows I had to prop my arms up (pillow armrests) and I used a small pillow to cushion my chest from the cars seat belt. Again, you can spend hundreds on specialty items but you use them for a very short period of time so my feeling was if I can get by with what I have then I can spend the money on something far more fun than post mx items! Take good care.
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With both my mastectomies I got surgical bras from the hospital where my surgeries took place. I woke up with one on. With my second mastectomy, I woke up with the same kind of surgical bra, but this time it came with velcro pockets that were attached to the bra that they put the drains in. I had bought two tops with pockets for drains and never wore them! I purchased cheap Fruit of the loom front closure sport bras on Amazon and I liked them so much that is the only bra I buy now!
My sister-in-law made me pillows and I used them in the car to prevent the seat belt from putting pressure on my surgical site. You could use a rolled up towel for that too.
The one thing I liked most were hand made drain holders for showering. I was given two of those with my first mastectomy. They came in a gift basket given to all breast cancer patients in October. It was basically a pocket made of left-over fabric with long pieces of ribbon on the top of both sides, so I could tie them around my waist like aprons.
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Hello @random_wmercado8507. I wish you all the best with your surgery and future treatment!! I have a single mastectomy coming up this month too and probably wasted money “panic buying” things I won’t really need. Thank you @mavericksmom for saying those ribbons can tie around your waist! I also received some of those fabric pouches and thought I should tie them around my neck … maybe that would work too. I’m sure I’ll figure it out. I read somewhere that I can use Glad “Press & Seal” plastic wrap to cover my incision for showering … hopefully that works. It’s hard to plan for a surprise surgery like this!
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all of this was super helpful to avoid purchasing things I don’t really need. The shower situation was a concern but I’m sure I’ll figure it out. Best of luck to all of you!
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The plastic bulbs on my drains had loops on them, so I could put a ribbon or string through the loops and tie around my neck to take a shower. Also, my husband bought me a $2 "nail apron" from Home Depot and I washed/dried it before my surgery date. I could tie it around my waist and put the drain bulbs in the nail pockets. I looked stunning with "Home Depot" plastered across my abdomen, but it worked! You'll find that most of the "stuff" sold for surgery isn't worth the expense.
My doctor allowed me to shower a day after mastectomy without any cover on the surgical wound. They said to not let water hit directly on the wound so I just stood with my back to the shower and it was heavenly. My husband shampooed my hair and washed places I couldn't reach… remember that you won't be able to raise your hands above your shoulders till the drains are out. Good luck to you.
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