Once the surgeon cleared me to drive I started having a problem. The seat belt hit my chest in just the wrong spot and was painful. I dug out my teddy bear from my childhood and used it under the seat belt right where my breast use to be. It kept the pain down and provided a little compression over the surgical site on the left. Silly but now I miss my teddy bear .
Immediately after surgery one thing I needed was a back scratchier. Hard to wash you back if you can't move you arms very well. Wrap a wash cloth around the back scratchier and you will be able to get the entire back without straining your arm or shoulder. Great method for applying lotion also. I had my surgery done as an outpatient. No one warned my that showering would cause the drainage tubes and bulbs to be painful. I took a large piece of plastic wrap and taped the drains to my upper shoulder with the bulb at the top of shoulder, then covered my shoulder down to below the dressing with the plastic wrap. It helped to have the drains stabilized and not swinging around which hurts. You can't shower until the surgeon says so but he most likely will okay it before the drains come out. So acquire a roll of plastic wrap and paper tape (paper tape is easier to remove and still sticks if you get it a bit wet). Also get some large safety pins. Use these to secure the drain tubes to the top you are wearing. If top has no pockets you can pin the drain bulb to the inside of your shirt. The bulbs on the drain tubing have tabs of plastic on them. You can attach the safety pin to this tab very easily. They do sell camisoles that have pocket for the drain bulbs but I'm cheap so I relied on the safety pins.
I'm sure there are other things but I will probable think of them in my dreams tonight. Hope that helps
take GOoD care
Zoe
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