I also had a bilateral mastectomy and my "lifesaver" was an elastic belt that had two pink neoprene pockets attached (that I could also wear in the shower) that held my drains. I had two drains on both sides. That drain holder made my life so much easier! I highly recommend you find something like it. I bought mine at MD Anderson Cancer hospital in Houston, TX. Best $15 I ever spent!

Agree, comfortable button up tops, your not going to want to try to raise your arms too high after surgery. I didn't know about the brobe but found a shirt from heal in comfort with pockets for the drains inside and velcros shut. Everyone said I looked so cute leaving the hospital :) The kit also came with a little belt for when you start wearing your regular clothes - like think a little tool belt type thing, to hold the drains. Otherwise, having food ready helps like you've done. Oh, the worst for me was not being able to shower. I didn't get dry shampoo but have heard it works. I found these caps at Walgreens, don't know how they work but some how you put it on, massage it and when you take it off, your hair is wet! It felt great. Also, when I was home after surgery, I made an appt. at a hair salon just to get my hair shampooed, probably 2-3 days post surgery. I don't know if you've had other surgeries, but from my history I get constipated so had miralax and milk of magnesia ready to go. Good luck - I really had to struggle to remember all these issues and it was barely a month ago so it can't be too bad, right? :) Good luck to you!

Yes, definitely button down shirts. If you're anything like me, you're not gonna wanna lay around in pjs, and it will be a while before you can get anything over your head. I am 4 months post bmx and it's still comical putting things over my head. Also, if you're going to have drains, get yourself a box of alcohol swabs, it will make it a lot easier to milk the drains. If your bed is really high off the ground, you may want steps next to the bed. Surgery wasn't nearly as bad as I was expecting it was going to be, so don't worry too much about it! Hugs!

My PS had me sleeping in a recliner for the first several weeks as it's hard to get in and out of bed. I had swelling in my arm three days after surgery and PS said to elevate my arms at night with pillows. That did the trick. I couldn't shower for two weeks, so I put a chair in my bathroom for sponge baths. You'll need several button up shirts and they need to be a little bigger than normal if you will have drains... I just pinned my drains to my bra.

Bed wedge wrkd wonderfully for me for sleeping help prop up arms n helps cause u can't use ur ar.s to push urself up out bed. So this wrkd great. As for drains I didn't have them my PS doesn't believe n them. Had BMX 1/6/24 doing reconstruction now. Best of luck. Keep me posted thought n prayers r with you. Hang tough....we are strong women, stronger then u know right now!!!