Day of Mastectomy and Recovery.

The day of my mastectomy was a big one.

I was surprised how much relief and happiness I felt to have it done. The pain was manageable; it was maybe a 4/10 up to 7/10 during my stay, never unbearable, and sometimes I didn't notice it unless I moved. I was also surprised that I was able to get up and go to the bathroom on my own after a few hours.

Some notes I took about the day of surgery:

Leave jewelry at home.
Bring your own pillow; it's nice to have and can be used between you and the seatbelt on the way home.
If you’re staying overnight, you will sleep in the hospital gown so you won’t need pajamas.
Bring an electric toothbrush in a big plastic bag with toothpaste. A face or makeup wipe if you wear any. I didn't need deodorant or anything else.
Start Miralax in water right after surgery (1-2x a day to get ahead of any constipation).
They put compression socks on me but bring them if you are unsure. You’re mostly in bed for the first 24 hours.
Bring your medications if you have questions and either a notepad or have another person there to record what the nurse says.

Week 1: Drain Care, Items to Buy, Pain Level, How to Support a Friend

Drain Care: The nurses will teach you drain care. They also record the drain output and your medications while at the hospital. If you are squeamish about this, have a friend or family member trained and ready to help you.
Items to Buy: I brought multiple compression bras because I was unsure of size and fit with bandages. The Masthead pink one in a comfortable/larger size was great with clips for my drains. I also liked having my own water bottle they filled for me. It’s nice to have loose fitting pants and soft button-down shirts or pajamas. You can get a large and stretchy tank top and step into it instead of putting it on over your head (you won’t be able to raise your arms above your shoulders for about 2 weeks). After my bandages were removed I switched to this compression bra which worked great for the next few weeks.
Pain Level: Stay ahead of your pain meds. My pain was a 4/10 up to 7/10 during my stay in the hospital. It never got above about a 7 or 8 out of 10 because I regularly took my pain meds (including waking up at night to take them). I was able to wean off the more intense pain meds by about day 3 after surgery. From then on, I just took Tylenol.
Supporting a Friend: Similar to chemo, it was nice just to have friends check in with a text or drop something off on the porch. I appreciated having some healthy meals and some treats (especially having my taste buds back to normal after chemo). I was up for visitors after a few days but appreciated when friends would check in before coming over to see how I was feeling.

Week 2: Sleeping, Activity Level, What Helped

Sleeping: I was able to sleep with a set of wedges that I got on Amazon. Some women rent recliners and swear by them for the first few days or weeks after surgery. I was able to sleep on my back with the wedge pillows comfortably. I liked having the drain belt on over a pair of soft high waisted shorts or tank top so that my drains stayed in place while I slept. You can also get a soft stomach drain holder that keeps them in place like this one.
Activity Level: I was so surprised that within hours of surgery I was able (and encouraged) to walk around. The pressure of standing sometimes felt uncomfortable when my pain levels were higher (especially trying to bend forward) but generally I was able to move around and go on walks after just a couple of days. It took about 2-3 weeks to come out of the fog of anesthesia and by 4-6 weeks I felt comfortable with regular activity again and was able to do things like push-ups at 6 weeks. I did go direct to implant in my mastectomy surgery, so this could be different for someone who has expanders put in.
What Helped: Staying on top of meds, lots of rest, having the right clothes and items for my drains. Easy, healthy food in the fridge. Encouraging texts, notes and treats (flowers, cookies, a latte) dropped off by friends. My kids cared for and laundry/dishes etc. done around the house so I could fully rest and recover.

I regularly share my outfits, bargain finds and investments on my Instagram. Follow along here if you’d like to see more! And never hesitate to DM me with a question or if you’re on the hunt for something, the only thing I love more than shopping for myself is shopping for someone else!

+My latest finds here.
+The power of the brow.
+Six things I wish I knew before starting chemo.

Day of Mastectomy and Recovery.