On February 14, 2020, I underwent a double mastectomy as a result of bilateral breast cancer. Like most everyone in this position, I was caught by such surprise and didn’t know where to start — on any front. It was literally 5 weeks from my diagnosis until my surgery which is a short amount of time to prep for a surgery that is such a life-changing event. Because of this, I relied a lot on Pinterest and other sites to help me know what I truly needed and not the fluff that would just waste money that we desperately needed to be saving! I decided to put together this list of 10 Items You Need When You Have a Mastectomy in the hopes that it would be a good starting point for anyone (God forbid) in the position that I found myself.

Amazon Affiliate Links are used in this post. The opinions are all mine and each of the products are ones that I personally own and use!

DRAIN SHIRT: Prior to this surgery, I had no idea what a “drain” was. Boy, am I an expert now! Drains are used to release excess fluid from your body. How long you have them after surgery is (I’ve found) completely dependent upon how you do post-surgery. I have gone round and round and had more than my fair share of drains. A lifesaver is a drain shirt. You will not be on the cover of any fashion magazines, but it works so well and made it easy to keep the tubes and drain bulbs untangled. It was so easy to go to the doctor with the drain shirt because they often wouldn’t make me slip into a gown because there were so many access points with snaps. Trust me, those first doctors appointments – you just want smooth in and out and this shirt does it!

CHEST PILLOW: This chest pillow has been a dream and I’m still using it almost daily. The last thing that you want is something accidentally falling on your chest. This pillow is so soft and provides so much comfort. There are arm pit notches which hold the pillow in place and even better there’s a pocket right in the front middle. I’d often put my phone or the remote in there. (Reaching for items post surgery is not an option. You need everything CLOSE!) I used this chest pillow 24 hours a day – even slept with it since you will most likely be like me – in a recliner.

SEAT BELT COVER: I received this seat belt cover as a gift and I can’t imagine not having it! It literally slips on top of any seat belt and softens the pressure. This is something that I think a lot of people overlook as an necessary item, but now that I have one – I can attest that it is truly useful. I often slide it up and down the seatbelt based on how I’m feeling that particular day. To do so, you don’t even have to remove it!

DRAIN POUCHES: These drain pouches are a must for a shower! One of the things that really feels good post surgery (and actually wasn’t uncomfortable or painful) was a shower. However, you have to be able to wrangle your drains! These pouches are super easy to use because you just put the pouch around your neck and hop in the shower. So easy. Let me tell you, standing in the shower with warm water passing over your body is just what the doctor ordered!SLEEP MASK: I’m not one to sleep in a sleep mask. I’m just not that fancy. However, your sleep pattern post surgery is going to be all over the place and having a sleep mask really allowed my body to go into a deep sleep even mid-day. I slept in a recliner in the family room for the first 2 months after my surgery. Having the mask on, allowed my family to walk through the room or the blinds in the house to be open and it wouldn’t wake me up. It was an inexpensive lifesaver!

LIP BALM: Please don’t think I’m weird for putting this on here, but it’s a real thing. My lips aren’t normally over-chapped. But, probably with the breathing tube and odd diet and huge doses of medicine, my lips were so dry. Here’s the thing: buy lip balm with no smell. I got some great packets of lip balm in surgery gifts and I know that I will use them all one day, but when I got home from the hospital – I had a weird thing with smells. They almost made me nauseous. So, just go with a plain ol’ lip balm that does the job to get you over the hump!

BLANKET: There are blankets and there are blankets! I actually have this one in two colors and it’s not too many! This blanket is so soft and there is something so comforting about seeing the words of healing all over it. (In fact, I even took this blanket to my first day of chemo!) It’s large enough to completely cover you, but not large enough that you get tangled up in it. (I’d guess it’s equal to that of a double bed.) This is a winner in my book. Did I mention it’s the softest blanket I’ve ever had?DIAL SOAP: Post-surgery, it’s so important that you stay as germ-free as possible. I moved to using plain Dial soap for every shower. My hospital recommended it and that’s all I needed to hear. Thankfully, plain Dial isn’t as hateful as I remember it from my grandparents house when I was little LOL! But, better safe than sorry when it comes to keeping drain incisions and stitches clean and germ-free.

ICE PACKS: Thankfully, I didn’t have to use these much, but when you need them – you need them. Because they are designed especially for the breast area, it’s a little more convenient. I wish that I had these on the day that I had my biopsies done! And, God forbid, you need chemo – you can use them again when you have your chemo port inserted.

CORKSICLE: Staying hydrated has probably been one of the hardest parts of my cancer journey. I get my hand slapped almost weekly for not drinking enough. It’s something that I had problems with pre-cancer, so it’s not much of a stretch. A few years ago, my aunt got me a Corksicle for Christmas. I have used it consistently since receiving it, but post-mastectomy – I’ve used it daily. The no spill lid and option to use a straw is so helpful. Also, before bed, I can load with ice and water and when I wake – the ice is still there! No lukewarm drinks at any time. (I also received an RTIC that I love that is similar just smaller.)

Other things that you will need in bulk but are more personal are front button pajamas and yoga pants. I preferred yoga pants to leggings because they weren’t quite as tight. Room to breathe and nothing pressing on me was a very welcome feeling.

If you are reading this list for yourself, I am so sorry for the journey you are on. But, I promise you can do it! Make yourself as comfortable as you can – it truly makes all the difference in the world.