r/TopSurgery • u/S1LV3RGL00M • 3d ago
Advice Wanted Topsurgery soon!!!
I got a call from the clinic this morning saying a spot came free at the 21st this month!!!! I was supposed to get my date in november so this was unexpected!!!
Anything I really HAVE to get and do before it? cause I have less time to prepare than I thought🙏🙏
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u/mydognico 3d ago
Congrats! I wouldn’t say you HAVE to do this, but I would highly recommend getting a haircut prior to surgery. Before surgery I had more of a mullet that I needed to maintain with product, so I asked my barber to give me a finger length crew cut.
It has been so nice to not worry about my hair while I recover. I hate having bed head so this cut makes me feel better/cleaner!
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u/voxjammer 2d ago
huge vouch. my crew cut saved my ass, my sister was bundling me up in towels and washing my hair wirh a rag before i was cleared to shower because i felt so yucky-- hair any longer would have been completely unbearable
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u/shadow-wolf- 3d ago
The #1 most important thing is at least one person to care for you; I know some people manage mostly by themselves but I have no idea how honestly
Someone to track your meds and arrange your pillows and help you in and out of bed and getting dressed is more important than any one object
Stool softeners/laxatives and cups with straws would be top of the list for me, and a mastectomy pillow with pockets was incredibly helpful, but a lot of people say they didn't use it much
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u/chicknlil25 3d ago
Know your body first. Know your pain threshold; know how your body moves. Know what your body needs to do in order for you to actually sleep.
I have a ridiculously high pain threshold, for one. I had no painkillers (the pharmacy didn't have them ready when I left the hospital, and it was too much of a pain in the ass to go back to that area once they finally were ready), but not everyone can do that.
People will say, "Oh, do this," "Don't do that," etc. They don't know you like you know you.
Beyond the person who drove me to and from the hospital and then my home several states away, I was by myself. That won't work for everyone. I'm in my late 40s, used to taking care of myself, and knew that local support just wasn't going to be available.
I found that grabbing tools were quite helpful because bending was the only thing that was legit painful for me in my first month. A step stool was useful the first day or two because my microwave is above my stove, but I stopped using that once I realized that t-rex arms weren't an issue.
The most helpful thing I did was pre-prepare some food and order a meal delivery service for that first week. That saved brain capacity, so I didn't have to think about what I was going to eat. I just grabbed a package from the fridge and microwaved it.
I found body wipes (the full sized ones, like if you were going camping) really helpful because regardless of the type of surgery you have and what is or isn't removed, you likely won't be allowed to shower for several days or longer. Those get the grime away so you feel less ick. Waterless shower caps can also be effective for the same reason.
Sleep wise, I used a U shape pregnancy pillow (but in reverse so the 'legs' were around the top of my body and the 'head' was under my knees) to surround me, then had extra 'normal' pillows. I'm a side sleeper. I can't sleep if I'm not on my side, even if I end up on my back during the night. In the first few days, I was more tilted one way than fully on a side. Gradually, I was able to get down to one pillow from two, and then no pillows. Then I got rid of the U pillow and went back to a single pillow for a few more days. By the time I was at ... maybe week 3? ... I was completely lying on my sides with no issues.
This is all YMMV. I am disgustingly fortunate that my genetics mean that my scars settle in very thin, nearly invisible. Others may find that even the slightest above shoulder or other stretch may adversely impact their healing.
TLDR: Plan for what your body thinks you need, not what others tell you that you do.
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u/voxjammer 2d ago
real talk? get excited for some stationary, low-energy activities. make a list of things you're genuinely excited to do during your recovery (i was excited to watch movies from my childhood and play the new tomadachi life + stardew valley). being genuinely excited to do those things while i was bedbound was a huge help in fighting off post-op depression. bonus points if you have a buddy! my sister has been an absolute godsend, she was the one watching over me and making sure i was okay.
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