Things to pack and do for Hospital Stays

• Loose tops that close in front - you most likely will not feel like or be able to or allowed to lift your arms very high and you will be sore, and the medical staff will want to check your woulds etc regularly. Having tops that open in front, makes them easier to get on and off and also easier to give staff access to your wound site without having to disrobe or lift your top to your chin. Loose is better becasue it is more comforable, and youmay have bulky dressings and/or drains etc. A breathable natural fibre can be best (soemthing like cotton, or silk) or some of the satins etc are fine too and flannel is toasty warm, but try to stay awy from nylon (as it is hot and sweaty) or anythign you know makes you hot and sweaty, as hospitals are usually hot nad dry places to being with.
• Elastic waisted pants - not only are they easier to get on and off (with one arm being sore and having limited movement due to node removal (even just sentinel nodes)), but also easier if you need some to assist you. And essental if having any of the reconstructions that use the abdominal area, like TRAM, and DIEP etc.
• Slip on flat shoes with good tread - Not a good time to be trying to get about in high heels. You may not want to or be able to bend down after your surgery, due to wounds, drains, or just feeling dizzy bending over etc, so having shoes you can slip into and out of is VERY handy, it is also easier if you need assistance. Having a good non-slip tread is important becasue you may not be fully steady on your feet for a couple fo days and do NOT want to slip and fall. Also tying shoe laces when one arm is sore etc can be a pain in the bum, so havin slip on shoes or even shoes with elastic laces or velcro closures is a much easier idea.
• Front closing bra with good support - Your medical team or breast care nurse should be able to order you one of the Berlei bras that the BCNA supply free as part of their My Care Kit. The one I got was a front (and back) opening soft form bra with great support and a pocket on either side for fluffy ducks or prosthetics, VERy comfortable and a real life saver post op (and I still wear it now when I want 3 months after my mastectomy). Alternatively I believe you can buy these sorts of post-operative or front opening wire free soft bras ffrom places like Target, Myer, David Jones and lingerie stores. After I had recovered enough to be allowed and able to lift my arm fully I changed some of the time to an Aah bra type crop top which is very comofrtable and offered enough support (for my little boobs - natural and recontructed). I wasn't 200% sure of my "real" size so I went to my local Myer store (which stocks the berlei bra that BCNA supply and tried them on to get the right size - you know what they say - 80% of women are wearing the wrong size bra). She made sure there was enough room to fit over any bandages or anything I might have (which I didn't, only steri-strip mainly). I then called my breast care nurse with my correct size and it arrive a couple of days before my surgery and I took it into hosptial with me. The front closure makes getting it on and off MUCH easier (for the same reasons as the front opening tops) and having it back opening as well, was handy if I needed help to get it off, etc it could be undone from the back (if I didn't want the person (think husband), accidentally knocking my wounds etc).
• Drain Bag - I was given mine by my breast care nurse and they also have a supply on the ward when I got back from my operation and they gave me the opportunity to choose one I liked as it was going to be my constant companion for the next few days (mine was for about 20 days - yep my drain stayed in for about 20 daysbefore it had reduced enough for it to come out, the community burnse took it out and it was PAINLESS)). They were made by local womes craft groups who make them and donate them to the hospital for women who need them (usually breast cancer women, post operately).
• Mastectomy pillow - a small C shaped pillow made by the Zonta organisation and donated free to hopsitals for women who have had (or are about to have) a mastectomy. mine was purple satin and had a T shaped closure on top, the idea is that you slip your arm thought the oening in the C and slide it up your arm to the shoulder, this prevents your arm sitting against your side and the wound around your breast and also helps relieve any pain from node removal (even sentinel nodes). If your hospital doesn NOT have these pillows or has run out (ask before you have surgery) then you can contact Zontact directly on http://www.zontadistrict24.org/district-endorsed-service-projects/zonta-breast-care-cushions (for NSW/ACT); http://www.zontadistrict23.org.au/Projects.html (WA/ NT/ SA/ VIC/ TAS) ang http://zontadistrict22.org/home/aboutzontainternational/districtendorsedserviceprojects.html (QLD).

OK, it is WAY past my bed time and I had better go to sleep (now chemo brain has kicked in with avengence, cant remember whatti was typing or how to spell etc - luckily I had most of this written down in a word document). I will finish this page off (add more) when I come back to it.

Hope it helps someone.