“Tips for the afterness of it all”

… from my friend, Julian (who had top surgery last year) and his awesome partner, Rose (who was there for him). The two of them took the time last night to put these 24 tips together for me - and so I’m sharing them with you guys, too! Cuuuute:

1. Move all items to lower level where you can extend your arm straight and reach
2. Use straws to drink
3. Have 2 week supply of “comfort food”
4. Get shoes you can put on without hands - you wont be able to reach down and tie anything
5. Be ok with being stinky for about 2-3 weeks - wont be able to shower
6. Get a friend to give you a sponge bath
7. Have 2 weeks worth of entertainment i.e movies, music…
8. LOTS of PILLOWS. You will not be able to lie down flat; use pillows for support
9. Don’t attempt to reach anything - you can hurt self and damage scar tissue
10. Need a few shirts that close in the front, like button up comfortable shirts
11. Pants that are easy to put on & off
12. Apply mederma when the tape comes off 3 times a day
13. Don’t peal off anything
14. If binder is too tight in the armpit area & irritates skin you can cut part of it off
15. If you feel like your chest is going to fall off it’s ok it won’t
16. I felt like my chest was pulling apart from my skin but that feeling went away around 3 weeks later nothing happened my chest is still there
17. You will take lots of naps, you will get tired very fast Rose says DON’T over do it!
18. Don’t put your arms up even when it doesn’t hurt anymore because it can enlarge the scars
19. Don’t lift anything for 2-3 weeks
20. At 3 months your scars will be the redest after that they will get better
21. I only took only 1 lortap because it made me sick but you don’t need it take Extra Strength Tylenol
22. Things will itch don’t scratch
23. On week 2 you will feel A LOT better
24. Get doctors # before surgery cell phone # if possible for questions afterwards or emergency contact