I can't explain it, but I really feel okay. More sore than in pain. I'm still only taking 1000 mg Tylenol every 8 hours. I guess maybe so far I'm 50/50 in and out of bed.
Here is a picture of my set-up, with a comfy new super soft blanket that my friend gave me just before surgery.
The 12" wedge pillow is critical. Without it, I think it would be literally impossible for me to gently lie myself down flat or get up from a flat position without using my arms. Even with the wedge pillow, my abs are getting a serious workout! And my neck is sore, too, maybe from using my neck muscles to help me sit up from a lying down position.
I've got one pillow on each side to prop up my arms.
The two red heart-shaped pillows are underarm mastectomy pillows, another thoughtful gift from my cousin. They are perfect for providing a gentle cushion for my very tender underarms. The area just in front of my armpits, below my collar bone, is pretty swollen, so I'm using cold packs there, and the underarm pillows are great for holding those cold packs in place when I'm lying down.
The squishy dragon pillow turns out to be a perfect chest pillow, where I can rest my cell phone while using it, so my arm doesn't have to hold the weight of the phone, which is not negligible!
The tray (Ken's idea), propped up on a pillow, is where I keep things I want in arm's reach, like my phone, the TV remote, and reading material.
My throat is dry and a bit scratchy. I think because they did stick some kind of tube in my mouth during surgery. The water bottle with straw is essential for drinking while lying down.
My mom uses a wedge pillow too! Looks like a really comfortable set up, and you’re quickly on your way to a complete recovery!
ReplyDeleteWow! what a great setup! Glad you've got the right tools for the recovery period!
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