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Mastectomy Shopping List: Yes, You Need One

Ellen Goodwin, Artifcts
March 29, 2024

As the co-founder of Artifcts, it’s probably somewhat fitting that I am thinking about the ‘stuff’ of cancer. I learned last year that Goodwill passes millions of pieces of medical supplies and items every year to veterans groups. I get it! You need a lot of special purpose items to provide comfort, mobility, and more for in-home care and to stay engaged in everyday activities. 

If you are having a mastectomy and want to get your ducks in a row ahead of surgery without buying a lot of unnecessary stuff, here’s my shopping list. 

Prescriptions

Fill them ahead and have them waiting along with detailed information on when to take what and for how long. I also wrote the laymen’s name for each one on the label to make it simpler for myself and my husband to grab without having to remember the prescription name.

Other medical supplies

Luckily the total of this all will be no more than $50:

      • Aquaphor. This is required for the gauze pads you’ll use. I was glad I got a large squeezable tube as it was more convenient than a tub.
      • Q-Tips. To apply the Aquaphor to the pads.
      • Non-stick (gauze) pads, 2x3 inch. When my wound vacs came off one week postop, then I needed to use these non-stick pads. Getting the right size simply saves you the step of cutting the larger ones in half. I also realized that the smaller ones have a different sheen than the larger ones. Either one works, in theory, but my skin did not like the smaller ones with a high sheen.
      • Silicone tape, 1.5 inch. Three weeks give or take after surgery, with your plastic surgeon’s approval, you can use of this on incisions that are done scabbing. I bought MEDPRIDE Easy-Tear Silicone Gel Tape Roll.
      • Vitamin E. Two weeks post-op my plastic surgeon directed me to start on a daily does of Vitamin E, 1000 IU, for the next three months. Always consult your doctor before adding even a vitamin or supplement to your routine.

Clothing

You will absolutely benefit from some adjustments to your wardrobe for the first weeks and likely much longer (at least as far as bras are concerned).

      • Post mastectomy shirts with drain pockets. I consider this medical as what would you do without this to hold your drains!? Get two shirts so you can easily rotate through them as long as someone is there to do the laundry. I spent less that $20 on each.
      • Soft bras. Ditto, "medical" in my mind, because your plastic surgeon will likely require you to use them. If you have a wound vac, this does not apply until one week (or so) in once the plastic surgeon removes it. My plastic surgeon recommended the Fruit of the Loom Women’s Front Closure Cotton Sports Bra, 3-pack, and said I would need to order two sizes up because the sizing is strange. So if you are a 32 get that 36, 38s go for the 42, ... and thank me later!
      • Button down pajama tops and regular day-time shirts. You’ll need these once you are no longer living and sleeping in your post mastectomy shirts to manage the drains. Around 3 weeks I was able to put on a regular shirt if needed but given that I was still not moving my arms with ease and needed to redress my incisions twice daily, button down shirts were simpler.

One pillow to rule them all

There are so many pillows marketed to mastectomy patients. Some are for under your arms, some go across your body as you sleep, others are for under your knees, again, as you sleep. 

In the end, there is only one pillow beyond my normal bed pillows that I liked in the slightest and it was the heart-shaped Axillapilla®. Why? The tiny bead filler means it is super soft and can mold more gently to your body than other fillers. The tiny loops on each side were strangely helpful as well to easily carry them and sometimes to hold the pillow more securely to my body.

The bolster and wedge pillow I bought were wasted investments. I’ll find a way to donate them somewhere so others can benefit from them.

Apart from the pillow, I will say this - had I to do it all over again, I would have borrowed or rented a recliner. Beyond the complexities of pain and of drains and wound vacs, sleep was my top impediment to recovery. I would wander my home during the night from bed to a chair to a couch seeking sleep. It was misery. Seek out a recliner (and still get the Axillapilla pillows)!

Creature comforts (also make great gifts)

Want to help yourself to a little comfort amid what’s an overall miserable experience to reach cancer free state? Or maybe loved ones are eager to send you something to express their support?

Combine potential side effects of prescription meds and being off your normal diet and activity with the fact that you can’t shower properly and have limited arm mobility, your skin and confidence can take a beating. These indulgences become less indulgence and more good mental health care:  

      • Hand lotion. I chose a Lala Retro™ Whipped Cream from Drunk Elephant, which my daughter immediately coveted. I let her use some as a thank you when she washed my hair. Ha. It absorbed nicely and worked.
      • Skin exfoliators. Any sugar scrub you like will do the trick.
      • Meal certificates. Skipping shopping and meal prep is a great de-stressor for the whole family during these long trying days of recovery. When loved ones far away went to help, suggest a local restaurant that has takeout!

      • Books and streaming services. You can’t move much. You need to nap. You also need to kill a lot of time. Some balance of books and tv/movies will help. Ask friends for their favs and stock. Try e-books and reduce the ‘stuff’ you’re accumulating, too.
      • A professional facial or pedicure. At home masks, yes, but here’s where a trip or two to the spa once you are through the worst of the recovery phase would be well worth the investment, if feasible. (Great group gift!) You can't move your arms enough to properly scrub your face, and you generally feel yucky, so go for it! Likewise, you’ll likely only be interested in this once your drains are out, but then… in might feel good and doesn’t require much walking or movement.

Artifcted necklace on mobile phone

 
 
I did not list jewelry, because I wouldn't say that's my first thought. But I have to say, this necklace from a friend who went through the same surgery and treatment was spot on. It made me smile. It reminds me my friends have my back. 

Any "must haves" from your own experience that I missed? Let me know, and we can add to this article. Reach out to Editor@Artifcts.com.

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© 2024 Artifcts, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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Keepsake Boxes, Remembrance Boxes, Memento Boxes - Boxes Abound!

Boxes, binders, and bins, oh my! Maybe you know them as keepsake, remembrance, memento, memory, or memorial boxes. Some memory boxes even mirror the binder approach, with tabs by topic, checklists, and pouches for loose keys, thumb drives, and other small and useful or meaningful objects. 

No matter what, before you stick any ‘stuff’ in your box of choice and snap on the lid, Artifct it to remember what it is and why it mattered. Unlike boxes, Artifcts are:

      • Instantly and perpetually organized and searchable 
      • Fireproof and waterproof
      • Able to combine text, video, audio, and photos for every item
      • Easily shareable and accessible online to anyone you choose, anywhere, anytime 
      • Do not take up space or require dusting

And, obviously, the stuff inside your Artifcts collection will not run the risk of outlasting your memories like a box full of stuff will. The memories are captured and preserved. You are no longer the single point of failure, the family keeper of the memories behind the mementos. Breathe a sigh of relief!

Keepsake Box Options Abound

For those of us who relish holding onto those curated items that mean the most, we’ve tried to distill here what we’ve learned about the variety of boxes available. A common search on Google is "acid-free keepsake box," which tells you people care about keeping items for the long haul.

Many major retailers, like Crate and Barrel, The Container Store, Pottery Barn, Target, Hallmark, and Amazon, sell at least one or two. So, we know there’s demand, people are looking for them. We suspect from how they are marketed that a box makes for a simple and obvious gift for special occasions. You’ll see below that the options and qualities vary. There is something for most needs, styles, and price points! 

(Listed in alphabetical order.) 

    • Akin offers custom boxes that fit and showcase the curated items you have chosen to help tell your story - whether it’s memorabilia, journals, photographs, documents, records, or more. What further sets Akin apart is that it offers services bundled around the box for custom-designed books and genealogy research to help commemorate family stories and ancestral histories.

"Present and preserve your keepsakes as opposed to hiding them away. A curated memorabilia box not only holds your most treasured pieces, it should tell their origin story—beautifully and archivally—so they can be cherished and shared for years to come," explained Renee Innis, Akin Founder.

    • Archival Methods offers archival boxes as well as a whole product category for “object storage.” They have additional custom options for fitting objects more snuggly in the boxes, too. Check them out on Allies in 'Stuff' for a discount code!
    • Etsy is a logical choice for creative and custom options you’ve never even knew existed, offering a breathtaking variety of sizes, styles, and materials to match your purpose or occasion.
    • Infinity Trunk is new to this list since we first published this article. If you need more space like the cedar trunks of old, and truly want a box that is fireproof (and will not be damanged by the water to put out that fire either), this is the box for you. And if it burns, still protecting your items, they will even replace the box for free! Designed and built by expert engineers in Chicago.
    • Nokbox is about functional preparedness, organizing critical information about your life in a box. Keep in mind that if you’re going to store and rely on hardcopy, however, we strongly encourage: (1) fireproof, and know what that covers, (2) never put passwords into a single physical, open access, hardcopy location, and (3) use a digital equivalent for all your life documentation (such as a digital vault from Trustworthy). Digital options are less vulnerable, easier to update, and accessible from anywhere.
    • Petite Keep offers more traditional aesthetics for its boxes, sort of a Pottery Barn or Draper James feel, with customization for initials, patterns, and more.
    • Savor, in contrast to Petite Keep, offers a cleaner, more basic style like you might find from archival-quality sources. Its collection has expanded to offer drawers for vertically oriented boxes, built-in envelopes, and more to cover whatever ‘stuff’ you might have in mind to combine.  

Need we say it again? Just as we tell you “Before you store it, Artifct it," before you box that, Artifct that, too. And slip your Artifcts collection QR code inside or as a sticker on the box for safe keeping of all those stories, videos, and more from your Artifcts collection. Your future self will thank you! And if you need a little help getting started, check out Artifcts concierge options. ->

My Artifcts homepage with option to create personal collection QR code

 
 
 
Each Artifct has a QR code as does your Artifcts Collection. Access it from My Artifcts -> 

Before We Go, a Word to the Wise: Know What You’re Buying

Archival does not always mean archival. What? Yes; sad truth. Sometimes archival only means the paper is acid free, for example. And if you are a proponent of recycled paper, you have another potential recipe for disaster once you shut objects inside and create a little microclimate for terrible things to brew.

If you are popping items into a box that you truly cherish, do the homework on your archival products, or speak to a professional. You can contact nationwide companies like Archival Methods—one of our Allies in 'Stuff'—and Gaylord Archival or seek out archivists in your local area for guidance, products, and services.

The same goes for fireproof. Look up the certification on any product that you plan to purchase and see what it was tested to withstand.

 
 
Learn more about all things archival, fireproof, and protecting your photos, too, in this replay of Evenings with Artifcts.

Happy Artifcting!

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You might also enjoy a guest article shared here on Artifcts in response to this story: 

Why One Mom Moved Beyond Memory Boxes and Instagram

© 2025 Artifcts, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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The Real Gift: Time with Mom Sharing Stories of 'Stuff'

Artifcts is grateful to Arti Community member @Buchalgi for sharing her sweet story of bringing Artifcts into the birthday celebrations with her mother. Do not miss the final words of this story. They are everything.

___________________

What do you get your 85-year-old mother for her birthday? She doesn’t need a thing. She doesn’t want a thing.

Does she want to go out for the day and have lunch or go shopping? No, not really.

So, what does she love? Well, she loves her friends, her family, and telling stories about the past. Bingo! I decided to fly down and spend a day last week asking her about things that I’ve seen in her home, but never knew the story behind them, and then, Artifct them!

We started the day with me choosing 5 items in her house.

It started with the green metal plate on the wall. I remember that plate forever, in all the homes we’ve lived in, always on the wall. I never knew the origin or who gave it to her, or why, or when. She told me how the plate was a gift from her grandmother who had come back from her honeymoon in Isreal in 1968. She wanted to bring something back for her eldest granddaughter (my mother) and her husband. My mother remembered the level of detail to say they were all together on Cozine Street in Brooklyn and I was there (aged 19 months) wearing a pink & white dress that she had bought me to celebrate their wedding. She told the story like it was yesterday and delighted in the fact that I was typing as fast as I could to keep up with the details.

 
 
Did you know you can record audio and video directly in the Artifcts app? Or add the same to your Artifcts on desktop/laptop computers? Get Mom's stories her way, funny expressions, intonations, and bluppers included, for always. 

Next was the candy dish. I have seen this dish on every end table or coffee table for as many years as I can remember. It was usually filled with hard candy but got filled with better candy when company was coming. And I can remember reaching into it for a hand full of M&Ms on many occasions. I didn’t know that the dish was given to my mom and dad as a gift when they got their first place, and I didn’t know it was a hand-me-down gift from my grandparents who also received it as a gift for their first apartment. It was from the Fostoria Glass Company in 1952. They closed in 1986 after 100 years in business, but I imagine their pieces have a place in a lot of family histories.

glass candy dish from Fostoria Glass Company

 
 
We wonder, how many people have Artifcted candy dishes? We know it's many, including this dish. If you do not have a candy dish in your family yet, maybe it's time to get one!

We went on to talk about Nana’s hot chocolate pot, the framed family photos found in a box, the baby record books with beautiful illustrations, the favorite pieces of artwork, and so much more. Hours had gone by. I was tired and she wasn’t. She was elated. She honestly loved that I asked for these stories. This is how we celebrated her birthday, but who got the gift?

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Mother's Day Surprise!

We always honor Mother's Day with our deepest sale of the year at Artifcts.

We love our men, don’t get us wrong, but it’s more often than not the women who:

- Keep our homes and lives decluttered and organized on a daily basis
- Play the role of family keeper and the memories, birthdays, and family history that entails
- Become the caregiver, even when still raising their own children
- In the end, take on the role of estate executor to clean-out the homes of our loved one’s when they pass.

This year, in addition to our 30% off sale, we are also offering a special gift FREE with any purchase of a bundled Artifcts membership + virtual conicerge session. We will ship our premier Artifct That! Kit to the destination of choice, gifting ready. Just look for the "Bundle & Save" at checkout!

bundle and save

© 2025 Artifcts, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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What I’ve Learned In 400 Artifcts

Truth is Stranger Than Fiction

During a virtual webinar of #longevitech (meaning, longevity technology) thought leaders in the early days of Artifcts, I was invited to present Artifcts to the group. As always, talking about Artifcts brings out stories and connection, breaking down barriers in a group of strangers as we all recognize that emotional pull to the objects we’ve collected over the course of our lives.

At the end of this particular event, one of the participants asked me for a follow up call. I would casually describe this person as a “highflyer” for their frequent appearances on the conference circuit as well as in mainstream print and broadcast media.

I was delighted. I thought perhaps they were interested in helping Artifcts break into the media spotlight, a huge challenge for a startup. 

No, it turns out that they had a different objective, an objective to reshape our vision for Artifcts.

“You have built a brilliant product that focuses on a critical gap no one else is addressing and will be hard pressed to address with the integrity and thoughtfulness that you have done. But you talk about it all wrong.”

That was one hell of a way to start the conversation. They continued:

“Never again tell that story about the first Artifct ever created. It diminishes and confuses the value of what you created.” 

The Story of the First Artifct

When we were first building Artifcts, we invited a small group of trusted allies and friends to try us out. They were our beta group.

The beta member who created the first Artifct gave us a shock. He Artifcted a living, breathing cat: Princesa. He and his wife had adopted Princesa off the streets of Sao Paolo, Brazil, and now she enjoys total reign inside their new home back in the United States.

“While we chatted with [her fosters], she walked off to explore. After about 15 minutes we went looking for her and found her lying in a sunbeam, asleep in our home office. We decided that she had chosen to adopt us,” recalled Charles in his Artifct.

Never had we imagined that living creatures, human or otherwise, would be Artifcted. We were focused on solving our original problem: the inanimate ‘stuff’ in our homes and what its value is to us.

Princesa the Artifct, however, lines up beautifully with Artifcts and why we took out that second 'a' in “artifacts.” We are redefining artifacts from conventional objects of absolute financial and/or historical value that may belong in museums to items of meaning and value to you. In this process, yes, we can easily Artifct items of financial value, collectibles, fine art, and more, but we can also capture the ordinary and sentimental items that represent important pieces of our life stories, our legacy.

Princesa is a story of compassion and warmth and speaks volumes about the person who created the Artifct in her honor. We like to think of her as the Arti Cat.

What Do I Personally Artifct?

True enough, no cat Artifcts for me. I would say that I Artifct the 'stuff' that I care most about, truly has a great story, or I want to be sure stands out from the rest of my 'stuff' for my family so they know what it means to me. My Artifcts are a roadmap for my loved ones.

My top 5 Artifcts categories: 

I smiled when I looked to see what my top 5 categories were, because there are no surprises here. I cherish moments, invest a lot of time and energy decorating our home, and am certainly a lover of books (especially REAL books, not digital). My top 5 Artifcts categories are:

      1. Life moments, with “photographs” and “life’s firsts” my most popular topics 
      2. Home, which is dominated by recipes and holiday ‘stuff’ 
      3. Art, with kid art far and away the top subcategory I’ve used 
      4. Textiles, and here apparel was my top subcategory. I said, “Really?” Sure enough, hats, t-shirts, Halloween costumes and more are all represented.
      5. Books and other print media, with a fair balance between fiction and non-fiction and a dash of signed editions, too.

My top 5 Artifcts tags: 

Since you can create custom tags and add as many as you want to each Artifct, tags are both practical for easy sorting and personalized reflections of why things you Artifct are important to you. My top 5 Artifcts tags are:

      1. #Violet, my daughter. Enough said. 
      2. #ArtifctsVideo, but rarely do I record a video to tell a story. Instead, I am almost always adding a video from my phone that I recorded at an event—family gathering, concert, swim meet, etc.—that relates to the Artifcted story. 
      3. #WorkLife, because it’s good to see how far you’ve come, what you’ve done, easily share that with others, and lessen the burden of keeping all those mementos. I don’t even have an office to display them in! 
      4. #Decor, as I mentioned, I put a lot of energy and thought into our home with authentic personally meaningful items to make it warm, inviting, and comfortable. 
      5. #Christmas, because no matter your religion, it’s a time of year when people are a little bit kinder, have an excuse to be a bit merrier, and we take a breath to enjoy more time together.

My 5 favorite Artifcts: 

Favorite is probably relative to my mood. But the ones that pop first to mind as I write this article are these:

      1. Aquamarine Ring. I have no heirloom jewelry to pass down to my daughter, so through a bit of adventure, I bought a ring to pass down to her one day. I Artifcted the crazy story of my trip to Brazil and included the receipt and appraisal in the Artifct, too.
      2. Coqui frog. On a trip with my co-founder Heather and her daugthter, hiking in the rain forest of Puerto Rico, my daughter picked up a whisteling coqui frog keychain. The Artifct includes a video proving that she had learned how to whistle just like the frog.
      3. Ice Skating in Russia. Russia was never a country I imagined visiting once, nevermind half a dozen times. So finding myself ice skating there was surreal. One of my colleagues even captured a video of me on the ice, my Wisconsin roots serving me well.
      4. Muriel the Welder. My great-aunt didn't think people were interested in her stories. She was 97 years old when I flew to Arizona to Artifct with her and I learned she was a Rosie the Riveter during World War II. Such a powerful combination of personal, family, and world history in one little Artifct of a photo of her welding, the goggles she wore, and a video of her telling me all about it. 
      5. Petra 2023. I wish everyone could visit each of the Wonders of the World. Petra was worth the 12+ hour bus ride, and then some. I'll never forget it.

Interesting aside: As I wrote about those favorite five, I realized there are two themes among those Artifcts. First, every one of them is tied to travel. And second, all but one includes a video. I think you can learn a lot about yourself simply by looking at WHAT you choose to Artifct.

I think you can learn a lot about yourself simply by looking at WHAT you choose to Artifct. - Ellen Goodwin, co-founder, Artifcts

What I've Learned in 400 Artifcts

Why I am sharing all this with you?

Earlier this year I passed an arbitrary threshold of 400 personal Artifcts. My 400th Artifct was a special Christmas present from my daughter: the vinyl version of Adele 21, “I remember you playing this album in the car when I was little,” she said, as I unwrapped it Christmas morning. 

In full disclosure, I never expected to have so many Artifcts. Like my critic who told me to never again speak of Princesa if I wanted insurance companies, financial planners, and estate attorneys to take me seriously, I had a narrow “let’s get started somewhere” vision of Artifcts. To me, Artifcts was first and foremost about capturing items of significant financial value or that were family heirlooms. And I don’t have many of either.

But Artifcting is as much a stress release and therapeutic benefit to me now as anything else. I love that I’ve captured these great moments in my life AND digitally organized it all for myself and my loved ones in case I get hit by a bus, so to speak. It’s connection, peace of mind, and a creative outlet.

Looking inside my Artifcts collection, several life themes emerge:

      • I’m reconnecting with people through my Artifcts. Sometimes I’ll go months even years without talking with someone. We’re both busy, geography has divided us, life has happened, but that has not diminished their importance to me. Sometimes I no sooner create an Artifct than realize I must share it with So-And-So, they’ll love the memory, they’ll laugh, they’ll feel better. I’m not demanding any time from them either. I can share it, and they’ll see it when they see it, like a surprise gift in the waiting.
      • Maybe I am funny. Lately, other professionals in my sphere keep remarking that I’m funny. Come to think of it, even at the car dealership last week, the guy who insisted on calling me “young lady” (really, I’m not young), also said I was funny. But as a kid, I’m not sure my family ever thought I was funny. Now when I re-read Artifcts I’ve created, I realize I tend to tell stories as they are, no holding back any of the color, and they are funny. Sometimes it’s more like “you have to laugh or cry” but funny all the same.
      • Appreciation for life. I’m far from perfect; I make mistakes and try to learn quickly from them. I hit roadblocks like cancer. I come through it all seeing so clearly what a great life I’ve had. Maybe a bit predictable and boring according to some, but I love my family, community, amazing people I’ve met, and world travels and petite road trips. I’ll take it all with gratitude. 

I challenge you all to take a look at your Artifcts collection as it grows and see what themes emerge. 

_______________

Artifcting has so many benefits in life. Which of those benefits are most important to you is personal. And you may discover, like I did, that the benefit you care about most changes over time, too.

As always, we love to hear your stories and hope you’ll write to us (Editor@Artifcts.com) to share what Artifcts and the act of Artifcting means to you. We’d love to share with the broader Arti Community in future editions of ARTIcles by Artifcts.

Happy Artifcting!

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© 2025 Artifcts, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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