Artifcts \ Articles \ SUSAN G. KOMEN \ Mastectomy Shopping List: Yes, You Need One

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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The Top 10 ARTIcles by Artifcts of 2024

We published more than 70 ARTIcles and Press Center updates during 2024. That’s a lot of information, ideas, and inspiration flowing your way. As we sat down to look back at what most captured your interest, we saw organizing and decluttering dominating, buoyed by preparedness and support, too, from Artifcts’ new QR code stickers.

But we also see that the sentimental and emotional nature of the stuff we collect and accumulate weighs on our minds and opens us up to new approaches to help wade through the tough ‘stuff.’ We’d argue that’s why we also observed nostalgia-themed ARTIcles related to photos, sports memorabilia, and travel, rise to the top of the “most read” list, too.

Artifcts is so much more than an app. It’s a lifestyle. So these trends in what interests you here at Artifcts were extremely validating. We want to be there to help you with your stories and memories as well as the practical matters of life: What is this stuff, why does it matter, and what will I do with it next?

Whether reading for the first time or 10th, we hope you’ll enjoy this look back at the top 10 ARTIcles of 2024 and pick up a few reminders and tips along the way. Below we share excerpts from each and a link to re-read and enjoy.

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The following article includes excerpts from a true story shared with Artifcts by a member of the Arti Community and republished here with permission. May their loss help your future.

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Angela Haupt, journalist with TIME magazine, featured Artifcts this week in an online article that united experts in mental health and decluttering to share tools and tactics to "kickstart a realistic decluttering routine." We especially loved this insight from our own strategic advisory board member and popular TV host Matt Paxton:

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_________________

2024 is now a wrap. We look forward to seeing you back here in January!

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Curious for more? Take a look back at the Top 10 ARTIcles of 2023, too.

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Everyone is attached to their phones these days like they’re a vital appendage. And unless you are leaning over someone, you are not generally privy to what they are looking at on the phone.

In the case of this Arti Community member, she was checking and clearing out her Yahoo! email. In the process, she was sometimes clicking through on emails that grabbed her attention. One such email was filled with “Friend” suggestions from Facebook. To be clear, none of these people were her friends. And based on the profile pictures and names, as well as absence of connections to other legitimate friends, they should not become her friends either.

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Seeking to avoid this Facebook dilemma, I was reminded of vital attributes of Artifcts that further separate it from social media, especially for those with declining cognitive health. Artifcts means:

1. 1. No ads leading you down meaningless and potentially costly rabbit holes.
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Artifcts offers you bite-sized memories and stories. Your stories and stories loved ones have shared with you. We spent over 30 minutes together inside the Artifcts app reading story after story, her stories, and stories loved ones had shared with her. The stories evoked warm, safe memories and a feeling of connection with her loved ones. She added further color commentary to some of the items in the Artifcts. “Poor, Scotty, he was always losing his fur,” she remarked about a stuffed dog she's had since she was a child.

Old black stuffed dog toy with tartan plaid jacket

Revisiting Artifcted stories was relaxing for us both, the person with dementia and the caregiver. Browsing Artifcts offered a reprieve from the demands of any schedule and of treating her like a patient.

We transitioned then from browsing Artifcts to me helping her to create a few new Artifcts for herself.

Research also supports that the art of storytelling and exercising the creative and memory parts of our brains, as when we create Artifcts, are good for our cognitive health.

Artifcts are like art, no two are the same. So while creating Artifcts can evoke positive memories, research also supports that the art of storytelling and exercising the creative and memory parts of brain, as when we create Artifcts, are good for our cognitive health. And, bonus, each Artifct we created was set up to be instantly shared with her immediate family members. Those Artifcts are like little gifts arriving in their inboxes – surprise – and become tangible evidence of time well-spent together.

_____________

To all the caregivers out there, we see you and value all you do. We beseech you to sprinkle Artifcts into your days so you can just be husband and wife, mother and daughter, best friends – people first, patient-caregiver second. And remind yourself, every moment of the day need not be about what they need. Prioritize your health, happiness, and sanity, too!

Wishing you a merry holiday season!

P.S. In case you have not heard, AARP chose Artifcts for its 2024 Gift Guide. You can browse the complete guide here.

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by Ellen Goodwin, Artifcts

December 13, 2024

HEALTH & AGING

Hidden Stories Behind Holiday Decor

In today’s ARTIcles story, we’re taking you inside the homes of our co-founders, both of whom celebrate the winter season with Christmas trees and an abundance of ornaments. You might celebrate other holidays with a different set of traditional holiday décor, and we bet it too has stories to tell of holidays and people of years past and present.

Whether you have holiday heirlooms, family traditions, or simple merriment guiding your holiday décor, we hope you’ll remember to take a moment to create an Artifct and share a story or two with your friends and family this season.

Step Inside the Goodwin Home with Co-founder Ellen

Our tree is certainly merry and bright. The ornaments include those from my own childhood as well as those from my travels and annual “pick an ornament” outings with my daughter.

This year’s tree decorating was unique, because my parents came to visit and decorated the tree with us. As we decorated, we naturally shared stories about the ornaments. It was the chattiest our daughter was all weekend as she oohed and aahed over her ornaments and reminded us of which ones had to be placed together.

	This year’s new arrival is custom artwork from Brittany Atkinson, based in Austin, Texas. The ornament is more of an investment than usual ornaments, but I love supporting local artists. The bold design and colors definitely won my daughter’s stamp of approval.
	I have a thing for nutcrackers, they adorn our house during Christmas, and they hang on our tree, too. I wish I could find more ornaments just like this one, a gift from my mom years ago. View the Artifct ->
	My daughter insists on pairing these sweet ornaments together on the tree each year. When she picked these out, it was the only time she got two ornaments instead of one to add to the tree. She named them Autumn and Oscar. View the Artifct ->
	A few weeks before Christmas in 2012, I had surgery and was on crutches. While laid up, I had the bright idea to make these gingerbread and gold glitter cutout ornaments. Just me at home with a 2.5-year-old and really really REALLY sticky dough. What was I thinking? I’m delighted they’ve last this long. View the Artifct ->
	Sometimes I just want something classic and clean. Last year I chose a candycane design with a traditional shape made of heavy glass. It's another nice pop of color on the tree. View the Artifct ->

And Now Step Inside the Nickerson Home with Co-founder Heather

Remember the Dr. Seus book, "Oh the Places You'll Go?" Every time I see our tree, I think of that book and smile, as our tree has evolved over the years to become a memory map of the places we've been and the adventures we've had year after year. Each ornament, although decorative by default, holds a deeper meaning to us, and brings back memories from our travels near and far.

	A beaded hummingbird ornament reminds us of our girls trip to Belize with @egoody and @vgoody "way back when" the girls still thought it was cool to travel with their parents. View the Artifct ->
	Our handmade Danish felt ornaments remind us of our visits to our family in Denmark and all the adventures we've had over the years with @Jeanet_Johansen. View the Artifct ->
	One of the older ornaments on our tree, my beloved Parsa Craft ornaments from my time in Afghanistan. Each ornament is handmade from the women that make up the Parsa Craft collective in Kabul. These ornaments have managed to survive multiple moves and two golden retriever puppies. View the Artifct ->
	This one always makes me smile! When COVID hit, our travels came to a screeching halt. What to do? We hit the trails and the mountains with our trusty two-person backpacking tent. Imagine my surprise when I found a tent ornament that was an exact match to our tent. View the Artifct ->
	Last but not least, one of my favorites! @Matt and I bought this ornament after our first trip to Iceland. It is one of the heaviest ornaments on our tree, which means we spend a great deal of time each year deciding which branch it goes on lest it slips to an untimely demise. (Which is not unheard of in our house with the dog and the children!) Sorry, this Artifct is private!

Feeling inspired? Take a look around your tree, your mantle, or wherever you keep your holiday decor and pick an item to get started. Simply snap a photo, add a short story and any fun details, click save, and you're done! Got a growing collection on your hands? Create custom tags using the Tags feature to quickly sort and search through your collection. Some of our favorites this year? #Ornaments, #Holidays2024, and #Cookies!

We're preparing our ARTIcles for 2025. Have a topic you'd like us to cover? Share with us at Editor@Artifcts.com.

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December 11, 2024

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