Fast Facts

Care package items can include self-care items, comfort items, gift cards, or entertainment.
Care package items can be tailored according to the surgery; for example, after some surgeries, specialty pillows may be required.
Inexpensive ways to support a friend, colleague, or loved one that is going through surgery include sending texts or cards.
Lending larger items like shower stools or rolling desks to someone post-surgery can help their recovery.

The following article was written by Homethrive team member Ali Habashi, who was diagnosed with breast cancer in September 2023.

Finding the right way to support someone contending with a new diagnosis or about to undergo surgery can be a sensitive decision. You don’t want to get anything that they already have, or accidentally burden them further with something that they don’t need or don’t want, but you want to show your support.

In late 2023, my mastectomy was scheduled and I had caregivers lined up to help me in the weeks following the surgery. I was bound and determined to be as prepared and independent as possible post-op. Despite my online research and the tips I got from other breast cancer survivors, by the time I was back from the hospital and attempting to sort through my pile of new medications, I realized quickly that I was not as prepared as I thought I would be.

Luckily, my friends and family were an amazing support system, and inadvertently supplied me with a number of care package items that made my recovery much more comfortable than it might have been.

Top Care Package Items for Post-Op

Specialty pillows

You can never have too many pillows, especially if you’re going to need some extra support getting in and out of bed for a while. The real life-saver came in the form of a homemade pillow that one of my crafty friends stitched together for me for the recovery. I used it as a neck pillow for both the couch and in bed to support my head, and I am convinced that I wouldn’t have been able to sleep at all without it.

Blankets with sleeves

One care package item I received was the Dreammighty wearable blanket that I still use daily. It is soft, large, and has pocket sleeves that keep it from slipping off of you even if you’re nodding off. Alternatively, a friend of mine who had had the same surgery only a few years before swore by her Snuggie as one of the most useful post-op items she’d been gifted.

Comfort plushie

If you think that your loved one has aged out of finding comfort in a stuffed animal, studies indicate that there may be benefits for anyone from students to dementia patients to grieving parents. Personally, I found that having a weighted plushie, Squishmallow, or childhood stuffie that I could wrap my arms around grounded me in some of my most anxious moments.

Soft robes

My impending surgery quickly turned into an excuse to buy the most comfortable robes I could find. In the weeks following a hospital stay, a plush robe that was easy to slip on and tie meant just slightly more independence and comfort. Bonus points for shirts that are essentially robes meant to be worn outside of the house.

Comfortable pajamas

You can’t go wrong with a set of comfortable pajamas. Just make sure that you know 1.) their size and 2.) clothing restrictions based on their operation. For example, following my surgery, I needed button down shirts, since I would not be able to lift my arm over my head for a few weeks.

Bath-free sponges

If a patient isn’t allowed to bathe following their surgery, you can surprise them with Scrubzz Rinse Free Bathing Wipes (or a similar product). All they need to do is run them under water, use them to wipe down, then towel off, no shower required. These things were a lifesaver, and I didn’t notice any residue or dry skin when I used them.

Face wipes

The normal routine is very much disrupted when someone is in healing mode, but gentle face wipes can give them back a bit of normalcy. Using a face wipe to feel a bit cleaner was something I could do for myself easily, and by the second week I’d made it a habit to keep them close by. Make sure to look into ones for sensitive skin.

Soft headbands and scrunchies

Everyday’s a bad hair day when you can’t shower and one of your arms doesn’t work. For anyone with long hair, cloth headbands and scrunchies will help contain the mess. Silk bonnets, scarves, or a comfortable beanie could also serve this same purpose.

Dry shampoo

Speaking of bad hair days, dry shampoo was the only thing standing between me and greasy doom in the week following my surgery. There are plenty of brands, but effectiveness depends entirely on hair type. For my curly hair, I went with Klorane Dry Shampoo Powder with Oat Milk. A few poofs over my tangles and my hair was soft again, albeit slightly fluffier than usual.

Gift cards

The fastest and often simplest way to send a person some love is to get them a gift card. Hospital bills add up, and gift cards for food delivery services or transportation apps can help take some of the strain off and encourage the person in recovery to take it easy. Gift cards for places that they frequent locally are also always a welcome treat.

Puzzles

When you’re recovering from surgery, there’s not much you can do aside from sleep, watch television, eat, and shuffle very slowly down the street in an attempt at exercise. Puzzles were a low-stakes way to occupy my time while I was healing, without requiring the effort that reading or playing a video game would have (two things that I thought I would want to do).

Water bottle with a straw

Along with my chosen blankets and pillows, my water bottle is something that I dragged around with me everywhere I went. Having a straw meant I didn’t need to open and close anything, nor lift anything too high.

Larger Helpful Items

Shower stool

Depending on your condition, once you are allowed to use your shower again, you might want a shower stool to sit on. I did not end up needing the one I borrowed, but having it gave me peace of mind. Another friend of mine, again who had ungone a similar surgery, reported that even after she had fully recovered, she enjoyed using it from time to time.

Rolling desk

One of the more useful items that I borrowed for my post-op recovery was a rolling desk. It could be tucked to the side of the couch, and then rolled in front of me to be used as a table during mealtimes. It also gave me an extra surface where I could keep my medication, water bottle, hospital instructions, medication tracking notebook, and snacks, all within easy reach.

Other Ways to Support

Keep them company

Although someone recovering from a recent surgery may not necessarily want to entertain visitors immediately following their discharge from the hospital, in the time leading up to and following those few weeks, I knew I wanted to be distracted. For those that were too far away to simply stop by, I appreciated a call just as well. However, whether or not someone wants this particular type of support will entirely depend on their personality, so make sure to double check with them.

Texts (especially on the day of the surgery)

Waking up strapped to a blood pressure monitor and an IV is bound to be an uncomfortable experience, even if you didn’t just have major surgery. Once I’d convinced the hospital staff that I could be trusted to go home for the evening to my own bed and my specialty pillows, receiving my phone and seeing the supportive texts from friends meant more to me than I can ever accurately describe here.

Get well soon cards

Simple, classic, and appreciated. Props to anyone who takes the time to write down a supportive message and send it in the mail. It’s also nice to have a piece of mail that isn’t a medical bill.

Advice (but only if you have personal experience)

Before my surgery date, one of my goals was to simply speak to people who had experienced my diagnosis and treatment before. What had brought them comfort, or surprised them, or made things easier? There are support groups for certain diagnoses, and I found one that linked me with a woman across the country who had already been in my shoes and could offer advice and sympathy in the way that I needed it.

Whether you are creating the ultimate care package for your best friend, or wondering what to purchase for your recently diagnosed parent, or trying to think of the best way to support a coworker with a surgery on the horizon, this guide can get you started.

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