Must-have items for after neck surgery!

If you are preparing for an upcoming neck surgery, you are probably somewhat nervous, frazzled and maybe even feeling unprepared. With my list of must-have items for after neck surgery, I am hoping to save you some grief before and after surgery and help you to be as prepared as you can be with the items that you will REALLY need.

I did plenty of reading and researching prior to my neck surgery, in hopes of having everything perfect when I came home from the hospital. Well let me tell you, there is nothing like real experience and I found out that many times it is the seemingly inconsequential things that are the most needed. I read plenty of “helpful” articles and suggestion lists before my ACDF Surgery (well mine was actually a ACCF – Anterior Cervical Corpectomy & Fusion), in hopes of making my life simpler post-surgery, but I found that not all were necessary (for me at least).

What I packed for the hospital
iPhone, iPad, phone charger, earbuds, ear plugs, razor, a book, mascara, cough drops and much more.

What I actually used in the hospital

My iPhone {barely} – I was doing well to even focus on visitors, and could barely even see my phone to use it! The ear plugs were handy because let’s face it, hospitals are NOISY!

If I’m being honest, I felt pretty horrible while I was in the hospital, and I did very little. My mouth was SO dry from whatever it is they use during surgery. I just wanted ice chips constantly, or the little sponge popsicle things. I was on pain meds and a bit “loopy”. In light of how I felt, I definitely overpacked!

After surgery (for me at least), it gets tiresome depending on other people. I found myself in tears often because I couldn’t do something for myself. There was plenty of frustration and exhaustion – and those coupled with pain just left me a mess. Every little thing became difficult to do and the aggravation got worse. I cannot express enough how helpful and indispensable the below items were to me during my recovery. Every item made me feel a little more independent, comfortable and less agitated. I call that a win!

Please note, affiliate links are included below, but they are certainly not the reason for this post 🙂

What I couldn’t live without at home after surgery:

Bendable straws

Bendable straws are something I would NEVER have thought of as being essential after neck surgery, but when your neck movement is limited, these are a life saver. If I was reclining a bit, I could adjust the straw accordingly. If I was upright, I could move the straw where I needed it. Sometimes the smallest things are the biggest conveniences when you are frustrated by being so helpless. Buy a huge bag of these – you will need them!

 

Ear plugs

Ear plugs? Well yes. These might seen like a strange need, so I will explain. After neck surgery, you most likely will not be sleeping in your bed/bedroom for awhile. I didn’t. I spent most of my sleeping hours in the recliner in the family room, as it was the spot that I found to be the most comfortable.

The problem with sleeping here is that our family room is the hub of the home and there was traffic and noise. No matter how quiet everyone tried to be, the noise still interrupted my sleep/naps. When recovering from a major surgery, sleep is precious and any sleep you can get is very welcome. My hubby actually recommended this brand for me, and I love them! They aren’t as big or awkward as some ear plugs are, and are much simpler to use. It might be a little tricky at first, because of your neck brace, but you will get the hang of it!

Grabbers
I purchased two, one for upstairs and one for downstairs. Grabbers are definitely important – and very inexpensive! You’d be surprised how many things you need to pick up or reach for. It’s amazing how many of our movements are controlled by the neck. The grabbers are truly amazing. And if you’re feeling silly you can goose your partner as they walk by just for fun 🙂

Dry Shampoo

After neck surgery you can’t really shampoo your hair for awhile. Dry shampoo will be your friend. There are so many different brands, but this one works well for me. A little goes a long way with any of them – if you use too much, it kind of gums up your hair. Don’t do that, or then you will REALLY want to wash your hair!

Non-slip bootie socks

Non-slip socks are super important in my opinion. If there is water or other substances on a tile or wood floor, it would be easy to go sliding and/or falling. I just ordered more in fact, as we have hardwood floors throughout the bottom level. I had one pair already, and the ones from the hospital, but these were really baggy and just plain annoying.

Bedrest pillow

This bedrest pillow would have helped me immensely, as I could not get comfortable sitting upright in bed {even though there are like 2,967 different shaped pillows currently on my bed}. They also have them with the headrest, but I don’t believe that would be very comfortable with a neck brace. I ordered this the other day and it should be arriving any time now. I cannot wait!

Frog Toggs Cooling Towels

These cooling towels are the best things that have ever been invented.  There has been a heatwave ever since my release from the hospital and these towels are a must-have whether it is hot out or not.  My neck and shoulder muscles have been so sore since the surgery, and although ice packs help, they don’t hit all of the areas that hurt. With Frog Toggs, I can simply run them under cold water, wring them out and place them like a cape over my neck, shoulders and arms.  They stay cold too, until they dry out (then you just rewet).  I am not sure how it works, but it does!  I ordered three of these (in a variety of colors) from Amazon, and oh my gosh, they are wonderful!

Set of down pillows

These down pillows have become my favorite pillows, as I can squish and form them however I need to get comfortable. I wouldn’t get expensive ones though, because after you contort them in a million different ways you may not want to use them as regular pillows again. But that’s entirely up to you.

What I wish I had after returning home (and have since bought)

Extra pads for neck collar/brace. When you go for your collar fitting, ask for extra pads at that time. You will be changing them often, as your neck will get hot and sweaty (ick). I really wish I had 2 extra sets, especially the chin pad, but of course you can only purchase the full set of replacement pads.

Pull-up shirts {buy online or make  yourself}

These are SO important, as you shouldn’t lift your arms over your head after surgery. I looked at Target in the Juniors section and found cute little sleeveless sundresses/jumpers/tops. They are the kind that have elastic and fit easily under your arms. You can slip them on over your legs and pull up. Since this was the Juniors section where I found them, and I am obviously not the size of a Junior, I just bought XXL.

I had a friend of mine cut off the excess length and hem them how I like them, so I could wear them as shirts. Not only are they easy to get on, but they are super comfortable! The other thing we did was go to a fabric store and purchase several types. She measured the length, then doubled the fabric (so they wouldn’t be see-through) and added elastic at the top. We made our own pull-up tops!

And finally, an easy little DIY project – Fabric Liners for neck collar pads

If you are having your surgery in the summer months and it gets hot where you live, you will need these! It gets HOT where I live (over 100 degrees!), and my neck sweats profusely thanks to this collar. I had my friend cut out some fabric shapes approximately the same size as my chin pad. We made a bunch yesterday, actually, and I have used them so much. When I am in between changing pads for my collar, I just slip one of these fabric pieces over my chin strap. It feels so good to have dry cloth there, and will reduce the chances of a heat rash. I HIGHLY recommend doing this!

If you want to make your own, just cut a few square or triangle shapes and tuck them under the chest piece. My chest gets so itchy where the trachea piece hits. Adding a piece of clean fabric here is such a relief. When they need to be cleaned, simply rinse in hot or cold water and, squeeze and hang dry.

It’s all a matter of trial and error, but after almost 2 weeks now, I can tell you that the above must-have items for after neck surgery have helped me immensely, and if they can help even a few of you after your surgery, then it will have been well worth the time it took to write this post.

Please let me know how you are doing after your surgery – I wish you the best of luck!

If you or someone you know if having hip replacement surgery, you might like to read my list of must-have items after hip replacement surgery too!