things they don’t tell you before top surgery
most top surgery guides i've seen list the same stuff like button downs and a pillow to put under your seatbelt etc, and those are certainly helpful, but I wanted to compile the things i rarely or never see mentioned. please feel free to add your own
you will go insane. i’m not saying you’ll regret it when faced with the recovery, i didn’t. what i mean is this is very likely going to be the most traumatic thing your body has ever gone through, especially if you’ve never had any kind of surgery before, and you should be ready for the psychological toll that will take out of you. there's a reason decent hospitals offer to have a psychologist talk to you before and after any surgery
you’ll need more than one person taking care of you. even if someone is able to take time off work and be with you 24/7 in the beginning, you should have a backup in case they have an emergency or just need a break. make sure they aren't squeemish, there will be blood and other nasty things involved.
it hurts less than you’d think. this is of course very personal, but i’d never had surgery before, i had very large tits so my incisions go pretty much from the center of my chest up into my armpit, and yet i did fine on otc painkillers. This is not necessarily a good thing, as it will make it easier to push yourself too far. Remember your limits even if you can't feel them.
you might get phantom pain, or at least phantom sensations. For me it's mostly when i'm on my period or running down stairs. It's been 10 months now and i almost never get them anymore
ask yourself how bad would things have to go for you to regret it. how uneven the scars, how difficult the recovery, how painful etc. choose a surgeon accordingly
all your shirts will get longer, not just wider. shirts that used to fit perfectly in a binder before now have the breast pocket around my bellybutton.
prepare food beforehand. Freeze a few containers of soup, or buy non perishables that you'll be able to prepare alone.
transfer all essentials to lower shelves, you won't be able to raise your arms above your head
account for a physiotherapist in your budget if you can. large scars can mess up your posture and cause pain and skilled massage is really important to deal with that. ask your surgeon how soon you can go
also account for dressings and medication and antiseptic etc. more than you think you'll need
take pictures when you change your dressings. They may help your surgeon if there's a problem later, and you can look back on them if you feel your recovery has stalled and see how far you've come