Welcome to the club no one wants to join.
Firstly you have passed go and have a diagnosis, all the waiting and biopsies is hell non earth. I found surgery was a turning point because once done, and all being well, the cancer is effectively gone. Any further treatment is adjuvant ( just in case).
I’m a similar size to you and bought a couple of quite expensive front fastening bras that were bamboo fibre (Theya Healthcare). They were super comfortable and didn’t irritate the incisions because they had no seams. I then moved onto M&S crop tops (Body by M&S Flexifit) which are seamless and have decent support. It’s the lymph node incision that causes the most irritation.
I’m four years post op and can’t wear any structured bra for long. I tend to wear the crop tops at night as well as during the day because your boob does ache when it’s free to flop around at night. It also acts a bit like a pressure garment minimising post op lymphodema.
Buy some Mepitac, soft silicone tape, to use once the incisions are healed. It is great for reducing the formation of scar tissue and also stops clothing irritating incision area.
Read the instructions from the physio and follow it to the letter. It helps mobilise you post op and reduces lymphodema and cording.
A wedge pillow helps you while sitting in bed. The heart shaped cushion supports your arm and provides support protecting the lymph node incision.
I was given a shoulder tote bag for the drain. Vacuum drains are commonly used so you don’t need to rely on gravity. Tape a loop of the drain tube to your chest so if you catch the tube on furniture or door handle it pulls the skin around the tape rather than the drain incision. At night put a chair against your bed next to you to hand the bag carrying the drain. It keeps it tidy and stops you jumping out of bed and forgetting the drain.
Another way of dealing with drains is to find a mens pyjama top ( oversized) with pockets at waste level. Turn it inside out so you can put the drain in the pocket protecting the tubing. Comfort is the main aim until the drain is removed.
Once my drain was removed at five days recovery was much easier. I was able to drive at 10 days. I went to watch my DS play rugby at 7 days.
You should be fine to travel in May unless you need chemo, and as long as radio is finished. But be aware that radio can cause really noticeable fatigue. You will also have t stay out of the sun. But check with your breast cancer nurse.
During radio you need to use moisturiser. I used MooGoo and a French product developed for radio damage called Biofine. I had no skin damage apart from a prolonged tan over the area treated.
Make sure you have plenty of painkillers, paracetamol are fine. Take them regularly within the prescribed limit to stay on top of the pain. Longterm it can take months for your boob to feel normal. Even now, 4.5 yrs on I still get weird twinges. I find massaging with body oil or moisturiser helps more than painkillers and I continued to do the stretches for 12 months after the surgery.
Good luck with your surgery and I hope your results are what they are expecting. Getting the all clear can be a bit of an anticlimax after the huge Adrenalin fuelled rollercoaster of diagnosis and treatment. It’s perfectly normal and most breast cancer units have a psychologist to help.
Finally there is a great Facebook support group. You can ask any question you want, have a good rant or just scroll in the knowledge that every single member knows exactly what you are going through. Sometimes it’s difficult to explain to nearest and dearest just how you are feeling but the Breast Cancer crew will always have your back.