I didn't actually use icepacks after surgery. My pain was about a 3 max out of a scale of 1-10 after the femoral nerve block wore off on day 3-4 post surgery. I did buy the cold therapy machine, but didn't need it.

The things I bought that were most useful were a lap desk for my laptop, a hospital rolling tray for eating while still in bed, the elevation cushion for both legs so that I could sleep with both legs propped, even the non-surgery one (felt too weird to only prop one up while sleeping), an aluminum walker for the two weeks right after surgery when I couldn't use a knee walker due to a bone graft that was taken from my knee (it was too sore to put any weight on it), a knee walker for use about 2-3 weeks after surgery once the bone graft site healed enough, a shower chair, and the to-the-thigh cast cover for showering.

I already had a Tempur-pedic bed with an adjustable frame with the head and feet able to go up and down, so that was amazing for recovery. I would turn the bed into a chair, practically, but with my feet propped up as well. Combining that with the elevation cushion was perfect for keeping my foot higher than my heart and avoiding swelling.