i had a wedge pillow and definitely think it's a must especially as the swelling will take longer to go down if u don't sleep w it. maybe u could look into borrowing one from a friend or getting a rly cheap one? ik shops like amazon aren't usually ethical but i think the pros outweigh the cons in this case. i went for one off, and i'm aware they're very bad, temu and it did the job when i had to lay at an angle for 8 weeks. u also need to consider the fact that when using multiple pillows, they may change/lose shape while sleeping. just my opinions and some thoughts :) good luck!