Hi. I came across your website by accident and honestly have found more information about anything a mattress could be. So thanks that this exsists. I’m a 42 year old female who was hit by a car on Halloween in 2024. I had multiple fractures in my left leg, left arm, 7 parts of my spine, pelvis, and neck. I was physically destroyed. I also have a traumatic brain injury and diffuse axonal injury. My spleen and bladder ruptured my peritoneum was bleeding as well. They put metal in every part of me. I had to relearn how to walk and was sent back to New Jersey because that’s where my family was. I had been living in Arizona for about 6 or 7 years. I know that’s a lot and nothing about a mattress yet. I just wanted whoever reads this to get a full picture of my situation. I’m constantly cracking my spine and neck by just bending to the side. I’ve never experienced this much pain and stiffness. My leg has gone numb after a year and maybe awaiting another surgery. Okay so about the mattresses first when I came I was sleeping on my mom’s tuft and needle memory foam mattress it’s been about 10 years since she got it. It was pretty much supportive and comfortable. I moved to my dads house at first he had an old school regular mattress from bobs that I used to sleep on. I was always in pain now. So I started bugging him to get me one like my moms so he bought me the memory foam t&f and I hate it. I sag and feel messy laying in it. My body is completely lopsided. It started hurting me before the 100 days. He attempted to return it but the day they were supposed to it pick it up we had a bad snowstorm. He called again and they scheduled another day and they never showed up. At that point he bought me the 14’hybrid from dreamcloud. I hated it the first week and switched back to memory foam. After two weeks I switched back to the dreamcloud. He put in a return for the dreamcloud. They came and got it. Now I’m stuck with horrible t&n. He messed up with the return now. I have to find another way to get rid of it. I tried my aunts ego home pillow top hybrid she got 4 years ago. I think that might have been the least pain I felt. But I only slept on it like one night or two. So now I can’t find the same ego home or the same tuft and needle. I’m sick of trying and I need some guidance on where or what to choose. Please help.
Hi Rosanna.
Welcome to our Mattress Forum 
We love when people find us by accident.
I’m so incredibly sorry you went through so much. What your body has endured is massive, and the fact that you’re still pushing forward and trying to figure this out says a lot about you. Thank you for sharing the full picture, genuinely! Tt really does matter when giving advice.
From what you described, it sounds like you need stability more than anything. The old Tuft & Needle probably felt good because it had compacted over time and was holding you more “on” the mattress instead of letting you sink “into” it. The new one feeling saggy and messy makes sense as with spinal fractures, pelvic trauma, and hardware, too much memory foam sink can make you feel twisted and unsupported (or not supported evenly across the board…or mattress as it were). The fact that your aunt’s hybrid pillow top felt better, even briefly, is a big clue. You likely need a supportive coil base with some cushioning on top — not a deep, collapsing memory foam build.
At this point, instead of continuing the trial-and-error cycle online, I’d strongly recommend visiting one of our Trusted Members here in New Jersey. They’re experienced with more complex situations and can help you test supportive hybrids, latex options, and firmer builds in person so you can feel alignment immediately instead of guessing. Having knowledgeable guidance especially with your injury history will make this process much less overwhelming.
Places to start:
@EthicalMattress - they have a beautiful showroom with a number of options that could work for you. Bryan is an absolute expert who could help you navigate testing.
@ShovlinMattress - Their traditional innerspring collection may be of interest to you.
If you’re willing to make a bit of a drive, @CST is up the road in Newtown, CT. The benefit here is, of course, something custom to your complex needs.
NikkiTMU
Good afternoon Rosanna,
We are located in Fanwood, NJ. I would recommend coming into our showroom to give them a try. If you just wanted to get some information, please do not hesitate to reach out anytime. I am here most days and can help guide you though the mattress process. While I do not have any where close to the injuries your have suffered, I spent some time in the Marine Corps and have my own set of back and shoulder issues (how i got into the mattress industry).
James
Shovlin Mattress Factory
908-322-4178
Hi @rosanna
I’m so sorry for what you’ve been through, and would be happy to work with you to find the right solution to meet your needs. I’ve worked with many customers over the years that have had significant injuries, and it can sometimes involve a process of trial and error to dial in the right solution.
The advice from @NikkiTMU is spot on - the first step towards a better night’s sleep for you is going to be to visit a store in person and work with someone that can guide you through the process. We’d be happy to help if you’re inclined to visit, and Shovlin would also be a great choice.
A few bits of advice:
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Despite any negative experiences you’ve already suffered through, please try to keep an open mind as you move forward. The biggest mistake I see people make is when they close themselves off to possible solutions for reasons that aren’t always indicative of future results.
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With your specific challenges, I’d encourage you to frame this as more than a search for the right mattress, and instead see it as a search for the right ‘sleep system’. The best solution for your needs is likely to involve more than just a mattress.
Happy to talk in person if it could be helpful. Feel free to reach out at your convenience, and best of luck to you as you begin your search!
Bryan
201-618-3565
Im not a fan of memory foam. This is my philosophy when it comes to beds. Plushness in the very top appeals to our nerves and skin, and an optimal bed needs to go from soft to firm at an optimal rate based on your needs (obviously)
Any recommendation i ever make consists of having a plush top that transitions eventually into firm. My preference is to cover the range of ild as incrementally as i can with what’s available.
Which is often how a typical bed is built. It goes from soft to firm.
Plush gives you that feeling of “ahh, thank goodness, something soft to relieve the stress of the day”
Good support gives you the feeling of “alright, the top of my bed is super soft, but my body is actually in alignment. This is protecting my body from being misaligned”
This is why i prefer to recommend a medium/firm base and to modulate the feel youre experiencing with the options you can place on top of the bed.
I suspect you need that softness on the top because of all you’ve been through. You have some pains externally from all your surgeries, but it’s important for your hips and main skeletal system of your body to be kept in alignment.
If you want a cheap solution..order a few 1" layers of super soft foam from foambymail and put them on top of your mattress under the fitted sheet. Like i said i recommend doing this with at least a medium firmness bed. But also if you were to try this on your memory foam bed it could remove some of that nasty memory foam feel.
I think people underestimate how powerful some cheap regular foam can be. They’ve been using it in mattresses for a very long time. It’s one of the cheapest and easiest ways to modify your bed.
Hopefully you get this figured out. Sleep should be the time when your pain goes away. Best wishes.