I feel like I used to have a satisfactory layout for years but haven’t since found a consistently comfortable arrangement. I like to have a fairly thick pillow or two under my head to accommodate my bad shoulder, a pillow between my thighs to avoid chafed skin, and a pillow for hugging - also mostly for my shoulder.
The head ones tend to get distorted really quickly and it’s really difficult to find a good hugging pillow.
Buckwheat pillow. Nice and firm, cool, and malleable.
I punch out a divot for my head so it has kind of a neck roll when I sleep on my back, or if I’m reading on my side, I punch a divot for my ear so it’s not squished against my head.
Had it for like 15 years, I miss it whenever we visit my in-laws in another city.
I tried a buckwheat pillow but found it better for sitting on than for resting my head. Can you not take yours with you to the other city?
edit: s/that/than/