Question - Looking ahead to one week after

My trip to the castle is scheduled for May 3rd. Long planned family gathering is scheduled for the following weekend. I plan to just keep off my feet and enjoy the company (the gathering is not at my house!), except that a restaurant brunch has been planned for Saturday to celebrate multiple birthdays – one week after surgery. Do you think that’s realistic? Drive each way will take about an hour. Time at restaurant? I’m guessing 1 and a half hours.

On the one hand, getting out of the house at that point for an extended period I know will sound great…but I don’t want to set myself up for an uncomfortable situation.

Thanks, Princesses, for your responses.

If you rest up ahead of time, you should have no problem. I went to a 2 hour show an hour from my house 1 week post op. I was tired and glad to get home, but it did me good to get out. Dh dropped me off at the door so I wouldn't have to walk from the parking lot, I found a chair and stayed there til we left.

I would have done better if I could have found a place to lay down, but made do with sitting. I knew I was pushing it, but needed the social contact.

Rest before and after, try to nap in the car, I think you'll be fine. Oh, and wear either a good panty girdle or a binder to minimize 'bouncing' in the car.

Hiya Ellekaye!

I'm still pre so you should really consider my response with a grain of salt, but from everything I've read on here, sisters' experiences seem to vary greatly when it comes to recovery time.

Is this a situation where you have to decide now? Can you wait and see how you feel post-op before committing to attend? Will your family members understand if you're just not up to it? And most importantly, will you give yourself permission to stay home if you need to?

Some of the posts I've read talk about thinking that you feel well enough to venture out and becoming really tired quickly. Also that driving in a car becomes an entirely new experience post-op -you can feel every bump!! I guess the red flag to me is the long drive to and from - that you can't just bail out and go back home to your bed immediately if need be.

And yet, if your family's anything like mine, they might just be the best medicine of all!!

Good luck on the 6th! My thoughts will be with you,

Cecee

Hello,
I'm exactly one week post op today. I agree that you should take a wait and see approach - everyone's recovery experience is different. A bumpy car ride for an hour could easily wipe you out. I took a shower this am and it makes me very very tired. I do have an opportunity 2 days from now to go 10 mins away to a coffee house to hear a good friend play and I'm still undecided if I can handle that. I would like to think so but won't make my decision until that evening. Remember, this is MAJOR surgery - your body will tell you to slow down. If you overdo it now, and have a setback, you could pay for it for a long long time. See how you feel that morning. I hope you will feel up to it but if not, everyone will understand.

This is time for YOU

Hope all goes well with your surgery.
Lisa

I agree!!!!!!!wait and see!I am a tough little peson who bounces back very quick BUT.You have good days and bad! I have surgery 3/28it was a thursday Easter was that sunday.....Istayed home.But by then end of week one i was out getting my nails done! I still carried my pillow and walked slow!Take care and Good luck . Angela

I'm 2 weeks post op tomorrow. After the first week my mind told me I could do alot of things, but my body wasn't cooperating. I did go to a birthday party (15 min from home) after one week and after about 3 hours I was ready to go home and lay down. Even though all I did was sit the entire time, talking and the excitement just wore me out. I think I am progressing pretty quickly - get tired very easily though. We went out to dinner last night and it was ok - glad to get home and put my feet up.

I do suggest you take a pillow to put under your seat belt. After an hour ride and trying to hold your tummy you will probably be really tired.

Best of Luck

Sorry to be the wet blanket here but I think doing all the driving and sitting at just one week post op is way too soon.
If it were 2 or 3 weeks post op I would be saying the same things the other women are saying which is "wait and see how you feel".
I was in the hospital 6 days. When I was released it was a one hour drive home. I really felt it the next day.
We sometimes forget that sitting is an activity. And that there are alot of internal stitches. I have heard it can be 100 or more. We are putting a lot of pressure on those stitches when we sit.
I don't know what surgery you are having done or what all they need to do. Mine was pretty extensive and I couldn't sit comfortably for very long for about 3 weeks. But we are all different.
Just remember to take good care of yourself those first few weeks. It will really pay off in the long term recovery process.
Good luck with whatever you decide.

The biggest mistake I've made after each of my surgeries was to get back up and go too much / do too much too soon. Like everyone else says, it depends on how you feel - but please, please, please make sure that you are evaluating it for yourself and not what you think everyone else expects from you!!!!

Listen to your body and your own inner wisdom. Do some smaller little trips first to see how you do react to the car ride. After my last major surgery, it was 4 weeks before I could ride in the car without being extremely yucked up!

Take care

EL

I'm not sure if I missed something, but what exactly are you having done? A TAH, or LAH or? That could make a big difference in the way you feel at one week post op. Again everyone is different and heals differently, so it's hard to know. Also do you have and little DS's or DD's as that can make a difference in healing time as well as how much help you have. I would just play it loose and see if it would be O.k. with everyone if you made your decision at the last minute. My guess is they would understand, and then there's no pressure on you. But, if doing it helps you emotionally feel good and your'e not doing too badly physically, I say go for it, as the mind and body are so connected. As I've said to DH, yeah, I'm in pain, but if I stop doing things then what's the point? So, See how you feel and be the judge at that point. Good luck and God Bless...Tickles