Question Regarding Bending?

I'm new to this site and think it is Godsend. My surgery is scheduled for 2/9. I have been reading everything regarding post-op do's and don'ts..However my question is, how do you put on your pants, pj's, socks etc. without bending.

fra412! I had a TAH on 1/4/05 and believe me...this was quite a task! Forget about socks...get some easy to slip on shoes or slippers...otherwise have a friend or family member help you with the socks. As far as pants...you probably won't be wearing anything other than pj bottoms or sweats for at least a few weeks due to the "swelly belly" I'm still not into my "regular" pants yet! I've found that it's easiest to do when your sitting down...gently pull on one leg and then the other. Make sure that your sweats/pjs are loose fitting too...it's much more comfy that way. I even had my Mom go buy me undies that were a few sizes too big when I got home from the castle...my old ones were too constricting!

Take care and good luck!

s,
Carrie

I didn’t have a problem squatting down from a standing position to reach things or pick things up. I sat on the bed and brought my feet up a bit to put socks on, or to put my feet and legs through the jammie pants. For the first week I did wear nighties. It was much easier to just bring them over my head and put the arms in and pull it down over my belly. I didn’t wear panties and didn’t for a few weeks. They irritated my belly. The band of the panties would make my insides hurt too (still do).

However, I am 9 weeks post op and to this day, I have a problem if I am sitting in a chair and bend over to reach hard for something. It seems to squish everything in my lower abdomen. Then I’m in pain for the remainder of the day.

Good luck to you and take good care of yourself!

I had my TAH on 1/5 and the only time I wore socks was coming home from the hospital (I live in MA and we had just had a snowstorm the day before I got out). At home I just wore slip on slippers and pajamas. Everyday I wore pajamas and a robe and stayed comfy. I had bought big underwear and those were comfortable too. When I think back to pre-op when I was so worried about recuperation and now I'm 4 weeks post-op and I'm feeling great. I'm back in my regular pants and comfortably so. Just keep in mind every person is different, the only thing we can do is share our stories with you, answer questions from our own perspective and then you'll just have to see what happens to you. Don't worry about "stuff", it truly ends up working out.

Good luck to you!

I agree you named one of the trickier tasks of early post-op. I have gotten "dressed" a few times now and I prepare my pant legs like I would if dressing a child getting the foot hole bunched up and ready. I hold on to a door frame with one hand and hold my pants with the other while lifting my knee carefully and putting on the first leg.

The second leg is even trickier! At that point, I have no choice but to hold on to the waistband and lift the other leg to put my foot in and hope it glides on smoothly! As you can see, if you don't have to do this -- don't! I must admit once my DH realizes I am attempting to get dressed, he immediately helps. And he usually scolds me for not asking him to help in the first place. But, of course, he is not always right there.

The truth is.. most of the time I am in comfy loose pajamas or pajama-like pants and, now that I am no longer having any discharge, I don't wear panties! That is the most comfy.

I didn't have a problem putting socks on, I don't think I wore them often at first, slippers were great for the first couple of weeks, but when I did put socks on I just sat down and crossed my foot over my knee.

You can't "not" bend, it may be a little uncomfortable at first, but I don't think anyone is ever told they can't.

Best wishes!

I wore a comfortable soft cotton night gowns and a robe and slippers for two weeks. Then I would wear a comfortable cotton nightgown with a light knit jumper over the nightgown- I wore no underware as it hurt to wear it.The cozy knit jumper(not too long to trip over) was cozy, did not bind like slacks, and the nightgown looked like a shirt under.I still can't wear jeans as the material is too irritating. Still easiest to wear knit skirts or jumpers-not so much pulling waist band up and down.. Putting socks on was hard, so once showered I kept them on all day and to bed at night. I picked ones that wouldn't slip, were thicker and had funny animals on them to make me remember to laugh.
Rest and take care of yourself after surgery!

Kozo-8 weeks post TLH with rectocele

I didn't find it too difficult - I just put my sweatpants and socks on in bed.

I never considered standing to do that - I knew I'd kill myself if I lost my balance. (JoJo be careful!!) As it was, I felt like it was a feat comparable to Houdini, with all the gyrations it took! Bend this way - ouch! that doesn't work. Bend the other way - aaahhhh! that's better! You SLOWLY figure it out. (and it gets easier every day)

Actually, I found everything was easier if I didn't think about it too much!

joano

Plan your clothing for your first week or even two so that you will do an absolute minimum of bending and tugging. Who needs socks or underwear? Make sure you have step-in slippers.

When you need to put something on the bottom, sit on the edge of the bed or chair, step in with one leg carefully, then the other, and then kind of wiggle the pants up gently and carefully. Think loose, baggy, soft and comfy. I wore a lot of dresses and went commando.

The more careful you are in these first days following your procedure, the better you're setting yourself up for uncomplicated healing. Don't push it. This is very important.