What should I do to Prep...

I have 18 days to get my house in order. Does anyone have any suggestions on what I should have at home waiting for me and what I should take to the hospital? I have had surgery before but they have always been outpatient type surgeries (gall bladder, laparoscopy, etc)

When I was preparing for my surgery, I made sure I had the house clean, my recovery areas (bedroom, family room, bathroom) clean and comfy, laundry done, bills paid, and kitchen stocked.

A great place for you to start is by reading through the Pre-Op Page. You will find great articles such as questions to ask your doctor and how to prepare your home for reoovery.

Best wishes to you as you begin this journey!

Deb

Hi sewcali,
The 2 best things I did before surgery was to tell my neighbors I was going in for surgery. They cooked meals for my family and brought dinner over every night for a week. I also brought a fanny pack with me to the hospital. I filled it with my cell phone, pad, pencil, chapstick and gasX. I strapped it to the railing of the bed and was able to reach what I needed easily. Wishing you energy and peace as you prepare for your surgery.

I went into my surgery in bad shape & found I was glad I had gotten prepaired. Make sure you have a pick up tool. You will drop something & bending over at first is not fun. I also got a shower bench (only used it twice but could not have showered without it those times). I had to use a walker for 3 days cuz of back pain & my weight. If you are somewhere cold you might want to get an electric blanket. It saved my life. When the hormones go crazy I found I couldn't get warm & the electric blanket saved me. I also ended up buying leg warmers cuz I wanted to stay in my night gowns.

Make sure you have Prep H (just in case), Gas-X, anti-diarrhea medicine (if your like me), Vagisil if your dry & cranberry juice if your bladder is not happy. I found it helpful to make little bags of crackers & keep them in a basket with me so I could have a snack when I wanted to. If you have enough time you can even make a spread sheet of when you will take you medications. I wrote down when I took them but it got really confusing.

I didn't use anything I took to the hospital, but that's just me.

Best wishes for a great recovery!

I took a few days off work just prior to my surgery and made sure the house was neat and clean, the laundry was done and my room was organized. I tried to move everything I would need to waste height so as to minimize bending. I bought a tray with high edges to place on my bed, this held my medication, lip balm, reading glasses, books, pen, notebook, and TV controller.

I also stocked up on my favorite teas, yogurts, applesauce, canned fruit, fresh fruits and vegetables. I also made and froze a few dinners for the family.

Good luck