surgery is in 4 days...what should i get to prepare?

I was wondering what I should get b-4 surgery, I have 4 boys, and want to be prepared for my bed side. What helped all of you? I am so nervous. Is there any "must haves" besides pain meds from the doc?

I would say that your would need childcare for a week or so. Meals brought in..that helped. Someone to clean..cause you can't and shouldn't. All errands done for that week cause you can't drive for a week.

Ditto on childcare. Make sure you have someone setup for taxi-ing them to various activities too!

There is a forum for what things were needed at the hospital or at home, I think. I found the chapstick, backscratcher, hair rubberbands, my own robe to be the top of the list of helpful items for the hospital. For home, make sure you have plenty of reading material. By your bedside, you should also have hair rubberbands, nail file, chapstick, thermometer, water bottle, lotion, pain meds.

Oh, and one person mentioned having a bowl of m&ms or chocolates next to your bed for the nurses. I wish I had seen that before my surgery because I bet that would have been a hit with my nurses.

Good luck with your surgery. Hoping you have an uneventful recovery! Make sure to let us know how you are on the other side!

thank u so much! god bless u

Not sure of my date yet but I know it will be no later than week after Valentines Day. I got all the items mentioned above...but I've also have been paying attention to the things I bend or stretch to reach. I've raised all those things to between waist and shoulder level for easy access...such as clothing from bottom dresser drawers..towels if located from a bottom cabinet..any food items in the fridge or shelving got re-postioned. I also went to Harbor Freight and for $10.00 bought one of those grabber devices. I got the Gopher. This way I can pick up items down low I didn't think about. I also got a shower chair from a friend for the first week. And I'm going to try duct taping my daisy razor to a long wood dowl so I can shave my legs...IDK if it's going to work but I'm going to try LOL...um a body pillow to keep positioned at night...Fred Meyer had them on sale for under $10.00...also take Kleenex and all the other things the Hospital might charge you for..your own slippers...toiletries...large lidded drinking cup...tylenol..advil..My Mother in Law was charged 20.00's for that stupid plastic pitcher and a friend was charged 8.00's for a tylenol...the Home Page here has a great list if you haven't seen already...

Hi emazinggrace & rubyred - VA has good tips. Just to add on, besides water - get ready some fruit juices too. Remember to eat vegetables as well...to avoid constipation. It would be very painful. Sleeping and getting up from bed would be quite a challenge, some good pillows are very helpful. Get some new movies (if you love movies) ready for the long resting period..no driving for quite a while. Good luck and all the best!

Oh, good one ahdear - I forgot about juices! I was going to suggest a small fridge for beside the bed, but really, you should use getting juices as an excuse to get out of bed and walk a little! If you can get outside and walk with a buddy for short walks at first, that will help get things moving, such as BMs and general recovery! I think my recovery has gone so well because I walk as much as I can and rest as much as I can too. Also, get out do some walking/jogging/running if you can before your surgery. Treat it like you're training for a big run or event, because it is a big event and the better shape you are in before will help with recovery after. Again, drink lots of water. All the fiber in the world won't help you unless you have water to help it flow through your system.

When you are getting up out of bed, I also found it easier to roll on my side and push up sideways, versus trying to do a "situp" to get up. Puts less strain on the belly for sure!

Hi,my op is due 24th feb,and i am scared!! I used to be a theatre nurse which makes it worse.
Any tips to keep me stress free and to chill out bearing in mind i have a 13year old daughter who thinks shes 23!!!
Best wishes to all

Remember to take slippers to the hospital with you because you are not going to walk on the cold floor without them, I thinks house coat was mentioned, hair ties, toothbrush and toothpaste(a must in my opinion)and your own soap, shampoo and conditioner.

At home my hubby has done alot my mom came down for a couple of days to help out.

One thing I realized I needed after I got home was a pad of paper and pen by my bed. I had the phone close by but no way to take messages. My brain is just now coming out of the fog. I couldn't remember the information to pass along without writing it down. I had books, magazines, puzzles, etc to help keep my brain active.
I didn't keep too many things close to my bed because I wanted to be sure to get up and get moving some. I did try to make sure that I didn't have to bend or reach.
I was not allowed to ingest anything that wasn't given to me by the hospital because they have to monitor everything going in and out of my body. You may want to check with your hospital to see if you can bring your own over the counter pain meds.
My hospital required me to shower before I could go home so I had to take my own shampoo, soap, etc.
I hope things go well for you,
B