I'm ready for advice

Hello all!
I am scheduled for a LAVH on March 15. Any suggestions, comments, wish-you-would haves?

I am a single mother of 2 kids - ages 2 and 6. I will have a girlfriend staying with me post-op.

Any and all comments are welcome!

Thanks in advance for you support!

HI Beth,
still a lady in waiting as they call it so I have no tried and true advice. but there are so many helpful hints I have gotten. My favorites are:bring candy for the nurses (I am bringing individually wrapped candy that I don't like so I won't eat it.) LOL Also to bring Gas x to help with that.

IF you can, ask friends to bring food by so you don't have to cook. That is great you have a friend staying with you. Hugs Raymo

Hi
Follow the directions given by the doctor regarding taking it easy. Even if you are feeling well, don't take on what you normally do. Also, I didn't know that I would experience so much gas after the surgery. If I had known, I would have taken the stool softner as instructed. I found that by taking the s/s, the gas wasn't as bad and my stomach didn't hurt as much. Also, you might have a slight stinging/burning sensation in your stomach, my doctor said that is only the incision healing. I felt less concern after she told me that.
More than anything, take this time to heal and take one day at a time. This will only be a fading memory one day.

I had an LAVH.

Woke up, felt like really BAD cramps, and it felt like I had to pee really really bad (although I had a catheter in) which stayed in all night, and was taken out in the morning.

I was SHIVERING... freezing cold after waking up.

take to the hosp:

Facial wipes/antibacterial wipes
book to read (if you're a reader)
Chapstick
Toothbrush/toothpaste
Comforable clothes to come home in (sitting below your waste)

You'll have a few small (like 1/4 inch incisions) on your gut.. I had three.. some have four. I had one in belly button, one on right side, one on left side.. they heal nicely. I had mine stitched from the inside... and they had bandaids over them when I woke up.

I was dizzy and didn't agree with my pain pump (mophine) although I'd take dizzy over pain any day, and continued to use it until they took it away and gave me Tordol thru my IV.

It's 1 week and 1 day post op for me, and I went out for my first drive today... and it felt great. I'm healing quite well. The girls here say maybe I'm over doing it, so tomorrow i'll rest. I just listen to my body, and follow that

Hope this helps!

Twizz

Make sure you have a table next to the couch or recliner. Keep Kleenex, Gas-x, stool softner and all your meds right there so you don't have to get up and down to much the first week. You might want to get an over the counter sleep aid as well, we all seem to get the insomnia thing. I actually bought one of those over the bed ospital bed tables before my surgery. That way, we could wheel it around to wherever I was most comfortable. Best of luck to you!!

Many of the women have posted just the kind of advice you are looking for in Hints and FYI for your Pre-Op Preparations.

You may want to read through them when you have some time. There are a lot of ideas in there.

S,
Kay

My two biggest issues while being in the hospital:
I had the worst dry mouth. I wasnt allowed any water until my bowel sounds returned, so I was allowed just a few ice chips per hour. I had DH get me a wet wash cloth to suck on-which helped a ton!
Also, if you are on the pain pump and having bad pain the first night, see what the nurses can do to get you by for a few hours at a time. While I was sleeping, I obviously wasnt pushing the pump button, and woke up in a lot of pain in the middle of the night. I dont mean to frighten you- it doesnt last long once you hit the pump. Also, Toradol is a huge help! If they give it to you, dont let it lapse, stay on top of the pain. Once it gets the upper hand, it is harder to get under control.
Hang in there, it will be here and then done before you know it!
Michele

I felt so dry after surgery.

What I appreciated most of all was my burt's bees chapstick, and hand cream.

I wasn't in too much pain after surgery (they keep you quite comfortable with pain meds), and I stopped using the pump because the morphine made me itch terribly. I waited until the pain was keeping me awake.

My surgery was Friday afternoon, I went home Saturday afternoon and didn't do much of anything for the rest of the weekend, or the next week. I walked some, but wore out quickly.

I drove at 1 week, but not for a long drive. I was still too weak.

By 6wks I was back to exercising. I waited until almost 8wks to do any abs. All cleared by my doctor at 6wks.

Ask for stool softerners and Mylicon chewies (for gas). Start moving as soon as you can, and don't let the pain get out of control. If you don't feel like visitors, ask them to leave. Accept all offers of help, especially with kids as young as yours.
Good luck to you!