Post Op

After surgery TAH I will go home and be by myself; maybe a neighbor to bring food/meds. I am fearfully trying to prepare for recovery (gowns, clean house, bills paid, food, meds) Any hints? Thanks :-) :-(( Loans

You sound like you are well prepared!

I had a TAH 3 1/2 weeks ago...but I don't live alone. However, I did all the things you did. Furthermore, I made extra meals and froze them so I would have things to eat for lunch. I cooked a roast for the family, then took off several slices and froze them for me...same with chicken strips, chicken soup, rice, tapioca pudding, etc.

I am just now starting to help do some simple cooking for the family. I can season a roast and put it in the crockpot, or cook rice, or wash potatoes...but I can't cook a whole meal for 4. Just to let you know what your energy level might be...I HAVE been able to do small bits of laundry and tidy the kitchen if I do about 5 minutes at a time and then rest. By the way, I am 50 years old-I'm sure that makes a difference.

Also, before surgery, I made sure that ALL my bills, even the credit cards, would be paid automatically by debiting my bank account. That was important for me since I am the bill payer of the family. I've really had a hard time making my brain work in its normal organized fashion, even now. My friends say that I "check out" mentally after about 10 minutes on the phone, and they laugh and tell me to go to bed

Get whatever help you can, for as long as you can, and then you've done your very, very, best. My TAH was a terrific choice, I'm glad I did it. Bless you--
Joma

Thanks for your reassurance that I am on the right path. Didn't realize that one would be tired so quick; I am a lot older than you. Expected that I would be doing fairly normal activity in 4-5 days. WOW Thanks so much & take care of your self.

Glad I could help a bit...feel free to contact me again if I can answer any questions. Do talk to the doc about what to expect after surgery...my doc thinks I am right on track with healing, energy, fatigue, etc. He said it would take 6 weeks to feel like 75% of my normal self.
Joma

Happy Mother's Day! Hope your day is special and thank you so much for your advice and info. Thanks Loans

I am a couple weeks out and finding that it was a really good thing I set up my downstairs room so carefully. I bought several helper-items--an "E-Z Grabber" that keeps me from having to bend over to pick things up; an "Ab-No-Strain" that helps me get myself out of bed. I also put all my dishes/pots-pans/glasses in easy non-bending or stretching reach in the kitchen. Garbage is a problem--wish I had bought small bags, because I can take out a very light bag and toss it in the dumpster, but not a big one. Make sure you have lots of clean washcloths and towels so you don't have to do any laundry for a week or so. If paper plates nad cups will help you, do that, so no dushes. The menus and phone numbers of food delivery places--very impt. Prepared/frozen light meals---jello already made, soup easy to heat up, that sort of thing. Fresh fruit for the first few days and canned after that, til someone can restock you. Over the counter meds just in case: stool softener/gentle laxative; neosporin and mederma for your scar, decongestants if you get stuffy, lotions and creams you like, extra toilet paper you don't have to reach or stretch for. Clear a path from bed to bathroom so you can get therewith firm supports alone--my path starts at the bed, where I have a chest close enough to lean on for a few steps, then the doorway I can hang on to, then a sink counter, then the toilet, where I have placed a sturdy chair for support sitting down and dtanding back up. Also plan for how you will bathe yourself---I got a small shower stool and extra noslip tub mat, and a sprayer nozzle so I could rinse my hair easily but not get the scar wet. Oh goll, it took me two weeks to set up this "recovery room"--hope this long list helps. Good luck---it will be up and down but just REST. Anne

Happy Mother's Day! Hope your day is special. Thanks so much for the detailed info. that I needed. I am really glad I found this website as everyone is so helpful and forthcoming with honest infor.; my friends just say that "you will feel so much better" but I don't feel bad now. I am making notes so I don't forget. Thank you again & hope your healing goes well.

You are so so welcome and I hope yours does too. Forgot two important things---right by your bed ought to be a phone you can easily reach (i went a little overboard and programmed in my doctor's number, my friends, my neighbors, a taxi co, an 911! so far none of 'em needed)--and also a thermometer, becuase having a fever is one fo those "bad signs" to watch for, and it reassured me when I was feeling lousy that the ole 98.6 temp was normal as could be. Let us know how it goes---all best,
Anne

Again thank you. I have the phone in place and will put the thermometer on the table. It is almost overwhelming when I know that I will be on my own so that's why it's so important to be prepared in advance. Thank you!

I'm on my own too

it's really not that bad, you dod have to have selective viewing about some things-the dust will be there later LOL

I stocked up on frozen meals, made three dozen muffins (then froze them), and got lots of fruit cups. the one item I CAN NOT live without is the grabber!! it's amazing to me how many times I use it!

I also got alot of bottled water-no lifting a heavy pitcher
stock up on hard candy, they put a tube down my throat and my throat is still rather sore, the candy helps.

the smartest thing I did about a week before was a "test drive" no lifting, no bending ect... that showed me where I still needed to get things while I still had time to do something about it!