Upcoming hysterectomy 12/3: Nesting, clothing and stairs questions

Hi ladies,
As I 'nest' before the surgery, 2 questions come to mind:
1. STAIRS-as my bedroom is upstairs, should I be prepared for eventuality of not being able to walk up the stairs for a while when I get home? I am not sure whether or not I wake up with abdominal incision which I am sure will make walking stairs worse

2. List of clothing to have that's posted here includes nightshirt and robe, both of which i hate so never wore. Do you think I can get away with having loose pants and tshirts?

Is there a handrail you can use on the stairs? If not, get one installed before surgery. The stairs aren't completely off-limits, but you'll need to:
- limit your trips;
- go slowly;
- use the handrail for balance and support; and
- avoid carrying anything.

Once I got home after a 3-day hospital stay, I wore nightshirts to sleep in at night because that's what I usually wear. During the day I wore T-shirt with loose pants or shorts. However, some women find that they can't stand having anything at all around their waists and opt for sundresses instead.

I had a TAH and had no problem with stairs, just do what SurprisedInNB suggests. Also having someone there the 1st time or two you use the stairs is a good idea.

I own no nightshirts, but the 1st morning post op once all the tubes were removed I changed into my own loose pyjamas and robe.. Home I wore loose sweatpants and sweatshirt. Wear what makes you comfortable, both mentally and physically.

	Quote:
Originally Posted by lanka30 Hi ladies, As I 'nest' before the surgery, 2 questions come to mind: 1. STAIRS-as my bedroom is upstairs, should I be prepared for eventuality of not being able to walk up the stairs for a while when I get home? I am not sure whether or not I wake up with abdominal incision which I am sure will make walking stairs worse 2. List of clothing to have that's posted here includes nightshirt and robe, both of which i hate so never wore. Do you think I can get away with having loose pants and tshirts?

I didn't have stairs but I didn't like being in the recliner. I stayed in bed for a few days & only got up to go to the bathroom. Do you have a bathroom upstairs with your bedroom? If so, you could plan out most of what you need to stay upstairs for a few days. Then when you have someone home with you, take the stairs down for some walking. Within a few days, you'll probably feel well enough to maneuver more regularly by yourself.

As for clothes, I was fine in loose pants & a T shirt. I actually chose to forgoe clothes anytime I was in bed. I had a robe in case I needed to run out of my bedroom for anything. Otherwise, the pants & tee were fine. I would wait a few weeks minimum before jeans. I got out a bigger pair & am still wearing those almost 5 weeks out.

Good luck!

Experiences vary greatly among different women, but I found that by the second day after surgery, I only returned to bed to sleep/nap. I was still in the hospital at point and still "decorated" with an assortment of tubes, so I was wearing the gown the hospital supplied with a long-sleeved lightweight robe over it. I spent most of my waking hours sitting upright in an armchair reading, with breaks once an hour or so to go out and walk multiple laps around the ward.

I was able to do stairs right from the beginning. My dr just said not to carry large oe awkward things up and down to avoid falling. I used the handrails in the first weeks. From the morning after surgery, I got up, showered, dressed and didn’t get back in bed til I went to sleep for the night. The first week, that was early, probably around 8 pm. Wear whatever is most comfortable, I always sleep in nightshirts, so that was good for me, but I’m sure loose pj bottoms would be ok.

Hi lanka30 -

I came home from the hospital 3 1/2 days after my TAH BSO (6-inch vertical incision) and did not have any issue with stairs. We live in a split level house, so I was constantly going up and down the stairs. Our bedroom is on the top floor. I took the stairs slowly and held on to the railing. My DH walked beside me for the first few times. For clothing, I wore sweats (elastic waist band), t-shirt and old shorts.

As the other women have said, just take the stairs slowly, use the railing, and have someone beside you for the first few times. As far as clothing - this is definitely a personal decision. Experiment with it and do what works for you - there really is not a right answer. You will want something loose fitting is probably the only requirement. Remember you do not have to be fashionable - just comfortable.