Great way to get through the wait before surgery

Hi Ladies,

I want to share with you the secret of how I got through the long waiting period (don't say "period") before my surgery without totally cracking up. You may want to adopt this idea for yourself.

Two words - Hyster Buddy. Shortly after finding this site, I also found a Hyster Buddy, a lady who was going through the same surgery that I was, on the same date, who had some things in common with me. We decided to be Hyster Buddies. (I found her by clicking on the calendar button and checking the list of ladies scheduled for my date, then checking out the profile and posts of those ladies to see who "clicked".)

We basically just looked out for each other. We'd e-mail and send private messages and offer support and a little sanity. My Hyster Buddy had had a C-section previously and she was able to give me a lot of information on what to expect during abdominal surgery. And when I'd get panicky, she'd help calm me down and visa versa. We could relate really well to each other and help keep each other sane.

When we went into the castle, we knew we were going in together and weren't alone. I was thinking of her and praying for her and her for me.

It was so wonderful to have that one-on-one support from someone who was going through the exact same thing on the exact same day, in addition to the wealth of support from all of the wonderful ladies here at Hyster Sisters.

I'd have never have made it without my Hyster Buddy!

s,

Lisa

Hi Ladies,

Two of the best things I took with me to the hospital was an inexpensive (about $4 at Walmart) sleep mask and a travel pack of baby wipes.

Invariably, the nurses always left the light on at night after checking on me, and with the sleep mask in place over my eyes, it didn't matter - I could easily fall back to sleep. It was great during the day as well, when I was trying to nap, by keeping the sunlight out and helping me get my rest.

The baby wipes were wonderful too, as whenever I wanted to freshen up, I could just pull one out and wipe my hands before and after meals or just give myself a quick "birdbath" to feel fresher.

Highly recommended!

Best wishes to you all and s,

Lisa

If you haven't already, check out the following links for great pre- and post-op information:

Fifteen Things We Have Learned (Warning: this one has some funny things in it, so if you're newly post-op, grab your tummy pillow first.)

Pre-Op Articles

Post-Op Articles

Checkpoints