Long Rides after Discharge

My question for the day is long car rides immediately after surgery. I live within a 30 - 45 minute drive from where I will have the surgery. About 10 minutes from the surgeons office. However, because I live alone my father would like me to return with him to the Grand Rapids area after the surgery. I know many of you drive that far for the surgery. I know to drive for 50 minutes and walk for 10 every hour. How did your ride home go? How did you do your first post op appointment? Were you discharged with a drain? Would you recommend staying closer in the area for the first week? Any other hints? Jeanne

i had laprascopic surgery so maybe that made it easier for me. I did have a 40 minute drive home from the Cleveland Clinic to Boynton Beach. The hospital gave me a stuffed bear to hug when i coughed and i used it in the car on the way home for the bumps. They hurt a little but i was fine. A week later when i had to go back for my first post-op appt. i drove myself and was fine, i was already riding my bicycle and doing anything i wanted so it wasn't a problem. I didn't have a drain. it was taken out the morning i was discharged.

Jeanne - Here's my tips: Take your pain medicines right before you leave for home. Put a pillow over your tummy, it helps with the bumps I had over 2 hrs for my ride home. We stopped twice to walk. It was very uncomfortable but a managable ride hom. I've heard of many people who drive further then I did right after surgery. I came home with a drain - they don't "hurt" per say, but it sure grossed me out. It all just depends on how much drainage there is when you go home as to if you take it with you or not. 1st post op apt... was WONDERFUL. got the staples out (ich ich) and got the drain out. I felt like a person again after this visit. The ride back for this visit was no problem for me. Wishing you the very very best!!!!! Hugs, Laurie

I had lap RNY, and a 3 hour drive home. * Took a pillow, and seatbelted it right on my tummy. Slept most of the way. * Stopped twice on the way home to move around. * Took pain meds just before I left the hospital. I didn't fill my scripts thought til I got home, and the last half hour I was feeling it a little ouchy, but basically fine. * My first appt. was 8 days later...I was fine by then. * I didn't feel the need to stay closer to the hospital, but all are different. Good luck to you! Theresa

How did your ride home go? Laurie and I TOTALY agree on this one.. My ride was just uner 2 hours, and I HIGHLY sugest gettign a dose of pain meds thru IV just before you leave. I also huged a pillow the ride home. I did not get out and walk becuse the pain meds made me sleep the whole ride. I only woke up when the family stoped at McDs (YES TRUE STORY) to eat lunch... honestly I was so LOOPY I didn't care.... How did you do your first post op appointment? I was fine first Post-op Apt. Hubbie and I made a day of it driving to Detroit.. had my first soup lunch out at Applebees...Was excited to get my first offical weight. Were you discharged with a drain? I did have a drain.. nasty little bugger, but I got used to him (Ok not really but...) I cut the elastic off an old pair of undies an pined my drain to that.. made it easy to shower since I didn't have to worry about holding the bulb in the shower. Feels weird NOT PAINFUL being removed..as much as I worried about it, it was SIMPLE. Would you recommend staying closer in the area for the first week? I just wanted to be at my HOME. Felt better to be around my family and friends... But thats just me. I also knew if ANYTHING happened my doctor would have driven to me if he had too... Any other hints? Don't forget the chapstick and don't bother with books, just bring magazines. I found when I got home even though I KNEW I read the magazine I didn't remember 1/2 of what I read so I was able to read them again at home... or maybe Im just THAT blonde! Best Wishes... Erin

1: I am 3 hours from Detroit and I-75 is not a merciful road. Hubby packed me in pillows and I hugged a body pillow. 2: Did better on my first post op appointment. I was 8 days out. The worse part of the whole thing was the long wait in the Dr. office. 3: My drain was taken out before I left the hospital 4: I think you rest ALOT better if you are in your own bed. But that is just my two cents on that subject. When you are sick or not feeling good, home is always the best place to be! 5: Like everyone says, get those pain meds right before you walk out of the hospital. I walked alot so did not need half of the books and cd player that I had packed. Even had hubby stay with his grandson the day after surgery because I had a wonderful roommate and we walked alot together and talked so I did not want him to be bored. Don't worry about a bra! Leave it at home. It is winter and no one will know that yo dont have one on and your brinder will bother your bra. At harper they have a pharmacy so hubby filled all of my scripts which was nice because I needed some extra pain meds by the time I got home and in bed. Good Luck!

I'll have a 300 mile trip home, but I'll be determined to get back home to my own bed no matter how uncomfortable the trip. On long trips, especially after surgery, it's important to get up and move around now and then to help prevent blood clots. You don't really have very far to travel though. It should be fine.

I live in the Greenville area and had my Lap RNY in Ypsy, so it was about a 3 hour drive... I was uncomfortable and the walking made it better I had my dear hubby stop every 30 so that I could walk.. I felt so much better at my 2 week apt so the ride to Holland was not bad.. I did not have a drain when I left or while in the Hosp because of the Lap I guess.. Just remember Sip Sip Sip, Walk Walk Walk.. (((HUGS))) Dori