Only three days to go!!!!

Donna,  Congrats on the upcoming day! You will do awesome! Here's my thoughts and experience with the hospital. I walked ALOT- like every 2 hours- so I took a pair of comfortable shorts ( skipped the panties) and just wore them under my gown so my lily white a__ __ would not be mooning everyone.!!! I also took flat, slide on sandals or flipflips- easy to put on to walk and to wear  home.Took a button up shirt for trip home- MUCH easier than trying to pull something over your head ( again- no bra- too painful). I also took a walkman ( or Ipod)  with headphones so you can put your favorite tunes and "zone out" to relieve stress, boredom, etc.....I like falling asleep to music...... Don't forget hard candy for the dry mouth ( love Lifesavers SF wintergreen or peppermint) and chapstick for the dry, cracked lips. I even took Crystal Light single to-go to add to water- looking for variety! And last- take your favorite pillow- sure helps in the hospital and you can hug it during the ride home. Good luck girl! Sheila

Hi Donna,       I agree with everyone that posted but don't think as an RNY you will be able to have candy. You lapsters have that advantage, I guess...lol. Anyhow, they had some type of lip balm available until you are allowed to have ice chips and believe me I thought my lips were going to crack apart. You may have a sore throat from the tube during surgery but the ice does help, thankfully. You will do fine. I feel much better now then Tuesday. I think each day it gets easier. Anyhow, best of luck and pamper yourself some before you go to the hospital. Perhaps a massage or pedicure. Just do something nice. Oh....maybe not a pedacure, don't think you can have painted toenails. I think I read that somewhere in my hospital literature. Why, I have no clue....lol. They aren't even close to those tootsies..lol.

I believe a pedicure would be okay.  I asked my surgery nurse yesterday and she said that as long as they have clean, unpolished fingernails that they would not need to see toenails.  :D And I meant to say before that I bought gowns to wear to the hospital.  I cannot fathom the thought of feeling comfortable or being able to sleep in those crappy hospital gowns.  LOL

You'll be in my thoughts and prayers this week Donna.  Can't wait to hear how you've done.  As far as the gown goes, don't bother, you won't feel like anything but the gowns they give you there.  Plus they snap at the shoulders, so they fit over your IV stuff, where a regular robe and gown wouldn't.  Just my two cents. Take care. Ellen

Hey Donna, I'm so happy for you. You have a wonderful team and are in excellent hands. I will keep you in my prayers. I just wore the hospital gowns even though I took a couple of my own. Please keep us posted on your progress as you feel like it. Best Wishes, Judy

Donna, I did brink by gown and changed into it but within 15 minutes had an incision bleed through it. Go with the hospital gowns and just bring a robe and slippers. I can feel your excitement since I just went through this last week. I will not lie. It's a process that has moments when you are tired and don't feel well. BUT it is worth it. I know it will be. Just keep the long goal in mind. Each day I wake up I feel a little better. I can't wait to feel great.  Let me know if we can do anything to help. Jennifer

Hi Donna, I understand about your panic attack.  I had one the morning of surgery, but got over it.  Fuzz was my doctor too so I guess you'll be in the same hospital.  I don't know if you'll be in the Sticht Center, but if you are, it's great.  Very quiet.  Be on the lookout for nurses Jennifer and Jeff.  They were fantastic when I was in last month.  And if you get a nurses assistant by the name of Pauline, she is fantastic too.  The three of them were outstanding and took really good care of me. As far as clothes, I would wear the hospital gown.  Do bring a bathrobe as you will be up and walking around.  The hospital should provide you with nonskid socks to wear so slippers would be optional.   Do bring lip gloss and or chap stick.  My lips were very dry afterwards, so much they were peeling. I also brought my hairbrush and some facial lotion too.  They helped me to feel good when I needed it. I wore to the hospital loose knit pants, a loose shirt and sandals; and of course wore them home.  The sandals helped a great deal when leaving for home.  I didn't have to bend to put shoes and socks on or needed to ask anyone to put them on for me. I would also suggest you bring your own toothpaste.  You should be provided a small kit consisting  a comb, toothbrush, and toothpaste but DO bring your own.   If you do use the toothpaste in the kit, look to see where it was made for this reason   http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,288526,00.html   I'm sure everything will go well.  Fuzz is a great doctor.  I'll keep you in my prayers.

Sheila 

Hi Donna, Wanted to wish you luck and prayers will be with you.  I'll be 2 weeks post-op on the 10th, so we're very close in time.  As far as the gown, don't even bother, the hospital gowns are much more accomidating for the IV's.  Save your gown for when you get home and take that 1st shower and feel like a reborn person!  A few must things to have are lip balm, antibacterial wipes ( can't wash hands with the IV in, also holding onto the IV pole while walking), slip on shoes to start walking, baby wipes (good just to wash your face), baby powder (does wonders for your hair till a good shampoo), favorite bed pillow (makes you feel just a little more comfy and works great for the ride home when bumps are unavoidable.  Leave the sf candy and mints at home, can't have them with RNY.  You can find the trial sizes of the wipes at Target (by the pharmacy). Best of luck to you, Mary Pat

Hi Donna! Congratulations on your upcoming surgery!  I was in the hospital for 4 days, so I did switch over to my own gowns, which were very roomy and comfortable.  Within a month they were falling off my shoulders and I was "swimming" in them, so I didn't use them anymore anyhow.  I would suggest taking one and seeing how you feel.  My bed, pillows at UNC Chapel Hill were very comfortable.  They provided me with non skid socks so I didn't need slippers.  I really wasn't up to company, visitors or even phone conversations.  You will be so focused on your recovery that you won't have attention for much else.  I didn't even watch TV, probably because the morphine pump gave me a headache straight from He**!!  Please don't forget your chapstick.  And have some of those red, white and blue SF popsicles waiting in the freezer when you get home!  They are tasty and feel wonderful on your throat.  Please know that I will be praying for you.  I hope this was helpful. Diane

Donna -

I'm so very pleased for you. I had thie same sort of concerns with my surgery ... even a few after, but I have to say that I'm glad I did it. You will come through fine. Make sure to use the pain meds ... there is no point in hurting. Also be sure to take them when you get home ... again, no point in hurting. That said, I still have most of the pain meds the prescribed for home. I used what I needed, when I needed it.

As many have mentioned, walking is really going to help a great deal. Not only does it help protect you from the potential complications of embolisms from DVT, it also helps your body disipate the CO2 so that you won't have as much problems w/gas ... I honestly didn't have any gas pains at all. Be sure to walk as much as possible in the the hospital and keep it up when you get home The risk of DVT is greatest within the first 30 days, so walk, walk, walk ... The side benefit, you'll be developing a healthy habit to carry you into your new healthier lifestyle. :-)

I wore a loose dress to and from the hospital that had "strategically" placed pockets ;-) ... This way, I didn't have to wear a bra. The dress was easy to slide on. I had laparoscopic gallbladder surgery 13 yrs ago, so I knew that I didn't want to wear a bra or have pants that might bind any of the incisions. The dress worked out great.

I used and would suggest using the hospital gowns. You don't want to mess up one of yours and honestly I didn't want to deal with changing ... especially with the IV's. I had the sock with the grip bottoms and wore those for my hospital hall walks. The gowns that they had for me were exceptionally generous and I was always more than comfortably covered up. They worked really well for me. I didn't use my slip on slippers at all. As soon as I got home, I switched from my dress to a lovely, comfortable night gown. I really lived in my gowns for the first week. After that I was into "normal" clothes.

If you check my blog, you'll see my take it to the hospital list ... You probably have everything already, but you might check to see. Honestly, I didn't use much of what I took, but I'm glad I packed it anyway.

I couldn't focus enough to read or play games, but each person is different, so bring some "entertainment". Like Diane, I have to say that I didn't really watch TV or want to entertain. On the otherhand, I had someone with me most of the time ... Thanks to my friends Donna and Charlotte, and of course my husband, mother and daughter.

I hope that this helps. Feel free to shout if there is anything at all you need.

Keeping you in my thoughts and prayers,

Barb

BTW - Do you have an angel who can let us know how you are doing? If not, please let us know so that we can look after you.