any Advice and Angel info

Hello to all!!!    I just wanted to update. Okay so my surgery is in 4 days!! Tomorrow is my last day of work too!!  I can not believe it!! Any advice would be very appreciated!! I can not even believe that my day is almost here. I will be having my surgery at Pitt Mem. Hospital, and advice from others who had there surgery there?? Also, Mrs. Melinda was so kind as to be my angel. I will get her updated so that she can keep you guys updated. I will be back as soon as I can!!! Once again, I want to extend a very special Thank you for all of your support and answering all of my questions, and all the ones that are coming. Danielle

Hi Danielle! Your big day is almost here!  The best advice I can give you is to keep it simple.  I wore loose clothes to the hospital and wore even looser clothes home from the hospital!  No bra on the way home!  I also didn't bother to bring a gown and robe as I knew I would have IV lines and a catheter the first 24 hours so knew they would be unmanageable in anything but a hospital gown with all their clever snaps (yeah right!).  I wore a second gown backwards to serve as a robe and cover my behind when I was walking around the hospital floor getting in my laps!  A toothbrush and some toothpaste.  A pair of skidproof slippers or crocs work well for your hikes in the hall.  I never cracked a magazine or opened my laptop!  Bring your cellphone and charger however!  Lotion is nice, as is a chapstick!  I am sure others will add to the list!  Good luck.  We'll be looking forward to hearing of your successful surgery and return home!

I had my surgery at Pitt and it ROCKS! totally modern and super clean with a fantastic area to walk after surgery! They have hand guards all the way around the wall in case you need some support or to stop and rest. I hope you get Ashley as your night nurse because she rocks!!! My doctor who is Dr. Mann is your Doctors Partner and Dr. Nazari saw me when I was out doing laps and stopped and checked on me and asked me if I wanted to race him down the hall he also was kind enough to tell the nursing staff that YES let that woman have that catheter out because I was sooo uncomfortable from it and I was able to get up and go to the bathroom on my own so I threatened to yank it out myself LOL Bring some chapstick and some comfy walking shoes that slip on.. I love my crocs!! DO NOT over pack!! I wore the gowns they provided and had a small leak around my G-Tube so the gowns were being stained and ruined and I just changed them every few hours.. I hope everything goes well and best of luck to you!!





Your Southern Surgical sista'

Darcie

Danielle!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was going to post to you today-- I'm so excited for you! Your day is almost here! I'm going to do my best to be a great angel for you... Be sure to have your mom call either my work phone or cell phone to let me know you are out of surgery and doing wella nd then I'll try to get by there to see you on Tuesday or Wednesday evening after work!!!!! Can you believe your surgery is in 4 days??????????? I know you are so excited, nervous, etc... I was ALL of that!!! Be sure to write in your blog how you are feeling right now b/c you'll want to look back on it later... If you need anything at all, just let me know.  What Suzanne and Darcie said is right-- make sure you have chapstick and some sort of bedroom shoes to walk around the hall in... I got a nice pair of slippers with good soles at Target and I still wear them at home now. :)  no need to worry about a robe--just use the hospital gowns... I bought one especially for it and didn't even take it to the hospital!  Cell phone, toothbrush and you should be set!!!  I took my WLS for Dummies book (didn't open it) and my laptop that I did use twice, but James "fixed" it for me... :)  Also maybe a pillow-- the hospital ones aren't that great and I wanted one beside me to help some with the pain... :) Also, tell your mom to leave most of the stuff in the car until you get a room. She can go down and get it later... she doesn't want to be lugging it around while you are in surgery. I think that's about it!!! I'm so happy for you girl and I'll see you soon!!!!!

PCMH in Greenville is one of the best! CONGRATS on your big day and you will be in my thoughts!!!!!