More New Post-op Tips

I'm so happy to see so many of you getting your surgery dates! I was reading Kelly's post about those early days, and thought I would add a few ideas. I've often said that the only things I really used when I was in the hospital were my Chapstick my two feather pillows, and the liquid shower gel and soap/shampoo I had brought. I brought all the other stuff, (magazines, coins, phone book, etc.) but it seems I didn't use much. I ended up staying in the hospital issue nightgown, and used their little sockies when I took my walk. Your world is pretty small....pain pump, water, Chapstick. I had my pillows in non-white cases (not that they could be mistaken for the lousy pillows hospitals use) and brought extra cases, because you tend to sweat a lot when you have drugs in you. I did bring a nightgown and robe and slippers, and that is what I wore home. *****ally cares when you are at the hospital curb what you're wearing, and I didn't care at the home end either. It was most comfortable - no way was I ready for a bra. At home a reclining chair would have been great, but I didn't have one and was able to find comfortable spots. It helps that under normal cir****tance we have eight pillows on our bed. (In 1989 I was nine months pregnant and my husband was recovering from major surgery. We needed the pillows and have never been able to give them up!) I wouldn't say I would buy or rent one if I didn't have one, but it would have been nice. As Kelly brought up, probably the biggest challenge in those first days is hygiene. It was not very easy pre-op, and for the first few days post-op reaching at all HURT. The first week the bowels are all very liquid. I have a hand held shower and if I was able to anticipate going I pretty much went in there. As George on Senfeild once said when being accused "pipes are pipes!!" (You Senfield fans know what episode I mean). I took MANY waist down showers that week. It made me feel better to know I was clean, and felt much better than trying to deal with it at the toilet. Anyone who doesn't have a hand held shower, you can buy one at Target or Fred Meyers for about $20. and they can convert any shower with no tools necessary. I replaced the one in my kids bathroom and it was easy. For us girls......not only does surgery often bring on a period. Even though I had just finished mine I got another one - and no lie it lasted about two weeks. Even when we go #1 there is still the wiping dilemma. I learned this trick when I had my C-section. You know those squirt ketchup bottles? Not the new ones they sell ketchup in now, but the cheap plastic ones they have in places like Dairy Queen. Fill it with warm water before you go to the bathroom and then you can irrigate with the water instead of having to reach down and wipe. Again, it gives a feeling of being clean and you don't have to reach down very far to squirt it. I think I asked for one from the nurse when I remembered it - when I was in the hospital. They came up with a bottle that kind of worked. When I got home I remembered that my mother-in-law had given me this really tacky picnic set a few years ago that I hadn't used. It had the ketchup and mustard bottles. Perfect!!!! Don't tell her!!!! Any drug store sells pill crushers. They work so much better than anything else. I did get liquid Vicodin, but it was so thick and gross that it made me gag too much. I did better crushing the pills and putting them in as little water as I could and just swallowing down the hatch. A little bit of bitter short and fast was better for me than ruining my applesauce or jello. I would question the doctor about if you have to crush and for how long - when I went in for my three week I was told I didn't have to crush them anymore. From there on I have swallowed huge pills just fine. I do much better with calcium pills than chewables. I liked chewables at first, but after a while I real sick of the taste. I did fine with Flinstone chewable until I graduated to what I take now - which is Centrum A-Z. I liked having the 3 oz. bathroom cups, because it was a fast way to measure things. When I first started eating "food" as in cream of wheat and such, it was easy to know what 3 oz. looked like. I was always trying to get in that 50 or above grams of protein. Everyone has different reactions to different protein shakes, and for all I know this brand isn't the best for everyone...but I did real well with the Boost High Protein. I would mix in my blender a can of chocolate shake, a large spoon full of plain yogurt, about a 1/4 cup of skim milk, and a scoop of Any Whey flavorless protein powder (from GNC) and ice. I called this my Uber shake. I think chocolate hides protein taste best. I have a real fear of that protein taste and found it really strong in the vanilla protein powder. I would make the shake in the morning and drink it in probably 4-5 meals during the day. I would keep it in the fridge. It helped me to know that as long as I got in my water and that pitcher of shake for the day I was doing O.K. This took the pressure off myself when I was trying to actually eat things, because I wasn't doing it to try and make my protein quota. Sadly, most foods in the 3 oz. quantities add up to diddly squat as far as protein grams. Broth has practically no value as far as protein. Still drink it though, because it does contribute towards hydration and can be soothing. I can't tell you how much better Knorr brand bullion is compared to canned broth or the other brand cubes! Of the six incisions, five were practically healed in a few days. There is one on the left side though that is where they do most of the work. It hurts more than the others and mine got pretty swollen. It ended up weeping quite a bit for over a week. I tell you this because I found it very helpful when I got the right bandaging for it. The surgeon put a clear band aid that is waterproof and rather large on it. I found this great band aid is at Rite-Aid and is called second skin. I would cut a piece of non-stick gauze pad, fold it in two, put it on the incision and put the second skin over it. It worked so much better than anything else. They are spendy, but I found worth it. FYI, I was sure something was wrong with mine, and called the nurse at least twice. I was sure it was some name I've forgotten. It had a raised hard lump, was weeping and was swollen. Just FYI because it ended up being all normal stuff. It helped to put the heating pad on it (I had the nurses permission). Allow yourself to take lots of naps. Your body is healing and surgery takes a lot out of your system. Let others do for you and don't be thinking you can unload that dishwasher. It's hard to let yourself be out of the loop, but you will bounce back much faster if you give yourself some time to heal. Don't be afraid that something is wrong with you or that you are a wimp because you want to cry just rolling over or every time you have to get up or down. There are those folks that don't need the pain medicine and are walking that first day home. I would say that my surgery went really well, I healed fast and I had no complications. Having said that though.....I took Vicodin through about day 10. About every four hours. I didn't move much more than bathroom trips, showers and an occasional walk around the house those first few days. When I had to get out of bed the first time in the hospital I could have used a bullet to bite on. In other words - if you are thinkin it's kinda hard it's not because you aren't tough. It is kinda hard but you can do it!!!! It is always a bit rough to have abdominal surgery and you need to expect a few days when all is not normal. But it will be!! That's all I can think of at the moment. I am so proud of you all for taking this huge step towards better health. Even if you have a rough beginning, I promise it will fade in your memory and be but a distant memory. In it's place will be lots of rewards and you will know it was worth it!!!! I would do it once a year if I had to. Really!!! Good luck. If anyone has any questions ask this girl who is maintaining and about to reach a third year anniversary!!! Patty

Patty, thank you so much for the tips! I can't tell you how much I appreciate you taking the time to do this.

Thank you to all giving tips! This is information I am always looking for in peoples personal pages but I hardly find (I know you don't find anything helpful in mine!!) Thanks! Bil

Thanks for all the great info, Patty!! Jackie

Patty, WOW. Thank you so much for all your info. My surgery date is 03/27 and I'm not getting nervous yet, but I'm sure I will once the date comes closer. I am trying to get things ready now, so I don't forget things later. I am making a list and your post was very helpful! Thank you so much. Sarah

Thank you for the information....we "newbies" close to our surgery dates are so preoccupied with this surgery / recovery thing, it must be hard for y'all that have been through it already to hear us out! I know I ask questions....then re-ask and each time I get an excellent response, like yours. Thanks for understanding, responding and keeping in touch on this site---being there for the new guys.

Patty, Your tips were awesome and right on the mark! Thanks Everyone awaiting surgery dates, I would seriously recommend reading one of the really good WLS books before you go in, it was a wonderful help for me. Try Weight Loss Surgery by Barbara Thompson -- she is a post op and gave good practical advice like you have been seeing on here the last few days. Also Weight Loss Surgery for Dummies is good too. I'm told Susan Maria's book is great, but haven't gotten that one yet. And lastly (hehe) ask questions, one of us will have been through it and we will be glad to help. Michele

Hey Patty, I think we should cut and paste our letters and post them every month or so. just to remind all the newbies that are comming in, If I had not had you to call apon I dont know how I would have figured out things. I want to thank you for your help last week. I am stronger every day and the need for the per****t is less and less sometimes I go 8 hours before I feel I need anything. I have stoped trying to do much just sit, sleep and watch tv. eating is going good and I think next week I will pull out the bxes of photos I have been wanting to put in an album and work on that instead of tv. I am feeling so much better I do need to walk a little more my lazy side did not get reduced you are a good one miss patty Kel P.S. the pill crushing is not all that bad I used a bit of the crystal light with a cryistal light chaser

Thank you Patty for the awsome tips ,I have been sitting here writing them all down so I can go shopping . I'm not sure about the FYI,what does that mean? I will be having the RNY, I don't know when yet, as my first appt is on March 1st so I have a long way to go before surgery.I'm collecting all the info that I can. Its so nice to have all this help. Good luck to you . Jo Ann