shopping list questions

I want to buy a few things for the hospital stay and foods for the first week or so that I am home afterwards.  What did you take to the hospital with you and did you use it? I have a zip up robe, and I was going to buy some non-skid slippers, take a hairbrush and toothbrush/toothpaste, deodorant.  Maybe a magazine or a book.  Is there anything else anyone would recommend?  For the first week I will be on clear liquids, then cloudy liquids for a week, and then if all is well, normal (limited list of course) food.  Is there a good brand of broth or popsicles or anything anyone recommends?  I was going to get some ice cube trays or popsicle trays to freeze individual portions of broth or whatever and then put the cubes in freezer bags.  I was thinking about making a big pot of veggie/chicken broth before surgery because the canned stuff is kind of lame but I don't know if I should bother.  Then again, homemade broth is a handy thing to have in the freezer anyway.  Did your pouches like tea?  I am a big tea drinker, black, green, white, herbal.  I'd hate to give that up. If there was one thing you wish you had taken to the hospital but didn't, what was it?  Same thing with home?  What would you change about your first week post-op? I am soooo excited!!!   I tried a new protein shake today, nature's own ultra energy shake or something like that - it was awful.  2-3 swallows left me very sick to my stomach and hunched over the toilet.  Glad I only had a sample pack.  I thought that was a bit of an excessive reaction though and now I really don't want to try new things   

I took a bunch of stuff to the hospital and used almost none of it.  Things I did find useful: - chapstick, or something to moisten your lips. - supportive pillow for my neck (like something you'd take on an airplane - kept me from getting a stiff neck because I was not accustomed to sleeping on my back) For me, those are the only two things I really remember thinking "dang, I'm glad I have this."  I think your list - zip up robe, non-skid slippers, hairbrush, toothbrush/toothpaste, and deodorant should be fine.  If you think you'll be up to reading, by all means take a magazine or book.   Regarding stuff to have at home, I liked Swanson low-sodium chicken broth and Popsicle brand sugar-free popsicles (those were a life saver).  I also had a variety of liquid protein options available, since I'd heard that what I liked before surgery could be totally different than what I liked after surgery.  Wound up that the only liquid protein I really like was Carnation Instant Breakfast w/ No Sugar Added made with skim milk.  To me, everything else tasted gross.  After a month or so, a friend suggested the no-carb Isopure protein (available at the Vitamin Shopper); I did like that and it's decent source of protein (tastes better cold).  The trickiest thing for me right after surgery was trying to manage the not drinking 30 minutes before or 30 minutes after I ate.  Because you can eat so little at one time, you'll wind up eating every 2 hours of so.  Which doesn't leave much time for drinking.  And I was a wimp that took lots of pain medication, so I had a hard time keeping track of when I was supposed to be eating and drinking.  A friend of mine lent me a clip-on kitchen timer and it was a godsend.  I could set it to remind me when my drinking time was up, then set it again for when I could start drinking again.   Something I would have found helpful, but didn't think of at the time, was one of those extendable tong-like things for picking stuff up off the floor!  It hurt to bend over for a while and any time I dropped something, I just had to wait for someone to come along and pick it up.  You can find these online at Harriet Carter - think it's called a "Gopher."  I didn't try tea or coffee for quite a while, but I'm not a big tea drinker and I just had a sense that coffee would be too strong for my pouch.  If you do drink tea, remember to keep it decaf!   That's all I can think of for now - I'm about 21 months out from surgery, so the memories aren't as distinct as they used to be.  I'm sure others will have good suggestions for you as well!   Good luck as you continue to prepare for surgery - we look forward to welcoming you to the loser's bench! Kellie

Kellie - thanks for taking the time to write out everything.  Chap-stick, good idea!  Reacher thing, good idea!  I think a friend of mine has one of those I could borrow from when she had a C-section and an ovary removed.  Carnation instant breakfast, I'll pick some up.  Thanks!

Dunny, all I took to the hospital was me, my insurance card, and a change of clothes for the ride home (oh, and toiletries, including chapstick).  No books, no magazines, nada.  I was only there 2.5 days, and you're so busy walking and recovering post-op that you don't need a lot to keep you entertained.  I didn't even take a robe, I used two hospital gowns, one forward and one reverse (like when you get a boobogram) to serve as a robe.  The hospital provided no-skid slipper sox. Did I mention I like to travel light?  Clear broth -- I used the "Better Than Bouillion" stuff that comes in a jar.  You can make individual portions as you need it instead of needing to make a vat's worth and freezing it.  My sister, fearing there might be a shortage of sugar free jello, bought Costco-sized cases of the ready-made stuff, and once I moved past the jello stage, I wasn't interested in it any more.  Did you know Jello can go bad? My pouch was fine with tea, but it was August and I wasn't in the mood for tea.  I drink herbal or decaf.    I only like Popsicle brand sugar free popsicles -- whatever brand they get in bulk at Costco is nasty tasting.  If you like Crystal Light, you could even make your own popsicles. Once I moved on to full liquids, I ate things like runny Cream of Wheat (yum!) and thin mashed potatoes (yum, but not as yummy without butter).  I lived (and still eat it for breakfast every day) on Instone High Protein Chocolate Pudding.  It's an acquired taste and not everyone likes it, but I don't mind it, and it's 20 grams of protein per serving. I tried most of the protein drinks and the only one that didn't make me feel like I was going to is unflavored Unjury.  Unjury even makes a chicken broth flavored one now, and you can order a sample to see if you like it.  With the unflavored Unjury, you can mix it in food to add protein.  They have a chocolate flavor that I used early on, mixing it with coffee-flavored sugar free syrup (yum yum!).  I'd throw ice cubes, a small serving of milk, chocolate Unjury powder, and a shot of syrup in the blender and blend it until thick and frothy.  In fact, that sounds so good I might just have to buy some chocolate Unjury!  (Available online) I recommend not loading up on a bunch of early post-op foods that you may or may not like post-op (tastes change, and sometimes food doesn't even taste good right after surgery).  Your spouse can always go to the store if it looks like you're running low on something that sits well. Kix

SF Jello, I bought some a while back and husband ate it - I really just don't like jello.  Its a texture thing... jiggling food is not for me.  Same with crystal light, but I do expect to go through some popsicles!  Thanks for the advice Kix!

Two questions - Did you have your surgery lap?  If so, how much weight did they ask you to lose before (or what was your BMI at surgery time?)  I am worried that they will have to convert to open if I am too large.  Probably not, but I am worried.

I weighed 530 at my first surgery consult.  The surgeon wanted me to lose 10% (53 lbs), which sounded reasonable to me.  I did the modified Optifast, and the weight fell off so quickly that I hadn't even started my pre-surgical classes when I reached the 10% goal.  I asked to continue with the Optifast up to surgery, and the bariatric doctor and the surgeon said okay, so I ended up losing 123 lbs by surgery day. Beginning weight: 530 lbs Surgery weight: 407 lbs. I can't remember what that is in BMI, but I'm 5' 5", so if you have a BMI calculator, you can figure it out quicker than I. The surgeon told me it would probably be open because I carried a great deal of weight in my abdomen.  However, as I lost weight, the first place it came off was my abdomen.  I had a second surgery consult about two weeks prior to surgery, and my surgeon was so cute.  He said, "I don't know who said you had to have open, we can do this lap, no problem!"  I laughed, since he's the one that had all the concerns initially!  I did have it lap, and it was almost easier than having a root canal.  I had surgery at 1 PM, and that night, it hurt, but the pain pump took care of that in a hurry.  By the next morning, there was no pain, it just felt like I'd done 1000 situps.  That feeling went away a day later. Surgeons pretty much do these lap nowdays unless there's a compelling reason to do open.   Kix

Hi Dunny, You might want to pull out a sweatshirt or sweater from the fall clothes if you have them packed away.  I was freezing from the moment I woke up from my surgery.  Of course it was December in Ohio so Texas is warmer. I took too much to the hospital...didn't need my giant fluffy robe or my own jammies except the bottoms were handy once I started walking laps.  I did take my IPOD (good) and a book (never opened it).  Make sure you wear something comfy to go there (I had a big sweater and a pair of drawstring pants (my regular uniform back then). Home was good..just remember when lying down, take it slow.  Night was the only time I took a pain pill.  I have never been a back sleeper so that took some getting used to.  I did get up once or twice and sleep for an hour or two in my armchair.    The one thing I regret my first week was trying to "nudge" a UPS box off the front porch into the house.  Ouchie!!!!!!!  Don't do that. Driving:  That little drop into the car was kind of sensitive at first.  But I couldn't give up driving for long.  I went to the grocery store as soon as I could drive.  I think it was separation anxiety.  I kind of enjoyed creeping around the grocery store reading labels.  It was exercise but I did get tired real quick. Enjoy getting ready for your surgery!          

IPOD, good idea!   I have a chaise lounge I plan to sleep on for a few days because I'll be able to sit up some.  I wish I had a recliner, but its the same idea with the lounge.  Thanks for the advice!