Preparing for Surgery

My surgery for the DS is on July 30th. Even though I have 21 or so days left before surgery I would like to prepare some. I bought  a chewable multivitamin with Iron in it like my NUT told me. But what else will I want to have at home  for after surgery. I will be on a clear liquid diet 2 days before surgery and a week after surgery then go to a full liquid diet for another week or two. What sort of air freshener should I buy for home and when I'm out and about.

Also, what did you bring to the hospital that you thought was most useful? (I know this question gets asked often). At my patient education class they suggest I bring my own grippy slippers for walking instead of using their socks they provide.

Slip on footwear is good as you won't want to bend over.  Lip balm is nice as you'll get dry lips and won't be allowed much to drink for the first day or 2 until you've passed the leak test.

Joss sticks are handy for at home.  Get some protein shake samples.  You can buy these from Vitalady as a lot of people find their tastes change post op.

I recommend the Vitalady mostly chewable vitamins as you'll want to add vitamin A, C, D, E, K1, K2, B12, B complex, copper, calcium, magnesium, boron, folic acid.  She has a bundled set you can buy and it includes everything apart from K2 and boron.  

It's good to try and be up to the full set of vitamins by the time you're a month out.

You're going to need a lot more than a chewable multivitamin.  Nutritionists are usually clueless about the DS, and bundle you into a generic "wls file".  I never bothered with chewables.  I just took my time with the horse pills, one at a time until I could do handfuls.  You really want to make yourself familiar with what DSers need for vitamins and start as soon as you're home.  Vitalady.com has a wonderful collection that gets new dSers off to a great start.  Once you get familiar with your blood levels, you can start tweeking and piecing together your own regimen.

At the hospital you want lip balm and some shoes to slip on and walk.  Bring a ponytail holder if your hair is long, a hat if it's not.  Nobody's pretty in the hospital, but it helps.  Don't bother with your own jammies.  Get two gowns - one to use as a robe...much easier and you don't soil anything of your own with seepage.

At home, Ozium is one of the best to keep handy, and you can get it at the automotive dept.  It's a car air freshener.

Thank you both for your advice and feedback it is very helpful! Great suggestion about just using the robs so I don't soil any of my own clothing. Any other helpful suggestions or things I should have at the hospital or at home I should have. I am trying to be as prepared as possible.

I did know that I would need many more vitamins than just the multivitamin. I have seen many of the lists that other DSers take for vitamins. I assumed (bad of me I know) that maybe just starting a multivitamin right after surgery is how it was done which is why the NUT suggested it. I did end up ordering vitalady DS Chewable vitamin regime.

Love the feedback!

I'm so glad that you did ask!  That nutritionist could have you malnourished faster than you can blink.  

Another thing to be proactive is to always have your own copy of labwork to keep for yourself.  The doc's staff will tell you that "everything's fine", but not bother to compare the last lab results for any downward trending.  They don't care as long as it's within the magical range.  You do care, though, for the next labs will have it slipping out and make quite the challenge to get back in.  

Im a 3 days post DS and I am not supposed to start my vitamins until next week. This week the focus is just getting enough water/liquid. I bought a chewable multivitamin high in A D E K. My doc said I cant swallow any pill bigger than an eraser head so chewable or crushing then it is :) I also will be taking more vitamin D, calcium chews, and iron.

Oh, the only thing I really had at the hospital was a ponytail holder to put my hair up. I had underwear on, because, lucky me the 14lbs i lost on my week long liquid diet triggered my period. Ugh. Anyway, they had socks with grips and they were fine by me. And everyone was so nice - best of luck and let me know if I can help at all.

Bring a pillow because when you get discharged the ride home will hurt your stomach. At that point in time your stomach will be filled with a lot and resting something soft around your stomach helps. Also, be prepared for mood changes for about 2-3 months. Your hormones will be out of control some days. Oh also, you may or may not experience severe coldness when you get home to the point where you start to shiver. Also, I advise you not to go overboard with buying vitamins, protein shakes, etc.. before surgery because your taste buds will change. For example, you may have liked protein shakes but hate the after surgery.

The chewable is fine for just after surgery. You won't be able to do something as ambitious as vitalady right off the bat.
You will be able to work into it. You have some reserves to work on while you are recovering so take what you can to start 
and then increase your vitamins. You will, more than likely, need more than your Doc and NUT say but do your research
on it. The archives here are a great place to look.

I heartily second the idea of the pillow for the ride home. I was very sorry after one too many pot holes not have something
soft to press on my stomach.

Congrats on getting through the process and making your decision.