What are your Must Knows for post-op??

While I gear up to get my surgery date, I want to know...

What do you think I MUST KNOW for after surgery? I have heard, walk as much as possible, drink small sips of water, all day, as much as I can... but what else? what is something you wish you had known that would have made recovery, or life, a little easier after surgery???

Keep a close eye on the "poop" situation!!! Do not take benefibre or anything like that until you are able to drink tons of water...as it makes matters worse!!!

Constipation post op was the only thing that was truly horrible for me. I just assumed because I wasn't eating much in the beginning...that nothing was accumulating....thus that's why I wasn't going. My first one was 5 days post op which they said was normal, it was the months after that were the problem!!!!! The colace they gave me did nothing, it took me trying every product under the sun in different combinations and doses to get things right. There were a few episodes I was very close to going to the hospital. The word CEMENT comes to mind!!!