New surgery date !

SO EXCITING!! I have an office job close to home. I went back after a week and a half. It was easy for me, I was feeling good, and I work 5 minutes away from home, so I am able to go home for lunch.

It all depends on how demanding your job is.

Good Luck!

Thanks everyone ! It's scary and exciting all at once for me . I guess now I don't have months to over think it ! Any suggestions on things I should start buying , protein shakes etc? What's the best kind and where to buy ? I meet with the surgeon on Wed, will he give me all the info I need to prepare ? Also the pre op appointment, I believe the secretary said it was 2 to 4 hrs ? What happens at that appointment. ?

blood work

you meet with a nurse who will go over your health history again

you meet with a pharmacist who will go over your meds and let you know what you can and can't continue during/after surgery

you meet with the anesthesiologist (sp?) to go over your surgical plan

I can't remember if there is anything else.

PLEASE NOTE: this is how it is at TWH, not sure about other centres.

first of all, congrats!!
I agree with the poster who wrote to make sure your opti is ice-cold.

If you like pina coladas pick up some crystal light squeeze in 'aloha pineapple', I found opti + ice + water + a squirt or two of that and I felt like I was in the islands (well, not quite, but it was good-LOL)

Get everything you need for afterwards. Vitamins, soups, oatmeal, protein shakes/powder. I would definitely recommend getting some unflavoured protein powder to add to your soups and oatmeal. I found some at the bulk barn.

Which hospital are you with?

Thanks for the message ! I am at Humber

That is soooooo exciting!!!

Words of wisdom from a "newbie"

expect discomfort and pain in the first few days

expect that you might have the "WTF did I do to myself" feeling a few times earlier on out

expect head hunger without the feeling of being hungry physically

don't rush things

I took 4 weeks off and it was the best thing I could do for myself. I wanted to learn this new lifestyle and give myself time to adapt.

That's great news! Congratulations!!!

I'm no veteran (I'm six months postop) but a few tips of advice:

1) Prepare anything & everything you can at home to make your post op time as easy as possible. I

2) Take as much time as possible off work as you are able as you can. Makes adjusting to post op life (eating, drinking, taking meds/vitamins) a bit easier. The more organized you are beforehand the easier it will be post op. I has a post op complication that landed me back in hospital so being organized and prepared really helped makes that tine a bit easier.

3) Opti tastes best blended with ice, both chocolate & vanilla. I didn't mind my three weeks on Opti (even over the Christmas & New Years holiday as there was no thought involved ( ie, what should I eat etc...) The goof news is, it does get better after day 3.

4) croc type sandles are better than slippers for the hospital. Makes walking the halls easier & are more sanitary.

Any more specific questions, ask away... we're all here to help!

Good Luc****ep us posted!

Natasha

Congratulations!!!

I would say be careful what you stock up on. I had no trouble with protein shakes before surgery and have yet to find one that I don't have to choke down since. I bought a case of premier protein and could barely stand the stuff. Unflavoured protein powder is a good one though because it's good to add to soups and stuff to help you meet your protein goals.

My benefits covered me for 6 weeks at 100% of my pay. I have a long commute so even bough I have a desk job I took it and was very glad that I did. I was at a good stage for eating when I got back to work so it made lunches less challenging. I wasn't as tired by then either.

Good luck!

Congrats on the early date ..on your way