Did you need help?

Hi all hate to be a post hog but, my better half brought up a question I hadn't given any real thought.  When you came home from the hospital post tummy tuck and or breast lift did you need help?  If you did need help with what did you need help for and for how long.

Briefly I am a stay at home mom so, I don't work go out to work and my primary job if I can put it that way is to take the kids to and from school via bike.  Other than that he is up to help with cooking, cleaning, laundry and groceries.  He is worried if I need something like to go to the bathroom or to eat I won't be able to fend for myself. 

So any tips or advice are welcome.

~Maxine

Well I had a LBL - I'd say the first 4 days are a must with TT - you can't get out of bed easily and I surely wouldn't ride a bike!

As for my BL - yeah needed help then too - you don't realize what muscles you use, but I'd say a week of help is enough for you to do what you need to.  I know a lot of people take 2-3 weeks before trying to be she-mom again.

I'd suggest you get some help for everything at least the first week.  The more you do, the more you will swell, the longer your healing will take and the more sore you'll be.

I stayed 2 nights in the hospital to make sure that I was mobile when I got home.  I relied on others to get me food while supplementing it with protein shakes that I made.  While I could move about, I couldn't for too long.  Cooking wasn't very high on my agenda, so I asked for quarts of hot soup & an ocassional sandwich that I could eat when I was hungry.  I didn't have much of an appetite & still don't after a month (t.t. & B.r.)   

If you're only staying one night in the hospital, initial mobility may be a problem.   But I was fine when I came home the second day late in the afternoon.  

Good luck! 

I think the soup will work I can make some and freeze it before I go in.  Thanks!

You should be fine going to the bathroom yourself, just take it slow and be sure you are not lightheaded and you should be able to do some simple food prep as long as everything is within easy reach , you won't want to be reaching to high or low or lifting anything over a few pounds for a while. Your surgeon should give you specific do's and dont's. As long as your DH is taking care of the other household duties you will be fine. Also no bike riding, check with your surgeon about resuming that activity.

Wishing you a speedy recovery.

Sher

I think he just gets flashbacks of the original surgery which did not go well during the recovery period.  But thanks for your response, when he comes home he will be relieved to read the responses.

I needed help after a TT with hernia repiar, and BA.
My mother stayed with me and fixed meals, otherwise I would never have eaten. I was in a lot of pain for about a week. I lost weight afterwards anyway, but would have lost too much at a time when I needed protein for healing.
Biking kids to school won't be possible for a while. Making your own simple meals and snacks will be do-able if neccessary. Getting yourself up is better than other people getting you up, but you may get dizzy sometimes.

Hello I am currently  7 days out from lbl/ bl/ba... the help that I have needed at this point is just mobility stuff.... can't pick anything up off the floor, can't reach anything over my head... the first few days getting in/out  of bed was a challenge! learned to roll over on my side and lift with my hands to sitting position while my legs kind fall out of bed.... painful too lots of practice to figure it out but doable.... fixing food would have been a challenge I think but since I went to Mexico and have been in a hotel going out to eat once daily, free breakfast in the am and protein shakes for lunch/snacks etc... I haven't had to worry about that although that will be changing tomorrow.... we shall see how it has worked out...

I did have to 'yell' at the DH for doing to much for me... instead of being just an anchor or something to hold onto he was trying to bend with me which left me unbalanced with ultimately more discomfort... now that we have worked out what exactly I need He is an awesome nurse!! 

oh yea I can't forget about the binder... it is so uncomfortable... constantly needing adjusted ( at least I think so) and he is the best at getting it centered and cinched for me...

the last thing is PAIN! the first 3 days I took 1 percocet every 3 hours or so and didn't sleep worth a snot! the 4Th day i stayed awake all day... went out and about (did too much) for most of the day.. slept all nite and haven't had that trouble since.. do wake up once.. take a pill, potty and back to bed! now sleeping at least 7 -8 hours nite.  Feeling much better! Percocet every 6 hours or so now.... With 600mg Ibuprofen in the am/pm to help with inflammation stuff... Hope this helps!

 You are fabulous...this is what I need.  OK so, if I can manage pain I am not going to be some invalid with people in and out all day mostly my mother in law.  Great!  I hope you continue to progress well.  Thanks so much!

~Maxine