opinions needed on this situation

I am having my surgery (extended TT with anchor and brachioplasty) on October 19th.  My husband just found out that he has to leave town for a week for a business trip on October 21st.  I come home from the hospital on October 20th.

I have a 10 year old and a 20 year old.  My twenty year old lives at home, but works full time.  She'll be home in the am and later evening but not during the day.  My son will be in school during the day.  He is pretty independent, but will need someone to make dinner etc. 

Can I do this?

I'm a pretty strong person overall.  High pain threshold.  I found my sleeve to be a walk in the park.  Stopped taking pain meds about 8 hours after surgery because they made me nauseous.  Didn't even do Tylenol or anything - didn't feel I needed it.  I think my DH thinks that, since I didn't "need' him last time, this will be the same.

I had a lbl and ba/bl. I was released from the hospital on the third day after surgery. My plastic surgeon says I have flown through my recovery and have had one of the quickest ones he's seen in a long time. It really has been easier on me than I thought it would be.

That being said, I don't think I could have gotten through the day to day stuff for a couple of days after the hospital stay without my dh. There are long stretches of the day where you don't need anyone, but when you need help, you really need help. Also, you might find yourself suddenly woozy after standing, etc. It's good to have someone nearby. Getting up is difficult, especially if your arms are going to be on the mend, too.

My wls (rny) was nothing at all compared to my plastics. Talk to your surgeon and see what he recommends.

He told me to "milk" it from my family for at least two weeks.  lol

I do have a home care nurse coming (not sure if that is daily or what****il my drains come out.  My kids are VERY self-sufficient and I know they will help.  But I will be alone from 10-4pm or so each day.

I didn't have the same things done, but more hours of surgery, and was two days in the clinic.   Once I got to the hotel I had a maid, a cook and a cleaner, and was alone.  I didn't have to lift anything, and did take it easy, but I think it might be best if you had someone for the first 5 or 6 days, just my opinion.

Bonnie

I won't lift anything for sure.  I think I'll see if I can get someone from my support group to drop in each afternoon - some of the ladies don't work or work shift jobs. 

Do you have a neighbor, a church friend, an extended family member that can swing by in the middle of the day to help you?

Dinners for a few night shouldn't be too much of a problem. A 10 year old can get a bowl of cereal independently, make a lunchmeat sammy, heat up a microwave kids meal. But also, a friend stopping by about that time would be helpful as well.

I'm having a tummy tuck and lower body lift this Monday. I pre-cooked several meals, put them in disposable pans and froze them. All hubby has to do in the morning is take them out of the freezer, and into the oven. I can turn on the oven at the right time; and a friend of mine is stopping by after work to dish out to the kids. (But I wonder how many of these I'll use. I also took a few loaves of bread, and pre-made up sammies for lunches. My friend will also pre-pack those in the evening, so all the kids have to do is grab and go. My kids are 8 and 6. I have worked with them this week to make sure they can pour their own cereals in the am--and that looks like it is a go.

All that being said, when my friends asked how long recovery time would be, I told them that I'll be off work for 3 weeks and not allowed to lift more than 5 - 10 lbs for around 5 weeks; I received a phone call. My church family has worked with my neighbor friends, and I have "meals-on-wheels" and someone who will be stopping by in the middle of the afternoon to deliver and check on me while hubby is at work. All that to say, you may have more help than you'll know what to do with, if you just ask.

Best of wishes!

I have already started filling up the freezer.  My son is pretty capable in the kitchen - he can turn on the oven for me or make himself some EasyMac.  He knows how to work the microwave.  He already makes his own lunch - so as long as I have the "fixings" at home - he can do that part.

I'm more worried about the showering or getting up and down off the toilet part for the first few days lol

I would ask a friend or someone to come stay with you.  I dont think you should be alone for the first week

My pain from my plastics was much more than the pain from my open DS procedure. It's not that way for everyone but I've seen it said here many times that plastics was more challenging. I would not have been up to cooking meals with my arms in the first few days. You really don't want to be lifting or stretching and over doing it.

I'm pretty sure I can avoid cooking.  If I think this out - my son can warm up his own meals.  I'm making lasagna tonight and I'll freeze a couple "kid size" portions of the leftovers for one or two nights.  And he can always eat a sandwich for dinner. 

I am anticipating that this recovery will be harder than my sleeve.  For one, I'm about 3-4 hours longer under anesthetic.  And the arm part will be a challenge. 

I think he'd cancel if I really FORCED it, but I know he wants to go on this trip (and it would be good for his career).  I'd hate to force him to be home and then not need him and feel like I was just being "needy" KWIM?

My mom lives nearby - I think I can get her to come over every afternoon to clean up and visit for a few hours.  That might be worse than being alone though.  ;0)