Tummy Tuck approved!

My tummy tuck was approved by insurance yesterday (BCN) now I am in planing mode. My surgery date is Thursday May 12th. I would love if you all that have been through it could give me your 5-10 items you needed that helped with your recovery period. Ive been reading like pads, gauze etc. Very excited and nervous. Also did you wear alot of long tanks, cotton pants during the first 2 weeks? Thanks for any advice!

I am 2 weeks out tomorrow and my top 6:

baby wipes for the bathroom - many uses as you can imagine
chapstick
wedge pillow for sleeping (I just put 2 regular pillows under my knees)
tee shirt to wear under the compression garmet (I am only 5 feet tall and the compression garment was really high on me - I had to turn the top down at least 2 - 3 inches)
grabber thingy to retrieve items
small squishy pillows and neck pillow for protecting the stomach area and they helped me sleep more comfortably


I kept a gown on until yesterday when I went to get my drains out, then I wore a swingy dress that concealed the drains.  This morning I am in shorts and tee shirt.  The gown made it much easier for me to get to the drains and go to the bathroom and it was cooler for me when sleeping.

The doctors office gave me extra gauze and pads but I did by some thin maxi pads to help.  I looked like the scarecrow losing his straw there at the end - I left a trail of cotten everywhere I went. 

Good luck.  It's amazing how great I feel considering I had the anchor cut 2 weeks ago.

my lifesaver was the hospital bed we rented -- it was only $175 for a month, and it let me adjust to the most comfortable position for sleeping and doing my homework on my laptop....    also - i had to spend a lot of time sitting, and discovered i now have a tailbone -- yowch...  after 3 weeks i finally got a donut pillow to sit on, and i wish i would have done that 3 weeks sooner!!

because i had to walk hunched over for the first few weeks, it really put a strain on my back -so i also had a walker, it gave me something to lean on...  the doc wanted me to walk a lot post-op, and i couldn't have done that without it....


jeris

Congratulations!!

Shower bench! I was able to sit there and use a hand-held shower head to get clean and wash my hair!

Old pajama pants/yoga pants/work out pants, and clearance camisoles from Old Navy for under the binder, and for over it as well if we went out.

Large slippers (I stole DH's) so I could slip my feet in and out without bending over.

A small flashlight so that I could find my meds in the middle of the night.

A little off topic...but how did you get your insurance (Blue Cross?) to approve your TT? 

With my BCN plan My Dr submitted photos, documentation of my gastric bypass. I also had to have lost over a hundred pounds and maintained that loss. I had photo evidence of rash, I believe that helped. I also saw my primary Dr who gave me a referral to my PS. He also had some documentation of me needing this.

One of the things that I really liked was having an elevated toilet seat.  Crazy isn't it?!  But it helped immensley. I did not have to lower my body that far down and it kept everything in the toilet that needs too be IN the toilet.  I also had very thin cotton t-shirts and camisoles for under the compression garments as well as baby wipes for a variety of uses and my laptop near the bed.  I used nightgowns instead of the pajama bottoms while at home (yoga pants when I went to the doctor's office) and my cell phone and charger near me.  I kept crazy stuff near me but it worked like a charm.  Good luck to you and Happy Healing!

Karen

My top picks were:

1.   My Wonderful Helpful Husband
2.   Laptop
3.   Extra Pillows for Back and Head
4.   Wedge Pillow for Under Knees
5.   Elevated Toilet Seat
6.   Long Handled Grabbie Thingie
7.   T Shirts for Under Compression Garment
8.   Aloe Vera Juice in My Smoothies.
9..  Phone/Charger Close By
10. TV Remote Close By

Congratulations on this stage of your journey.  You will be just fine.