Advice on Post Op Clothes and Aftercare Needed, Please

Hi ladies, some of you know that I am scheduled for my next surgery: arm lift, flanks, breast lift, inner and outer thigh lift, monsplasty, butt lift, and revision to tummy tuck (no muscle tightening). I will be flying into NJ and staying 2-weeks. I will not have anyone to take care of me, although I will be staying with a friend. So, I could really use some advice on how to prepare. Thanks very much!

Since I have no one to take care of me, would you suggest that I stay in the CareCenter/Rehab for 3-days or is this too long?

What can I cover my friends bed with so that I do not ooze anything on her sheets etc? 

What will be the most comfortable position for me in bed, sitting?

I do not have any button up shirts because my boobs/rib cage are large. Any advice on what I can wear in October that does not require me lifting my arms above my head to get it on/off? I will be at my friends house and her husband whom I do not know well will be there, so I have to be mindful of what I wear. 

Will I be able to drive myself to my one week post op exam?

What sorts of foods and medical supplies should I have at the ready?

Anything else I should be aware of/do to prepare?

Thanks a bunch! 

Given the extent of the surgery, and how many areas of your body are involved, I don't think it's excessive to stay in the care center for 3 days.  That way you can really make sure you're on top of any pain and the incisions should be well on their way to healing.

Clothing - a snap up housecoat will probably be the easiest.  I lived in an oversized pair of sweats with a light weight front zip hoodie (for when I went out) for the month after the LBL.

Driving - of course, you're not supposed to drive while you're still on pain  meds, but I managed to drive myself to the one week check-up.  But it wasn't pretty or pleasant.  If you can manage to have someone drive you, take advantage of it.

Food - protein.  Protein drinks, protein bars, meat, seafood.  I couldn't seem to get enough after surgery.

All good advice, thank you. I did not think of the house coat - good idea. And I may have a few zip hoodies if I can find them. 

Another good reason to stay at the CareCenter for 3-days is it is close to my surgeon. Otherwise I will be a good 90-minutes away at my friend's house. But I am determined not to have any complications :-)

My heart goes out to you to be doing this alone.  I relied on my husband so much the first week.  I don't know you, but if I lived near you, I would help take care of you.  Good luck.  Hopefully by the time you get to your friend's place you'll be feeling much better.

Oh my gosh, you really touched my heart when I read this. Thank you. I was very hurt when one of my life long friends said that I could not stay at her house for 10 days while I recovered. There are 7 of us girls that have been friends since high school, and the one friend that I was counting on has a very large house w/guest room and is a SAHM. She said no. My other friends were aghast that she said that and so one of them and her husband both said that I am welcome to stay with them. Luckily she has a guest room. And she works from home so at least if I have an emergency I will not be alone. All of my other friends work and none of them have a guest room. So I am very grateful to her and her husband and I do not want to be a burden to them. 

I would say that with all that surgery, three days at the aftercare facility is a minimum.  I am having a tummy tuck next week and I am spending two nights at the aftercare facility.  I am recently separated from my husband so I am also going through this alone, so I feel for you!  Good luck with everything!

Good luck with your tummy tuck!!! You will be thrilled. The first few days were difficult for me. If you can squeeze in one more day there it may be helpful. I am not having any muscle plication this time so it will not be as painful as the tummy tuck even though it is a much larger surgery that I am having (6-hrs). My before and after pix are posted in my album if you want to see them - pw is "capella" -- again good luck next week! I am thrilled with my TT results. 

I cannot wait to see my completely transformed body when I wake up after surgery. I know the scars are going to be hideous at first, so I am trying to mentally prepare myself for that Franken-Barbie look. I think the incisions around my arms and breasts will be the most difficult to look at. 

I would think that if you have the option of a rehab facility, you should use it.  Given the amount of work that you are having done and the fact that the folks you are staying with really aren't signed up to care for you, I would think a week might be more appropriate.  You really are having many different parts of the body worked on at the same time.  That is going to make simple things like sitting and standing a challenge.  Usually they don't like to work on so many areas at the same time.  I had abdominal and breast work at the same time and to be honest, I can't imagine also having my thighs and arms done at the same time.  You have to be able to have some limbs that you can depend on to support your weight as you move around.  So, some time in a rehab where you have someone to assist you would be a good thing.  Any idea how many drains you are going to have?  Caring for them alone will be a challenge.  I managed to wean myself off of my pain meds rather quickly after each of my procedures so I was able to drive fairly quickly.  As far as clothing, I still had some of my old fat clothes - so that helped to accommodate both the swelling and the drains.  I am having my arms done next week, I have a couple of zippered hoodies that are of a light material - I am hoping they will work.  I am assuming that I will not be able to lift my arms over my head immediately after surgery.  As far as food is concerned you might not be interested in eating anything right away - I was that way.  Forced myself to use some protein drinks those first few days.  Are you doing the vitamedica vitamin regimen?  My PS likes that product.  U believe the bromelain really helped with the swelling and bruising.  I don't recall having the swell hell that most folks talk about.  I wish you luck with all of this work.  When is the surgery?  I will keep you in my thoughts.

JoAnn

My surgery is scheduled for Oct 10 and as you know I am having second thoughts about it. I know that I have to discuss this with my surgeon but honestly I dread having to do that. I am so uncomfortable with being emotional and vulnerable and I feel that I have been that with my surgery and all things related. 

On Sep 20 I am flying to CA to spend two weeks with my daughter, SIL, and granddaughter. She is turning 4yo on Oct 2nd and this will be the first time ever that I get to attend her party in person. The reason being is mkids travel the world because my SIL is a naval officer. They spent the last three years in Guam. They are off to Argentina next year. Anyway, this will be great to keep my mind off the surgery and on pleasant things. I spent time with my daughter and granddaughter before and after my tummy tuck. The day before my surgery we were at Chuckie Cheese and it was a great day -- otherwise I would have been home worrying about the surgery.  I leave CA on Oct 6th and arrive in NJ on the 7th. My pre op consult is Oct 8. 

Keep i mind that I am only getting a revision to my tummy tuck to convert it into an LBL, so there will not be muscle plication. That means I will have my core for stregnth. That said, my entire body will be cut - incisions running circumferentially around my body for the LBL, through my groin down to my knees and around my mons, and from my elbows to my arm pits and down my flanks to under my breasts then up and around the areola. 

I must be crazy or vain or both. Then when all this is done, I go back for my implants and a face lift in 3-6-mos.

With all that cutting, I believe there are only the four drains for the LBL. I know he does not use drains for the upper body work, and I am pretty sure he does not use them for the thighs.

I spoke with my surgical PA about Vitamedica, as well as had a discussion with Dr. LoMonaco on this board -- Dr. L studied surgical nutrition and he likes the Vitamedica pack, too. Anyway, I told Scott (my PA) that I already take a ton of supplements and pretty much th eonly things in the Vitamedica pack that I do not take are the arnica montana (which is no longer included in the Vitamedica pack), bromelein, and quercertin (sp?). Scott had some anectdotal evidence that the Arnica works if patients begin taking it a week ahead of time. I took the arinca when I had my TT but started it later. I do think it helped. As far as bromelein he suggested that I just eat pineapple, which is what I did when I had my TT. I decided to buy the bromelien and quercertin anyway because it was not expensive and I thought it might help. Additionally, I take glutamine and other supplements that reportedly help with healing (I have heard this from two doctors). I am convinced that they resulted in my healing well. My scans and pie crust incision healed ahead of schedule. I also pushed protein drinks and believe that helped with healing.

I had very little appetite for a long time after surgery. I lived mostly on protein powders put into drinkable yogurt, coffee, almond milk, and smoothies. I pretty much ate one "real" meal a day - a light dinner. I don't know if it will be the same for this surgery without the muscle plication, but I am thinking that my appetite will be severely diminished and I will have to force myself to eat.

That is great about your arms!!! Where will your incision run? Good luck! I guess you are having with Dr. Kovach again?

Thats nice that you will get to spend some time with family prior to the surgery.  Its gotta be tough having army relatives especially when they get deployed all over the world.  Enjoy your time with them.  And you are right, you will be so happy to be with them, that you probably wont even think about your surgery. 

My only concern is all of the incisions that you will have.  Alot depends on how tight he is going to pull your skin too.  I was all freaked out after having read about thigh lifts on several of the boards.  Folks said they were pulled so tight that they had trouble sitting down to use the toilet.  Dr. Kovach did not pull my skin that tight - which made recovery so much easier - yet I still had a great result.  Its just a lot of incisions to make sure that you dont pull too hard.  Four drains with the lbl sounds right.  I had 2 drains with the thigh lift - one at each knee.  Does he want you to use compression garments?  Could be tough getting into that much compression by yourself. 

Getting my arms done in a couple of days.  Getting excited.  Incision inside of my arm through the pit and down my side some.  Lipo of the area as well as some touch up lipo on my thighs.  Now that things have settled, there is a little more symmetry that I want.  Getting some revision work on my nipples from my breast reconstruction.  Figured what the heck since I am out might as well get some other things taken care of.  Dr. Kovach is doing the work.  I just feel so comfortable with his manner and his skill.  I wish that you can get to that point with your doctor.  Will let you know how I make out.

JoAnn