Flying home tomorrow and scared...need advice

I am eight days post op from a lower body lift and will be flying home tomorrow from Tijuana. I am scared beyond belief and want to cry even thinking about it. My recovery has been complicated by a drop in hemoglobin, requiring a blood transfusion which I received yesterday. I am feeling a little better, but am still exhausted and weak and just generally feeling lousy. I knew the surgery was extensive, but I never in a million years thought I would feel this weak and unwell.  I have been only able to do small things on my own this far, sit up for a shower, sit in a chair for about half hour, walk very slowly to the bathroom. Even these little things exhaust me, especially in the afternoon (morning is my best time), and the rest of my time had been spent laying in my bed. It is not possible to change my flight, or to stay longer, I need to be home. That being said, I desperately need some advice on how to make this flight without passing out (I hope this is just me being dramatic!) or hurting myself. I have arranged wheelchair assistance for the airport (thank goodness I listened to the advice of those who suggested I do so!), and booked a first class ticket so I won't have to walk far down the cabin. I have my boppy pillow with me, and just a small personal carry on. My flight is broken into two legs: three hour flight, 35 mins layover (they assured me that even with wheelchair assistance I will make the connection), then 90 flight. It honestly seems an insurmountable task right now. From those who have flown recently after surgery, how did you do it? How am I going to be able to navigate the small airplane washroom (layover leaves no time to use larger handicapped washroom)? How do you sit for so long while keeping your incisions properly flexed? Any abd all advice would be so welcome right now. I am quite scared. 

I understand how you are feeling. I just had LBL a month ago. I had to travel DC to NY on Day 8...I do get it. A total meltdown may have happened around day 10... It sounds like you have done what you can. Do you have an aisle seat? Get up if you can. I used a cane as needed the first week or so. Helped me with maneuvering from sitting to standing.

I flew 5 hours NY to Phoenix at 2 1/2 weeks out for a wedding. (I know crazy) I had brought a travel pillow with me. I actually found it more comfortable to put that on my stomach under the seat belt for a little pressure.

I am assuming you have some kind of compression garment to wear? Well on the return flight, I wore the compression garment as well as a binder- those big velcro white band type things... that is what the doc had used the first few days after surgery.... The return trip went much better with both. I like the binder because I can make it as tight as I like. I still use it a lot. Whereas the garment eventually got too big as the swelling went down... Now I use a Spanx or the binder... depending what I'm doing. Also my compression garment had - for lack of a better phrase- a trap door so you didn't have to take it off to use the bathroom.... I found It worked pretty well if I kind of leaned forward while peeing...kept me from getting it dirty. In the beginning I would just straddle the bowl and pee and not sit. Hold onto the sink and just try and squat a little.

On the trip out I think I took imodium because I didn't want to take a chance of having to go #2 in the air....

Bring painkillers, muscle relaxers. tylenol... whatever you have and use it...

Good Luck and let us know how you do...

Good luck! I'm sitting at a table in Costa Rica right now after having a face and neck lift a few days ago. The prices here are about 40% of their us equivalent, and I've been pleasantly surprised by the high degree of care.

I'll be flying home in a few days and don't expect many issues, just trying to keep it low key at work and home.

How did your trip home go? I hope all is well and you are enjoying a nice rest at home.