Post Op Care Questions

Hi Everyone,

I'm just curious to know what kind of care you needed immediately after surgery. I live by myself and I am recruiting people to help me out when I go home from the hospital, but I'm not sure how much help I'm going to need. I know we are all different and that some people probably had an easier time than others but I would like to hear what you all did for the first week or so right after surgery. Was it easy for you to get around? Could you make your own food/drinks right away or did poeple have to make that for you?

Thanks!
~H

Great Question!!! Thanks for asking! Looking forward to hearing what people say!

Congrads on a date.  I had my RNY 3 weeks ago yesterday.  Thankfully I had my fiance to take care of me.... which helped me out alot.  But the biggest thing that I needed help with is getting up off the couch.  The lower left side of your abdomen is really tender and painful because thats where they usually put the stapler, so with how senstive it is it would be good to figure something out to help pull yourself up. Get bandages to change out, they will get gross.  Set a table up with all the necessities by the couch because laying down for me was no existant til the second week.  Good luck, hope this helps and let me know if you have any questions. 

-Rachel

i was gonna say the same thing.  getting up is the absolute worst!  once ur up, moving around isn't all that bad.  I've had a problem with like...extreme hunger  hitting me all at once.  like so hungry..or either gonna puke or pass out.  i couldn't get to the fridge fast enough to mix up a protein shake or anything.  so i suggest mixing up a few and sticking them in the fridge for emergencies.  i hope ur surgery goes well pal  :)  may 27th is coming up quick!

I had my mom with me for almost a week after surgery and I def. needed it.  I needed help getting out of bed, I just didn't have the stamina to do things for myself and I couldn't drive for the first week.  I would recommend having someone there for at least the first 3 days as much as possible.

I really think this just depends each person.  I am not quite 2 weeks post op, and I've been doing really good!!  I stayed in the hosptial for 24 hours, and when I came home I could make my own shakes, get jello, etc.  I sat in a recliner most of the time, but didn't need help getting out of bed. It is really nice to have someone go get stuff for you in the beginning, but the more you walk the better off you will be!!! GOOD LUCK!!

Hello there Holly.
I was in some major pain after my surgery ! But I was by myself alot. Hubby went to work through the day so I'd manage to get up and do very small walks around the house and get my liquids. I did have an end table beside the couch with all my supplies on it. All my pain meds, a big mug with ice and water or sf cool aide in it, and my bandages, gas x strips.... I slept on the couch the first month after surgery. I could not lay good in the bed at all no matter how I laid.
I had trouble taking a shower so I'd wait till hubby got in from work and would have him help me. I could wash every where except my butt, very hard to reach there for me after surgery. And he would help me dry off. So I'd be very dry and not wet and damp. Bathroom through out the day was rough. I sorta had to use a towel and thow between my legs so I could bet the rear clean. TMI I know. But I was in LOTS of pain in my left side. And keep an extra pillow close to your tummy for when you gotta cough, laugh or get up.
My dad and mom would watch my son until night time then dad would bring him home and my son was able to get his bath and cleaned up for school. And dad would come out and get him and take him to school. He also went and picked him up from school.

My grannie did come out and so some dishes for me and my mom came out and did the laundry up for me.

Hope this helps ya some.....

Holli

i totally reccomend atleast the first 3-4 days having people stopping by and seeing if you need help w/ anything:)

i luckily had my terrifiac bf by my side , running to the store whenever i needed something, helping me up when i was in pain on the couch.

the first week im going to be bluntly honest SUCKED for me. people had warned me but i never expected it to be that bad. i recovered nicely and by the weekend i was healing a lot better (i had my surgery on a monday).  i kept walking around asking if a cerceran hurt that badly. lol
make sure you get ALL your liquids! i was dehydrated on like day 3 because i slept all day and should have been up sipping. sip your bootey off!! 
ok so as much as i say it sucked, i followed all of the doctors directions and im sure if i didnt it could have been alot worse!

so i would say by day 4 i was up and around able to get into the kitchen to grab my liquids and stuff.

walking around the house and eventually around my neighborhood helped mega tons. it moved around the gas and lessened the pain.
oh i didnt mention either, i was on pain meds but only took them the first 5 days and then tried spacing them out or took tyenol. i was really sore, but the wakling helped A;LOT. (but i just didnt want to become addicted to the pain meds, im always paranoid)

anyways, i hope this helped you a little and message me if youd like to know anything else!
<3
am

Thank you all so much, you were so helpful! I'm hoping my mom can be around for the first few days and nights. Actually, as long as someone is there at night then I'll be happy. I'm so afraid I'll wake up in the middle of the night with some problem and no one will be around to help me. During the day is easier since so many people live near me and stuff.  I am planning on taking 3 weeks off of work. I work a desk job and I work 10 hour days on Monday and Tuesday and then on Thursday and Friday with Wednesdays off. I'm hoping I can go back to work in 3 weeks since I don't have a lot of sick time left...Do any of you have desk jobs? If so, when did you all go back to work?

I feel like I'm going to be posting tons of questions on this board in the next few weeks. Hope you don't mind! Thanks in advance :)

~H

I was getting around pretty good by the time I got home, however, I liked having someone there for the little things I couldn't do. Picking up heavy things, things off the floor/low shelves. Getting up from a sitting position was doable, but getting up from bed was something I needed help with. Also, I couldn't drive, which sucked. I'm used to just grabbing my keys and going. In addition, I still had my drain in, so it was nice to have someone there to help hold that while I dressed or re-bandaged.

Bottom line, it was good to have someone there, but once the drain was out and I was cleared to drive, I was good to go. Still a little sore, but good to go.

Good Luck, and keep asking questions, I don't mind.