Any July 14th sleevers? What tips do you have for me? :)

[Becka77 0]

I have to be there by 7:00 and surgery starts at 9:00. Best wishes and God bless everyone.

[jaipurple1 1]

How is everyone doing post op?

[JG7882 16]

Taking it one day at a time. Doing ok. Had surgery on the 14th.

[MarieR 8]

I agree with JG7882. I also had surgery on the 14th and this is a one-day-at-a-time journey immediately post-op.

With many, many thanks to the wisdom of all of the members of this community, this is what I did right and what I would do differently:

• I brought my own firm pillow -- a really pretty one 12 inches in diameter and about 8 inches thick. It was much sturdier than the flimsy foam ring the hospital provided.

What I would do differently: I would have put something on the pillow to tether it. I can't tell you how often it fell, leaving me helplessly staring at it, there on the floor.

• I wore a loose-fitting cotton summer dress, loose-fitting undies and a leisure bra to and from the hospital. You really do not want to be touched on those incisions on the trip home and you don't want to be struggling post-op to put on/take off firm-fitting undies to do your toileting when you get home.

• I took a sponge on a long-handled stick with me to the hospital (sold on many online sites for elderly, obese and mobility-challenged people) for hygiene. I realize that some people here suggested taking moist wipes for post-toileting cleanup but after abdominal surgery, my range of motion was severely compromised. It was a godsend to have my sponge on a stick to extend my, um, reach.

• I gave my phone to my spouse with a list of friends/family to text/email. That way, none of those who had supported me and wished me well were left out of a post-op status report.

• I told everyone other than my spouse not to visit me in the hospital. Frankly, unless things go wrong, it is a short in-patient stay and I needed to rest and focus on how I was going to manage this new stomach and this new life.

What I might have done differently: my unit had an influx of patients to full capacity during my stay and having 1 maybe, 2 people to get things for me (eg. another box of tissues) would have kept me from having to bother the staff. But my needs were few and I was so sleep-deprived before the procedure that I really just needed to rest and be left alone. So, I am sharing that as something to consider

• I took my tablet device with a few movies loaded on it. I watched exactly NONE of them -- and I got the joy of worrying about the security of my device when I went out of the room for a walk.

What I would do differently: leave expensive/important electronic devices at home.

• I had my Protein and Clear liquids in place for when I got home. You do NOT want to be scrambling to put things together when you get home. I highly recommend doing a run-through with your support person 2 days before surgery to be sure they know what you can/cannot have, the schedule on which you can have them and to make sure you have what you need in your home, ready to go.

• Most important, I took a sense of humor and a sense of compassion. I kept in mind that the front-line staff (nurses, techs, etc.) in most hospitals today are stretched entirely too thin. I also kept in mind that the hospital is not a hotel; their job is to keep patients healthy and comfortable not entertained. So, I was mindful about being gentle with the staff . . . asking how their day was going, being conscientious about thanking those who went the extra mile and telling their boss when they did something outstanding. For what it's worth, I know they were dealing with demanding patients and their families all around me and I don't want that stress accompanying them into my room and potentially affecting my care. I figured that if my room is a low-stress zone, they will be happy to be there when I called. As for my sense of humor, I have taken to calling the procedure "The Day I Evicted Fred" (my demanding, gluttonous, excess stomach). I also had a good chuckle when I realized (after the fact) that my surgery coincided with Bastille Day (which is very much in line with my up-yours attitude about a lot of life).

So, that's my 2 cents. Of course, your mileage may vary.

Best of Luck and best of health,

MarieR