Help me understand a few things please.....

[kacee 3]

As far as the drive home from the hospital. Take a travel pillow with you. Hold it over your tummy area and then put the seatbelt on top. You may even want to drag a little pillow around with you at home...kindof like a little security blankie...it helps when you hold the pillow to your stomach area and gives you a more secure feeling those first 24 hours or so after surgery. My doctor has "travel pillow" as one of the "must haves" to bring for the ride home.

[Telecia 1]

I haven't been banded yet but there are a few tips I've gotten over the years for ANY surgery. That after my c section and a apendix surgery made things so much easier.

.. have everything you need for after care bought and put away BEFORE surgery. Nothing sucks worse then needing to change a bandage or handle Constipation and not having what you need handy.

..plan comfortable clothing that will not aggrivate your stiches, tape, staples etc.

I love this site for their tank top dresses CHEAP MIZRAK - The BBW's Fashion Friend - Plus Size Clothing Super-size SSBBW bought several of them for my appendix removal and I felt so much better having clothes that didn't rub the incision spots.

If you have a deep freeze FILL IT. I made up all sorts of meals for the whole family and that the kids could pop in the microwave and then made sure I had bought cases of Soups, raviolli, ramen.

I made them Breakfast biscuits and burritos they could microwave.

Have a friend/family call or come by daily. To check on you. In case you do need someone to make a quick trip to the store.

The little pillow someone else mentioned can be a godsend. Especially for seat belts and coughing.

Extra pillows for getting comfortable while sleeping or even just relaxing.

Everyone recovers differently. And even the same person may recover differently to different surgerys. Best thing you can do is prepare for a lenghty recovery. And take it one day at a time

[Tootarts 0]

ok I admit it, I am a huge baby when it comes to pain!

It hurt like hell for me and I was in pain for quite a while. I took 2 weeks off from work and I thank god I did. Just like getting any type of surgery it takes time for your body to heal itself and everyone takes pain differently. After all is said and done it is SURGERY!!!!!!!