True confessions - I snuck "contraband" into the hospital...

[OregonHolly 0]

Yes bandster buddies, it' s true. I snuck contaband into the hospital, :fish2: and I'm glad I did! What was it you say? :nervous It was Wrigleys "Energy Mints" that have caffeine in them! I confess that I hadn't given up coffee even though I'd heard over and over "NO caffeine allowed!" but..... :lalala: and I was terrified of getting a caffeine headache at the hospital. 3 mints is worth 1/2 cup of coffee! No headache for me! During anesthesia they give you a med called Atropine - which dries up your secretions, and believe me - you are DRY when you wake up. I'm talking your lips are stuck to your teeth! The mints (caffeine or not) were the BEST thing, better than sips of Water, lip balm, etc. So yes, I confess my sin. I'm a caffeine addict. But I haven't had coffee, does that count? My daughter says "mom you're in such denial, you're minimizing your addiction." When I was walking loops around the nursing floor at the hospital I kept passing the coffee pot and I'd slooooooooow down just to smell it and look longingly at the pot! Whether or not you're a coffee addict, I'd still strongly advise bringing some mints to such on when your mouth feels like a desert on a hot and windy day. Oh, my nasal passages were SO DRY too - I wished I'd have brought some Vicks Vapo-Rub or Metholadum to put in my nostrils. That kind of severe dryness lasted about 6-8 hours. Except my nose is still dried up, yuck.

[lizziee 0]

OMG Holly your too funny! Glad your surgery went well.

What's crazy is I've had none, zip, zero, zilch since my band Thursday and didn't even get a headache (thank you pain meds). I'm guessing once I'm back to work that will all change and I'll be back on the Caffeine Wagon.

I did quit Coke prior but I miss my fizzy to this day! :think

[fluffyinks 0]

Thanks Holly for the tips! I have weined myself off of diet coke. Gone from 5-6 a day to maybe one. Your daughter sounds just like mine!! Both my daughters are just waiting for me to throw in the towel and give up Water and start drinking dt. coke again. (I have been a dt. coke addict all their lives and they are in their 20's!!) I may get the mints and have them on hand on the 15th. Where did you buy them?

Hugs,

Jackie

[fluffyinks 0]

Lizziee,

I miss the dt. coke fizzie too!!!

[colesd1 2]

Once I got to my actual hospital room, I was told that I could only have ice chips to suck on or hard candy. That was all I needed to hear. I had a family member go get me lemon heads to suck on, they were the best lemon heads I think I ever ate. My nose was not dry, but my mouth was like I had tried to drink desert sand.

[babs0101 1]

I too was very dry after surgery. Both my mouth and my nose. I think the nose was because they had me on oxegen for most of the day, that stuff blowing up my nose made it itch terrible. I finally took it off my self! They gave me hot tea in the hospital to sip on. It was not Decaf so just regular. Was yummy. When I got home the next day....i did have a cup of coffee. I needed it! And I have one each morning now.

[OregonHolly 0]

The mints I got weren't Wrigleys like I initially said. They're "Ice Breakers Energy Mints" and they come in a cute little turquoise tin that fits nicely in your purse. I got them at the checkout stand area of Walmart. I think any hard candy or mints will work fine. A definite "must have". Also anything for dry nasal passages - even vasiline. I wish I'd have brought something to "open up" the passages though, like vicks vapo-rub. So I recommed that. Maybe even some "ocean spray" or other saline nasal spray might help. The horrible dry mouth does go away after quite a few hours though. Colesd1 is right, it was like drinking desert sand, LOL!

[new L&D RN 0]

It is not good to put any type of petroleum based lubricating product, such as vaseline, onto your lips or in your nostrils when you are getting oxygen either by nasal cannula or an oxygen face mask because of the risk of combustion (FIRE---OUCH). I am a nurse and this is a big hazard, but you can ask for the nursing staff to give you a Water based lubricating product for your nose and lips if the oxygen is drying you out. No vaseline or Vicks rub though....