Re: Anyone Been Through This On Their Own?

[Guest guest]

I'm single too and in a situation very similar to yours. My parents

live in Oregon (I'm in Missouri) and although I have a lot of close

friends, I don't feel it's right to rely on them for 24 hr care. They

have families, work, etc. They have ALL promised to *take care* of me,

stop by daily, run to the pharmacy, store, and so on, so I'm really not

too worried

With that said, I think with a bit of planning, you/we/I can do it on

our own. I'm going to have surgery later this year and have already

started gathering stuff I'll need together (zip-n-squeeze bags, board

to write on, recipes, jaw wraps, etc) I'm also buying drinks such as

Ensure, Snapple, etc, trying them out now and the ones I like I buy and

put up in my pantry/basement (shelf life on those is a very long

time). About a month before the surgery I'm going to start making

pureed soups and whatever else I can come up with and freeze them -

that way when I'm home and recoverying, preparing a meal will be as

simple as throwing something in the microwave.

Dena

>

> I'm single, thinking of trying to buy a flat later this year, my

family

> live 250 miles away. What I'm wondering is has anyone managed to get

> through this whole process without the support of a

> boyfriend/husband/partner and minimal help from family? I have

friends

> close by but no-one that I could really rely on for 24hr care. As

I'm

> the UK when I get to the op I'll be in hospital for 4 or 5 days

> probably but how much help am I likely to need after that? Can I

> manage on my own?

[Guest guest]

I don't think much is impossible. But I think that trying to go it

alone on this project is probably not the best idea anybody has ever

had.

You probably do want someone in your home with you for at least the

first 24 hours or so. To get ice packs. To bring you something to eat

and drink (drinking fluids is one of the keys to the healing

process). To keep you taking your meds on schedule. And to scoop you

up and, if need be, call 911 if you get groggy (it's happened) and

slip or fall, in or out of the tub, and bonk your head -- or worse,

your jaw!

If you're in the hospital 4 to 5 days, that may be different. I don't

know. But I'd suggest that you have a talk with your surgeon about

your plans.

I know of at least one young woman who was far from her family when

she had lower surgery. She hired a nurse for a couple of days. I

think an aide, or a good friend, would also work. But I wouldn't

suggest your planning to be by yourself when you're just out of the

hospital.

You may not need help. Probably won't. But if you do, you don't want

to have to struggle to find it when you're post op. You can always

make arrangements on a tentative basis, and dismiss your caregiver if

the need doesn't arise, as long as you make that clear at the get-go,

I think.

Cammie

>

> I'm single too and in a situation very similar to yours. My

parents

> live in Oregon (I'm in Missouri) and although I have a lot of close

> friends, I don't feel it's right to rely on them for 24 hr care.

They

> have families, work, etc. They have ALL promised to *take care* of

me,

> stop by daily, run to the pharmacy, store, and so on, so I'm really

not

> too worried

>

> With that said, I think with a bit of planning, you/we/I can do it

on

> our own. I'm going to have surgery later this year and have

already

> started gathering stuff I'll need together (zip-n-squeeze bags,

board

> to write on, recipes, jaw wraps, etc) I'm also buying drinks such

as

> Ensure, Snapple, etc, trying them out now and the ones I like I buy

and

> put up in my pantry/basement (shelf life on those is a very long

> time). About a month before the surgery I'm going to start making

> pureed soups and whatever else I can come up with and freeze them -

> that way when I'm home and recoverying, preparing a meal will be as

> simple as throwing something in the microwave.

>

> Dena

>