Re: Any Pre-Op wish I had dones?

[Guest guest]

,

One of the things I've been doing this week (my surgery is Thursday)

is eating all of my favorite foods. Knowing I won't be able to chew

for 2 months, I'm trying to cram in all the good stuff now!

And on a more personal note, I'm spending a lot of time this week

kissing my boyfriend - since I won't be able to do *that* for 2

months either!

And as for post-op ... I haven't gotten there yet but something came

up in my last pre-op discussion with my surgeon today that I'll

share. My hospital (LIJ in NY) only carries Apple juice. I know,

how strange! But, being all icky and not wanting to drink *anything*

let alone a drink you don't like can be avoided if you bring some of

your favorites to the hospital with you.

Hope I've helped, even a little.

Best of luck,

Carol

> Is there anything being post op any of you wish you would have

done?

> Been prepared better in certain areas, had certain things on hand?

> Things that worked for you to make post op easier on you and those

> around you? Any good advise I might need?

[Guest guest]

Ice packs... buy all kinds, and lots of them. I was absolutely

miserable the first 3 days and my freezer couldn't keep up. I'd

spend time waiting for the packs to re-freeze, or nearly throw them

against the wall because they were too heavy and uncomfortable or

too light and not cold enough. By the time my fiancee had finally

found good ones, I stopped needing them. This was also very hard on

her, having to drive out to a 24hr drug store at all hours of the

night, every night, just to try and find a different kind.

I'd also recommend lots of plastic syringes, plastic cups, small

plastic spoons, vaseline for your lips, pillows, healthy soups, and

juices (I only drank non-concentrate apple juice because it seemed

the smoothest and could easily be diluted with water.) Dissolvable

Gravol was probably the handiest medicine for the unexpected nausea

in the middle of the night.

You might want an extra pair of pyjamas 'cause you'll probably spill

at first and it feels nice to change into a clean pair after a while.

Hope that helps.

Yann

> Is there anything being post op any of you wish you would have

done?

> Been prepared better in certain areas, had certain things on

hand?

> Things that worked for you to make post op easier on you and those

> around you? Any good advise I might need?

[Guest guest]

A quick note on the ice packs. When I had my upper surgery a couple

of years ago, one of the pieces of advice that was given to me on

this site was invaluable. I had difficulty with ice packs - either

freezing my nose or my eyes unnecessarily OR like you said, being too

hard or getting warm too quickly. I highly reccommend the round

cotton makeup remover pads. You take a bunch of them and put them in

a bowl of ice water. Then use a couple at a time as necessary. They

are light and soft and contour to your face. And you can toss them

back in the bowl and keep rotating. Anyway, just my two cents.

Thanks,

Carol

> > Is there anything being post op any of you wish you would have

> done?

> > Been prepared better in certain areas, had certain things on

> hand?

> > Things that worked for you to make post op easier on you and

those

> > around you? Any good advise I might need?