Tomorrow's my Surgery!!! Any advice from post-ops please

Hi everyone, so tomorrow morning at 6:00 a.m. I need to be in hospital for my surgery. I am on clear liquids all day today and I think I am finally ready to join the losers bench. I have read alot of info on these boards and I am thankful to everyone for their help. I just want any last minute advice in the following areas:

-bag to pack for hospital
-items I should have for when I get home
-Pain? and pain management?
-Post op tips?

Thanks again everyone and I will log in after surgery to share my experience! Prayers please!!!

 Me too!  I have to be at hospital at 5am. Good luck!

Aled thanks and Good Luck also. Let's stay in touch!

Pack light! I took way too much stuff with me and only really needed my phone, phone charger and chapstick. You may want a pillow for the ride home... to hold against your stomach so the bumps and turns don't hurt so much.

When you get home, have a comfy place to rest. I switched between the couch and the recliner. Have a variety of water, protein shakes, broths, cream soups and sugar free popsicles. I also used the spirometer for breathing (hospital sent it home with me) and a thermometer to take my temp to make sure it wasn't high.

For pain, they'll send you home with pain drugs. I needed them the first couple of days and then I stopped using them. Best advice is to use them as needed and if you have a low pain tolerance, take them before the pain gets too bad because once you fall behind, it's hard to catch up.

Everyone has a different experience post op so you just have to see how it goes. I personally had a lot of internal swelling so drinking anything was hard! I had to take tiny sips almost constantly to stay hydrated. And even then I needed fluids at the ER twice. Dehydration will be your biggest enemy the first few days/weeks. Put drinking ahead of getting protein. Once you can drink, then focus on protein second. If you have any problems or questions, call your surgeon even after hours. They're there for you!

GOOD LUCK!

Ms. Poker awesome insight and thanks for sharing it with me. I will use it all in order to prepare. Thanks again!

You are going to do great. It may be hard the first few days but always remember you will get better and it does get easier.

As far as the hospital, I just mostly slept so having just a few things was nice I brought a picture of my dog to put on my table, a pair or 2 of underwear because every Tom, Dick, and Harry will be looking at your incisions and thus..the goods. Most hospitals provide a toothbrush and paste. They should also provide you with non-slip socks for walking around which you need to do.

I definitely didnt feel up to reading or being on the laptop, you can leave them home and have less stuff to worry about.

Use your pain pump, your PCA. Don't be a hero. That's what its there for. I used the dilaudid pump in the hospital and went home with Dilaudid 2mg pills, much better and doesnt cause nausea versus percocet. \

Things to have for when you get home- water, crystal light packets, jello, powerade zero, milk (and sugar free syrup to put in it if you like hershey chocolate or strawberry milk, walmart sells SF flavors), protein shakes, measuring cup or shot glass for 1 ounce measuring, low fat creamed soups, sugar free ice pops, sugarfree pudding, broth, baby spoons, greek yogurt.. its a start.

milk was my life saver a few days out, i got woozy and it helped me because it had more substance than jus****er.

Thank you so much! Sassy all of your info is really helpful. You and I have the same start weight and height! I hope I have as much success as you did. Thanks again!

My surgery is tomorrow as well. I have to be at the hospital at 5:30 and have an hour and a half drive to get there. It willbe an early morning!

Good luck to you! How are you feeling about it? I have been quite excited but last night some nerves set in.

 Me to too mines is at 11:30 am

I'm not quite 2 weeks post op. I took some Mio with me for my water in the hospital, made it easier to sip. I also wish I would've taken some boullion cubes or some of my chicken soup flavored unjury protein. They gave me extremely weak broth with unflavored unjury protein to mix in with either the broth or water with a lemonade flavored crystal light and some sf jello. That's all I got while there. Bouillion in my broth would've sure helped me get the protein down easier. I left a pillow in my husbands truck to have it for the ride home but didn't use it.. A robe and slippers was great for the walks up and down the hall without showing your behind. I also took a pair of stretchy shorts to put on under my hospital gown. Shower items (shampoo and deodorant and toothpaste/brush) was all I needed. Other than that I never even looked at my nook. By the time you get home the pain is almost all gone. Keep lots of sf popsicles at home, they really helped me get my fluids in. You'll all do great!