? about what to buy for after sergery.

[fire bob]

I'm getting most of my colon removed at the end of the month. There is a chance of a ileostomy. My Doc. say 3 to 5 days in the hospital, then 3 to 7 days at my moms house before I can go home by my self. My mom will stop by twice a week.

I'm going to the big box store Thursday I think. Due to storms we having power outages so nothing cold.

Gatorade
Few different types of soup
Caned chicken
Tea and lemonade mix
Rice
Ritz crackers
Jello, pudding, and peach cups
Instant mashed potatoes
Green beans

I have.
Half case of TP.
Case of paper towels
Creamy peanut butter

What am I missing?

 

[cmack]

I would get some bottled water to sip on when you are home,(normally I use a water filter, but in your case bottles would be way more convenient). Don't forget ice packs for when you get out, anti slip slippers/sandals for when you are in the hospital showers... and a maybe a comfy bath robe or two for when you get home. Oh yeah, maybe some music to listen to or a magazine or three, that sometimes makes us feel better too! Best of luck to you fire bob, keep in touch.

 

[fire bob]

Bottled water is a good call. I have an under sink water filter and changed the filters last week. I use Gatorade bottles to drink out of after refilling.


My mom got me 2 pair of slip on rubber slippers that feel great.


I will make sure to get a bag of peas or corn for an ice pack before i get home.


Every time I get up I find something to add to my list.

 

[fire bob]

Well I think I have everything ready. I got a week, a few more loads of laundry, prep, and time to cut me open.

 

[cmack]

Give us a shout when you are up to it, I hope everything goes without a hitch. May God bless you.

 

[Anna's Bandit]

fire bob : Sending you my support. Praying that you heal fast and feel better soon.

 

[fire bob]

I still have 2 more days of work and some days off to go. I will not have a computer between 5-30 and 6-2 or so.


My brain is going wild trying to get everything ready and trying to find the balance between planning for the best, but getting ready for the worst.

 

[Bufford]

At the hospital a pair of slippers, tooth brush, hair brush and a stack of magazines to pass the time. A pair of headphones and a music player go a long ways to provide some privacy when one is in a noisy room.

 

[fire bob]

Well I got a voice mail today. They moved surgery a back till the 1'st. I had to scramble to pick up 2 more shifts at work and just got off the phone with my FLMA company, they have to get in touch with my doc, and HR.


How fun...

 

[cmack]

What a bummer, I hope it all works out for the best. Sorry to hear that happened fire bob.

 

[fire bob]

It's all good. At least I'm still getting surgery. At least my blood work came out OK. There is worse things that could of happened.


I need to go back to the big box store and get a few cases of Gatorade. There is no reason not to have a few cases sitting at the house.
I got dehydrated yesterday (I think working out side the day before messed me up), it took 3 12 oz bottles and I drink 32 oz of water between each Gatorade.

 

[The Real MC]

See if your hospital has wireless for the guests. I brought along a laptop and surfing the internet was great for passing the time while recovering.

 

[fire bob]

I'm taking a bag for 2 days. Phone and stuff.
I'll pack my book bag with my laptop and a few mores days of stuff.


Every day I think about something else I need to buy or pack...

 

[thore33]

I am actively recovering from surgery myself. I think you have a decent list, with the exception of the green beans. I would think you'll be put on a low-fiber diet, and green beans will NOT be on the allowed list. Applesauce and banana might be really good options instead.

As multiples have mentioned, you will definitely want HEADPHONE. Hospitals are notoriously noisy. And if you're getting abdominal surgery, you'll likely not be allowed to sleep on your sides or any real comfortable position.

I found that putting my headphones on drowned out the noise of the hospital and calm music helped me sleep despite the noise. The pain meds only help so much for sleeping b/c they will keep waking you to take blood work, meds or vitals.

So, headphones can keep you occupied to watch TV, play on your laptop or listen to music and not disturb your roommate.

Best of luck!

 

[fire bob]

The hospital I'm getting my surgery at is not that loud IMO for sleep. I work there in food service. I'm one of the people that freak out when someone wakes me up and headphones would make it worse. Getting woke up every 2 to 3 hours for something is going to be the fun part.



My manager thought it would be funny to make make me do menus on the 3 floors that get people right after GI surgery my last few days of work. I mostly do diabetic and cardiac diets, but I learned a ton about GI diets.


I know beans are high fiber and I will not be able to eat them for a while.

 

[cmack]

Keep in touch, fire bob. It sounds like you might have some pull with the kitchen crew, that never hurts. Good luck with your surgery, give me a shout if you get bored while in the hospital. I always enjoy a good chat.

 

[fire bob]

Lol about pull with my coworkers. I have someone set up to add a lemonade on every meal in the computer system.

 

[cmack]

Nice!

 

[The Real MC]

We have a new hospital that was opened about five years ago, it replaced the old one that was downtown. All the rooms are private single bed rooms. They are pretty quiet.

I remember a stay at the old hospital when there was a patient a few doors down who kept trying to seduce the nurses. The whole floor could hear him! The nurses wouldn't take any BS. I think the nurse supervisor finally took care of that situation.

Before the new hospital opened I had a twelve day recovery stay from resection (AND gall bladder removal) surgery. Didn't have a private room. My neighbor owned a business and was running it from his hospital bed. He was loud and disruptive. At one point I was awoken from my nap because he was so loud - and I had removed my hearing aid during my nap so that should tell you how loud he was! I paged the nurse and I wanted to report him.

 

[fire bob]

Well I needed a few t shirts with pockets for the telemetry system.


I ended up getting 2' of colon, 10" of small instance, gallbladder, and my appendices removed. I count 29 staples.


I'm in about the same amount of pain as when I went to the hospital with just taking a muscle relaxer. I just walk slower now.


At my moms for a week, shes off for most of it and is a RN so i should be ok.

 

[cmack]

It's good to hear from you! I'm glad you are doing okay, that's a serious procedure you just had. Congratulations on the success so far. I hope everything keeps improving, fire bob.

 

[fire bob]

I have grazed all day. Just got my first real shower. Got my bed room all set up. Missed my morning and my after noon nap. I have 9,300 steps and my last 700 will not be bad now that it's cooling off out side.


Tomorrow I get to go to the store to buy stuff for potato soup that I've wanted for days. My stepdad says he'll rum me over to my house in the afternoon to check out the new roof that might of been put on today.


It's been a great day.

 

[aypues]

I'm going for surgery on Tuesday. They're going to take out about 10-12" of my mid ileum, and possibly some strictureplasties on other smaller sections too. I've been drinking the immunonutrition shakes 3x/day, and have the pre surgery drinks for the day before and the day of surgery. Getting nervous but will be glad to have it out...it's been bleeding constantly, even on steroids, and causing intermittent distress/malaise and low albumin.

 

[cmack]

I wish you the best. Hopefully you will feel better after you heal up. Be sure to let us know how things are going.

 

[D Bergy]

Back scratcher for the hospital. Best thing I had as laying in a hospital bed makes your back real itchy.

Good luck.

Dan

 

[Jo-mom]

Good luck aypues, please do let us know how you are doing.

 

[aypues]

Reporting back. Surgery went well, was disappointingly delayed a day after full nerve block and all prepped on Tues bc of some prior highly complicated cases. It went down Weds early evening. They ended up taking out 48cm instead of the 20cm which we were anticipating. Quite a bit worse than the imaging suggested. No wonder I hadn’t felt well! I’m in recovery now at UCSD Jacobs for a few more days until my guts start to wake up again then going to my parents after for a week or so. Just having some referred pain in shoulders that seems worse than the actual incision/gut pain - I guess that it’s common with laparoscopic surgery which they were able to do (they did partial laparotomy also from previous incision, about 3”). It’s well controlled though at this point. Shocking pain though for the first hour after I awoke, they put me on dilaudid and it eased off gradually. Now on Immunonutrition shakes and clear liquids on day 2 after and up walking around easily. Hopefully will be out on Monday if guts wake up over the weekend.
Thanks all for the support.
Oh and my anesthesiologist was so cute, I had to forgive the level 8 pain when I woke up.

 

[cmack]

Great to hear from you, aypues! I hope everything is smooth sailing from here.