I'm so nervous for tomorrow. I've been waiting for about 4 years for this. I can't believe it's actually happening! I feel like my life is just about to start. So what are something's I can do to prepare for tomorrow that you wish you would've done? Things to take to the hospital, or things to get from the grocery store?

If I had to do it over...

I would have prepared my environment better. The emails would be caught up, the laundry folded and put away, the house **** and span, bills paid ahead, more groceries stocked, etc. I would have been sure I had nothing that was pressing or required of me for a least a few days if not more.

Otherwise I believe I was ready medically, mentally, supportive and education wise.

Best of luck to you

the Laughing Cat

I would have asked for Pepcid and Gas-X sooner!!! Pick up both of those at the store Buy a BUNCH of G2 Gatorade. Put an extra pillow on the bed in case you have middle of the night heartburn and need your head raised to help keep it down. Research ways to season your postop broth if you have to drink it.

Good luck!!

get some baby wipes....they are nice for when you need to freshen up.

How long before they let you take a shower? I didn't know we had to wait to bathe.

My doc made me wait 3 days.

I don't know if all docs do that.

gas x, my hospital gave me warm adult wipes, a little mirror. I wore a large dress/darcheeci so there would not be any bands on my stomach.

Everything I bought I did not have time to use because when you got up you only went to the bathroom and the nurse had to stay with you. They gave me lemon large qtips to wipe my mouth because of dryness. I went in to surgery 12:30 and was out the next day at 4:30pm.

I would say to get the nausea patch to save yourself nausea that worked out so well and one of the nurses gave me that tip and she said if they ask you if you ever experience motion sickness say yes and they will give you the patch. I did need nausea meds, on my first walk, but I think the nurse was walking me too fast and again when I got my upper GI the next day and the barium drink made me feel nausious.

a wash cloth to put on the end of the band they have you put on your stomach because the velco gets stuck and is hard to separate from the stomach band. Because the stomach band is layed under when you are in laying down, and at the hospital they strap you up with the stomach support band while you are laying down, so when you open the support band you can put a wash cloth on the end to avoid the hassle of the velco sticking to the support band. You will see how strong the velco is and what a hassle it can be.

I did not have to wait to bathe at all. I think it depends on the surgeon and what kind of stitches they use maybe?

I have to say extra pillows were my main need. My saving grace:) since I'm home, gas X melt aways have been very good to me too:)

TWO WORDS: HEATING PAD. Nothing else worked for gas - nothing. Heating pad saved my life.

Well I had a reply ready but I see today is your surgery date so I'll just say good luck!! Get up and start walking immediately, I did and I never had any gas pains whatsoever. Take the nausea meds that they will give you for the first couple of days post-op even if you're feeling okay. I came thiiiis close to throwing up only two days post op which would have been dangerous. And that nausea came on out of nowhere. Scary.

Take to the hospital, baggy clothes, gas-x strips, chaps stick, your own pillow!!!! (for at the hospital and to hug on the way home)

thanks for the tips, having surgery aug 28th...