Hi everyone, I'm revising from a lapband to a sleeve and I've been planning to have a friend stay with me after surgery for a few days. Lately, I haven't been getting along with this person as well as I have previously and I'd prefer to not have him stay in my home but I don't have anyone else that could come and stay with me. Just wondering if anyone else went home and immediately began taking care of themselves? I also have 3 dogs that will need to be taken care of. What are the challenges I should begin planning for??

Thanks so much for any advice.

I was sleeved on 01/21/14. I was up and walking 4 hours after surgery. Once home, I was able to stay home alone. Just make sure you carry a phone or something with you just in case you start to feel bad and need to call someone. I went back to work 13 days after surgery. I'm doing great although at times, a little sore. I found that the more I moved, the better I felt.

That's my advise

Thanks everyone, I'm feeling much more secure about being by myself after surgery. I'll be in the hospital for 2 nights so that should help and everything else seems totally doable! I truly appreciate everyone's advice.

Thanks for asking that question. I'm a single mom of a 7yr old and I will likely be alone too for the most part.

Thanks for asking that question. I'm a single mom of a 7yr old and I will likely be alone too for the most part.

Hopefully your 7 year old will want to help. My business partner just had a pretty involved ovariohysterectomy with a lot of endometrial adhesions, and her recovery has been longer and rougher than my VSG recovery. Her husband works out of town, so her 8 year old son has become her caretaker. He makes sure she doesn't lift anything over her 8 pound limit and even yells at her if she tries to do too much. He feeds the animals, cleans the litter box, takes out the trash, gets her drinks and snacks, loads and unloads laundry, and will even make his own meals when he's hungry if she's asleep or resting. Such a cool kid.

Thank you so much for posting this question. I was wondering the same thing. I live alone with a small dog. The timing is off for anyone to stay with me, but I do have a good friend who can come by if I need her. I feel much better now.

I am SO glad I saw your question and the wonderful - helpful answers. I also will be home alone - with three dogs - I've done all the laundry, cleaned the house, put their food up on one counter, and mine on the other. They have a doggy door and a BIG yard, so no worries there......and I was trying to decide between recliner and bed, so it's recliner for sure. My surgery is 26March14.....and I am SO ready! Thank you!

Best of luck and well wishes to you!

I came home alone. Well, I have a roommate, but I wasn't about to depend on her for help. My dad does live a few miles away, so he was close enough if I needed something. But I was fine being home alone. I could get up and stuff on my own. The only thing I couldn't do for maybe a week was pick stuff up of the floor. I also slept propped up on my couch for almost 4 weeks. Just couldn't lay comfortably in bed... Although I still can't lay 100% comfy, but I was over my couch.

Edited March 24, 201412 yr by Sarahjane79

Thanks everyone for all the great answers and info. Originally my adult son was going to be home when I have my surgery, but he's gotten the opportunity to go away to college. So I will be coming home alone to three 90# dogs! :-0 I have several months to prepare so along with putting their food on the counter, I think I will train them to gently pull on a rope or something that I have the other end of to help me sit up. LOL

How about stairs? Are they hard to handle? My living room is downstairs and my bathroom is upstairs.

I live on the second floor and I have never had an issue with going up and down the stairs. Where you incisions are, they are all above your belly button (at least mine were and most people I have seen). So walking, stairs they don't hurt, the thing that hurt are things that bend your abs.

The day I came home I had to pause on the stairs only because I was weak after a 10 day liquid diet and 2 day with nothing at all. You might not have the energy for them, but they shouldn't hurt.

I had my surgery on June 28, 2014. I had a friend drop me at the door of the hospital the day of surgery and the day I came home I had a friend take me back to my house and then asked her to leave. I stayed by myself the whole time and started working again at 11 days out from surgery. I think it really depends on one's pain tolerance, etc. I have no one else to care for except myself and a little dog. I did great! My doctor knew I was going to be home alone. I asked all my family not to come. I don't like people hovering when I need rest, etc. I reached my goal weight exactly 11 months out (103 pounds lost) and I have stayed between 105 to 108 pounds lost since then. I hope you do as well! I feel very blessed that I was able to do this. However, I am extremely independent (to a fault).