My surgery date is July 14th! Any tips or recommendations to make this as comfortable and smooth as possible? Thank you!

How is everyone doing post op?

Taking it one day at a time. Doing ok. Had surgery on the 14th.

I agree with JG7882. I also had surgery on the 14th and this is a one-day-at-a-time journey immediately post-op.

With many, many thanks to the wisdom of all of the members of this community, this is what I did right and what I would do differently:

• I brought my own firm pillow -- a really pretty one 12 inches in diameter and about 8 inches thick. It was much sturdier than the flimsy foam ring the hospital provided.

What I would do differently: I would have put something on the pillow to tether it. I can't tell you how often it fell, leaving me helplessly staring at it, there on the floor.

• I wore a loose-fitting cotton summer dress, loose-fitting undies and a leisure bra to and from the hospital. You really do not want to be touched on those incisions on the trip home and you don't want to be struggling post-op to put on/take off firm-fitting undies to do your toileting when you get home.

• I took a sponge on a long-handled stick with me to the hospital (sold on many online sites for elderly, obese and mobility-challenged people) for hygiene. I realize that some people here suggested taking moist wipes for post-toileting cleanup but after abdominal surgery, my range of motion was severely compromised. It was a godsend to have my sponge on a stick to extend my, um, reach.

• I gave my phone to my spouse with a list of friends/family to text/email. That way, none of those who had supported me and wished me well were left out of a post-op status report.

• I told everyone other than my spouse not to visit me in the hospital. Frankly, unless things go wrong, it is a short in-patient stay and I needed to rest and focus on how I was going to manage this new stomach and this new life.

What I might have done differently: my unit had an influx of patients to full capacity during my stay and having 1 maybe, 2 people to get things for me (eg. another box of tissues) would have kept me from having to bother the staff. But my needs were few and I was so sleep-deprived before the procedure that I really just needed to rest and be left alone. So, I am sharing that as something to consider

• I took my tablet device with a few movies loaded on it. I watched exactly NONE of them -- and I got the joy of worrying about the security of my device when I went out of the room for a walk.

What I would do differently: leave expensive/important electronic devices at home.

• I had my Protein and Clear liquids in place for when I got home. You do NOT want to be scrambling to put things together when you get home. I highly recommend doing a run-through with your support person 2 days before surgery to be sure they know what you can/cannot have, the schedule on which you can have them and to make sure you have what you need in your home, ready to go.

• Most important, I took a sense of humor and a sense of compassion. I kept in mind that the front-line staff (nurses, techs, etc.) in most hospitals today are stretched entirely too thin. I also kept in mind that the hospital is not a hotel; their job is to keep patients healthy and comfortable not entertained. So, I was mindful about being gentle with the staff . . . asking how their day was going, being conscientious about thanking those who went the extra mile and telling their boss when they did something outstanding. For what it's worth, I know they were dealing with demanding patients and their families all around me and I don't want that stress accompanying them into my room and potentially affecting my care. I figured that if my room is a low-stress zone, they will be happy to be there when I called. As for my sense of humor, I have taken to calling the procedure "The Day I Evicted Fred" (my demanding, gluttonous, excess stomach). I also had a good chuckle when I realized (after the fact) that my surgery coincided with Bastille Day (which is very much in line with my up-yours attitude about a lot of life).

So, that's my 2 cents. Of course, your mileage may vary.

Best of Luck and best of health,

MarieR