I am in the beginning stages of the lap band process i.e. application submitted etc.

I am a 52 year old single mom of a 10 year old with a dog and a cat and we live in a tri-level townhouse. The bedrooms are upstairs.

I have been doing a tremendous amount of reading on all the lap band boards the fast few month and the recovery information seems to really vary. While I know it varies, I'm trying to get some real sense of what I will be like after surgery and how much I will/not be capable of. For instance:

*some people say they left the hospital and went shopping

*some people say they were in pain, groggy and slept for a week

*some people felt great and were walking all over the place

*some people went back to work 2 days later

*some people needed 2-3 weeks off

Being a single mom, I really need to wrap my brain around this. I need details! From the car ride home after surgery to the next day etc. How was sleeping. Could you bathe? Will I be able to walk up 3 flights of stairs to my bedroom. Will I be able to cook for my son and I?

I understand one can't drive for a week. Was that your experience? To feel more secure about the whole thing, I need to make sure I know what to expect and make sure I have sufficient resources in place.

Any answers are greatly appreciated!!!

Marieze

I haven't been banded yet but there are a few tips I've gotten over the years for ANY surgery. That after my c section and a apendix surgery made things so much easier.

.. have everything you need for after care bought and put away BEFORE surgery. Nothing sucks worse then needing to change a bandage or handle constipation and not having what you need handy.

..plan comfortable clothing that will not aggrivate your stiches, tape, staples etc.

I love this site for their tank top dresses CHEAP MIZRAK - The BBW's Fashion Friend - Plus Size Clothing Super-size SSBBW bought several of them for my appendix removal and I felt so much better having clothes that didn't rub the incision spots.

If you have a deep freeze FILL IT. I made up all sorts of meals for the whole family and that the kids could pop in the microwave and then made sure I had bought cases of Soups, raviolli, ramen.

I made them Breakfast biscuits and burritos they could microwave.

Have a friend/family call or come by daily. To check on you. In case you do need someone to make a quick trip to the store.

The little pillow someone else mentioned can be a godsend. Especially for seat belts and coughing.

Extra pillows for getting comfortable while sleeping or even just relaxing.

Everyone recovers differently. And even the same person may recover differently to different surgerys. Best thing you can do is prepare for a lenghty recovery. And take it one day at a time

ok I admit it, I am a huge baby when it comes to pain!

It hurt like hell for me and I was in pain for quite a while. I took 2 weeks off from work and I thank god I did. Just like getting any type of surgery it takes time for your body to heal itself and everyone takes pain differently. After all is said and done it is SURGERY!!!!!!!