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Post surgery check list



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December 28th...tic toc, tic toc...

Hi all,

I wanted to make sure I have everything I need for the first couple week post surgery, here is what I have so far. Please add anything you think is a must have or would be helpful to have in the house ahead of time:

What else should get food / liquid wise? What else?

Thanks!

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You may want to get something to flavor your Water, gatorade (dilute with water), broth, Soup. I wouldn't load up too much as your taste buds may change for a time so what sounds good now may not be post op. This goes for Protein Shakes as well. I loved some flavors preop, but after surgery they tasted awful for the first month or so.

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Get a tube of chapstick for the hospital. I did just for the hell of it cause I saw several people mention their lips being dry and cracked the day after anesthetic.

I was so grateful I did! Wow, do you get dry that first day!

Also...take some comfortable lounge pants. You'll still have to wear the gown cause of your IV and all....but putting lounge pants on your butt will make it a whole lot nicer to walk the halls as often as you can...which will help you more than anything.

sugar free Jello.

If you take any meds...get sugar free Cool Whip. You can crush them and put the dust in the Cool Whip...goes down easy.

Liquid Tylenol/Acetominophen for adults. You'll want to get off your narcotic prescription ASAP so your bowels work again and so you can drive. I was able to get by with just regular Tylenol the first full day I was home...sped up feeling like myself.

A hot water bottle to take to bed. You get cold after surgery. Not sure why. Having a hot Water bottle to put my feet on in bed was a really nice comfort item.

A thermometer.

If you're going to discontinue blood pressure meds after surgery....having a blood pressure cuff is a great idea to make sure it's going ok.

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1 hour ago, march1 said:

December 28th...tic toc, tic toc...

Hi all,

I wanted to make sure I have everything I need for the first couple week post surgery, here is what I have so far. Please add anything you think is a must have or would be helpful to have in the house ahead of time:

What else should get food / liquid wise? What else?

Thanks!

I've been thinking of the same thing. Just trying to get prepared. To add onto your list:

1. blender or food processor

2. broth for sure! I recommend a broth that you can find from Walmart. It has an increased amount of Protein. It is also organic and gluten free. I've attached pics. They have chicken, vegan, and beef. Warning: the vegan has a lot more calories

broth1.png

broth2.png

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18 minutes ago, Creekimp13 said:

If you take any meds...get sugar free Cool Whip. You can crush them and put the dust in the Cool Whip...goes down easy.

this is one I haven't heard before, but I will be sure to remember!

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it's good for the little granuals in capsules, too. Open the capsule and sprinkle the grains on the Cool Whip. I take my Omeprazole like this:)

Edited by Creekimp13

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I was allowed Greek yogurt right after surgery, along with sugar free Jello, pudding or popsicles/fudgesicles. I had those on hand along with chicken broth (I don't like beef), Vitamin Water Zero, some Crystal Light to flavor water and my Protein Shakes.

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Biotene swabs for dry mouth - after surgery you feel like you will never get your mouth hydrated. Heating pad instead of hot water bottle. A thermal cup because stuff gets warm/cold because it takes awhile to get stuff down after surgery. After the first week, I could barely tolerate sweet Protein Drinks, I had ready-made Isopure punch or blue raspberry and mixed it half n half with premixed crystal light, Isopure is tart, 4ogr Protein for 20oz and clear. Also tea because warm liquid relaxes the muscles in your esophagus and stomach. I agree on the Sam's Choice Bone Broth at Walmart, I added garlic and simmered vegetables in mine for extra flavor then strained it. Audible books for while you are walking. Take naps when you need them, sometimes you don't realize you are tired and BAM! You hit a wall of exhaustion five minutes later.

Good luck.

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    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. LeighaTR

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    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

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        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

        I don't know at what point my life expanded, was it when I lost 100 pounds? Was it when I left my walking stick at home ? Was it when I said yes to an outing instead of finding an excuse to stay home ? i look back at my last five years and wonder how loosing weight has made such a difference. Be ready to amaze yourself.

        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

    • CaseyP1011

      Officially here for a long time, not just a good time💪
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