Unexpectedly needing to care for yourself after surgery?

[ChellNC 162]

Has anyone had to fully take care of themselves when you get back home from surgery?

Yesterday my husband had to go to the ER while I was in surgery for severe abdominal pain. Right now he's waiting to have a CT to see if it is appendicitis. UGH! He's so worried that he won't be able to take care of me if he does.

If he has surgery we have to take care of each other somehow. We don't have family in town who could help us out.

[YoungDad 1]

Maybe check online for a nurse you can hire through care.com or another website like that.

[Matt Z 4,138]

43 minutes ago, ChellNC said:

Has anyone had to fully take care of themselves when you get back home from surgery?

Yesterday my husband had to go to the ER while I was in surgery for severe abdominal pain. Right now he's waiting to have a CT to see if it is appendicitis. UGH! He's so worried that he won't be able to take care of me if he does.

If he has surgery we have to take care of each other somehow. We don't have family in town who could help us out.

I didn't need anyone after my revision surgery... like legit, no help needed at all.

[ChellNC 162]

47 minutes ago, YoungDad said:

Maybe check online for a nurse you can hire through care.com or another website like that.

Thanks but there's no way we could afford that especially with both of us out of work.

[nevermore71 63]

I cared for myself after surgery by choice. My mom was willing to stay with me if needed but it wasn't needed. You can walk, you shouldn't need any help. Two people in pain in the same household is seldom a pretty picture though.

[MargoCL 677]

I cared for myself this week. It wasn't terrible. Honestly the only help I needed was having someone rub my back to help with burping

[loserlisainpa 13]

all I needed was a ride home...have been by myself for a couple days now...even taking care of 2 dogs, 1 cat and 4 chickens! I honestly thought i would need help with the chickens since they are at the bottom of the yard. But I just take everything really slow, no need to rush thru anything.

[NYJenn 1,461]

You’ll just need a ride home

[CaribeRidge 104]

Maybe go by Goodwill and see if you can get a real cheap walker. Not that you will need it but it might be helpful if one of you is in too much pain to walk around on your own or to get up and down from/on a chair. Better yet sign up on https://nextdoor.com/ and see if one of your neighbors might be able to lend you one for a little bit. If anything it might give a bit of peace of mind.

[BostonWLKC 806]

Besides a ride home - no need for anyone to care for you. Just make sure you’re not lifting anything heavy aka go grocery shopping before

[ChellNC 162]

Thanks everyone. We'll have to go grocery shopping when we're both released and have a friend come carry them in.

Hubby makes my Protein Shakes but won't feel like it the first few days so I'll need premade ones.

Due to other health issues I generally need help around the house with a few things anyway. A friend is going to walk our dogs daily thankfully. Guess I'll ask her to change our sheets. They were supposed to be changed yesterday. My program says to change them the night before surgery and again your first night home.

His surgeon said he might be able to go back to work Wednesday. So he'll be healing much more quickly than I expected.

[Frustr8 7,886]

Hey you can keep on, no tears, big smile, in a scaredy world you still have each other, he probably will heal faster but be kind to each other and you'll make through just fine!

[Russ D 115]

I live alone. I had family stay with me for two days after surgery, after that I was on my own. If I've needed to move something heavy I would ask someone to stop by and help ("Hey, thanks for the help, I can offer you this really wretched-tasting Protein shake! :3 "). Other than that it was all me.

[FloweryNYC 7]

Hopefully he is ok but you can manage. I came home after 2 nights in but I would have been ok (not awesome, but manageable). I had 2 small kids at home who I got a sitter for but while my husb was at work I took care of myself fine. You'll be up and around, obv would be great to have someone to get you things but you'll be able to manage. Good luck!

[ChellNC 162]

Thanks everyone! The first few days home were interesting. We've had to ask others to carry in heavy items like Water and cat litter.

He was able to go back to work Wednesday.