Aa
This is kind of a foolish ? but my mind is racing n dont know what to expect?
Im expected to have decompression surgery on JAN 22nd n even though its few months away its right around the corner. I made a list as to what I need to get n have done befor I go in for my son husband n myself n the house. I was just wondering if anyone that has had surgery could give me some tips onto helping me with pre op n post op I want to start getting things together soon n knowing what has to be done since it is the hoildays n right after that it will be here. As I know everyones recovery experince is differnt I kinda wann know what to expect n what to have with me there also? Ive been very moody for the past few days since I booked it with a lot going thru my head as anyone could think. I know Ill be okay im staying positive and its all in gods hands just hoping my son will take everything good n be okay. If anyone could give me some advice Id really appricate it. Thanks
Thank you and yes every week until then ill be getting everything ready as its right around the corner! and I am trying to stay very busy n strong as i can be thanks hun:)
Had my surgery in June....bring your cell phone in case you want to text....texting is easier 'cause you can end the conversation/visit without saying much....my go to phrase was "oops, nurse is here, I gotta go". Even when I got home texting was much easier because I didn't need to make myself "presentable".
I also pre-paid or scheduled bills to be paid for a couple of months out and wrote down how to do the laundry, fill the hummingbird feeders, etc. so my family could do those "pesky jobs" while I was out of commission for a while.
Good luck to you with your surgery....keep busy and stay strong!!
I also pre-paid or scheduled bills to be paid for a couple of months out and wrote down how to do the laundry, fill the hummingbird feeders, etc. so my family could do those "pesky jobs" while I was out of commission for a while.
Good luck to you with your surgery....keep busy and stay strong!!
okay thanks for all the help i sure will pack everything n more lol! and thats excatly what im thinking taking day by day n going to enjoy every bit of time with my family and enjoy my hoildays and try not to think about anything or to hold me back on anything eaither n thanks for the prayers...also with you hun n goodluck n let me know how you make out with your app with your NS i see alot of members on here go to him heard he was very great as what i can see on there pages but stay positive for everything which ever may be his and your choice!
Thanks for candidly asking these questions. I see Dr. Oro in 10 days, and wonder IF I have surgery HOW will I feel. You captured alot of my thoughts. I'm trying to not borrow trouble and take each day as it comes..It's so difficult not knowing. I will be praying for you along the way.
Hi, I had my surgery just under three weeks ago and the things I found the most useful at the hospital where:
Face wipes! Bending at a sink to wash my face was just not doable so face wipes really helped me to feel clean. Likewise take a cup into the bathroom with you to rinse your mouth out while brushing your teeth.
Flannels - unfortunately I was very nauseous/physically sick for a few days post op but one thing that I found helpful was a damp flannel for my head. I'm not sure why but it also helped with headaches.
Having your own pillows will also be comforting. I know each person is different and one thing I would change if I could about my hospital experience is gifts - a lot of visitors brought small gifts like teddies or even just magazines and food. I was brought a LOT of sweets, fruits etc which while very kind, ended up just being overwhelming as I constantly felt like my space was messy. This was solved by my mum bring some baskets to the hospital.
Good luck! Also - the meds. I too thought I wouldn't want them and did actually refuse to take certain tablets at certain times but you will need them, at least for the first week or two you'll want to try and keep ahead of the pain. (I now haven't taken any meds since Thursday which is probably a bit earlier than reccommended but I feel fine)
Face wipes! Bending at a sink to wash my face was just not doable so face wipes really helped me to feel clean. Likewise take a cup into the bathroom with you to rinse your mouth out while brushing your teeth.
Flannels - unfortunately I was very nauseous/physically sick for a few days post op but one thing that I found helpful was a damp flannel for my head. I'm not sure why but it also helped with headaches.
Having your own pillows will also be comforting. I know each person is different and one thing I would change if I could about my hospital experience is gifts - a lot of visitors brought small gifts like teddies or even just magazines and food. I was brought a LOT of sweets, fruits etc which while very kind, ended up just being overwhelming as I constantly felt like my space was messy. This was solved by my mum bring some baskets to the hospital.
Good luck! Also - the meds. I too thought I wouldn't want them and did actually refuse to take certain tablets at certain times but you will need them, at least for the first week or two you'll want to try and keep ahead of the pain. (I now haven't taken any meds since Thursday which is probably a bit earlier than reccommended but I feel fine)
This is from my 61 yr of life, 2 experiences w/childbirth, & 2 major surgeries: you can make plans if you have the energy& health, but you also have to be very flexible. I had food prepared, didnt want to eat them. I wanted company, but also didnt want them, as others have mentioned. (See "space bubble" thread). I was doing well, then had the flu which set me back big time. Now my DH has a broken leg, so before I was ready, I have had to do all the things I used to do, plus all the things he used to do too!
My point is that you have to be prepared for the long haul. This condition & this surgery really tests one's mettle. I have found that giving up control is the best way to handle my situation.
Please take good care of *yourself*!
(Btw, I was too sick to celebrate Christmas last year, which was not well received, but it was the best decision for me).
My point is that you have to be prepared for the long haul. This condition & this surgery really tests one's mettle. I have found that giving up control is the best way to handle my situation.
Please take good care of *yourself*!
(Btw, I was too sick to celebrate Christmas last year, which was not well received, but it was the best decision for me).
Thank you ladies for all the thoughts n prayers for me I really appricate it! n it means so much:):)xoxoxo
Hey sweet girl! I am so proud of you for making the decision to have this surgery! You are not foolish at all to be concerned and nervous! I have felt that way about all of my surgeries! And I will be when it comes time for me to see a specialist and have mine done if they do it! I have always prepared for my surgeries by packing comfy clothes and my favorite pillow for starters! I take slippers and other comfy stuff! I take a laptop, I don't have an ipad! Lol! I take my phone and charger, and snacks that I know I am likely to eat even if slightly nauseous. Most of this can be left in the car the night you are in ICU of course! A notebook and pen for taking notes, if you have problems with or are especially happy with any nurse you need to write things down! Instructions, questions you or DH has for them, problems that arise whatever! It has come in handy so many times for me and friends I have suggested it to! Chloraseptic throat spray, it's gonna be sore after surgery because they will most likely have you intubated. Not the red one though! I don't like the flavor of the green so I got the kids in the grape flavor! :) a roll of your toilet paper, theirs is so rough! Your cell phones and chargers! You may want an eye mask also, one that either has velcro on the back or one that you can just lay over your eyes for the HA's (some medication or surgically induced), a small fan (it helps with white noise if you get a HA and also for when the nurse's are coming in and out during the middle of the night and you are trying to sleep!), hard candy something you like to help with dry mouth, Selma knows a lot about what you will go through as she has been there done that and got the t-shirt & zipper to show it! :) Her suggestions are awesome! I wanted to throw in a few of my own! I will dig out one of my notebooks and add to this the things I've missed, cause I know I have missed some of the stuff I normally take with me! :) I will be praying for you every second harder than what I have and the prayer chain at church will be praying diligently the day of your surgery for you, your family and your doctor! If there is anything I can do please let me know! I know I can't answer a lot of the questions you have regarding this surgery but I'm here for you sweetie! (((HUGS))) and prayers!!! xoxoxo
Hi Katie I'm sorry I have not been here but I did get your sweet pm thank you :) I have been praying every day for you. I know this may sound strange but the hardest part of this whole thing, so far, was making the decision about the surgery-even harder than the surgery and now post op. 3 days after setting the date I had major "decision remorse" 'after that just felt like it was a ride I could not get off of. I am much older than you have 3 grown DS' and 7 wonderful grandchildren who all live close (oldest is 9). I had a 3 hour surgery (the works) went to recovery until early evening then into ICU overnight until next evening then into regular private room and 3nights there. I my first night in ICU DH slept in the lobby /waiting room on main floor of hospital. That was pretty standard there and he had lots of company lol. When I went into my own room he slept on what the very optimistically called a recliner in the room. We were extremely blessed with wonderful nurses and fortunate that they worked 12 hr shifts and we had a total of 5 the entire time. the last 2nights dh went home to sleep and we both felt comfortable and happy with that. Someone here recommended biotene moisturizing mouth spray and that came in handy between meds dry mouth and having to force even water down my mouth had disgusting taste. 2 grandsons, and 6 & 9 came to visit 3 days post op - the could've come sooner . they thought bandaged incision was so cool. Selma is right on with meds! I I was never on meds before surgery and feared getting hooked but I was great full for them and am still on some very light ones as needed. The being pain free allows you to sleep more and you need lots of sleep to heal. I I had a very long list but 2 days before surgery I had the opportunity to spend some extra time with my family and I grabbed it. Never finished list but I felt confident that the most important items were gone. I am a huge list maker/organizer and even dh was surprised that I was able to let it go. I guess what I'm saying is that with so many people praying and supporting you - you will experience a peaceful as it gets closer to the date. In you have lots of friends and family there-why not have a Christmas decorating party late November and let them bring the food. The letter them unpack the decorations and decorate then they will know what boxes etc everything came out of. invite them back 2 weeks after Christmas to de-decorate. meals ahead are great we can also got some from a great chef who sells some very nutritious meals (dh on special diet) if and then I knew he would be eating well. I will continue to pray each day for you. Love love & hugs Auntijune
COMMUNITY LEADER
No worries, I am here whenever u need me : )
And about those meds, u will need them this is major surgery and u have to take the pain off the time u r out of it is in recovery....then u have a better idea what is going on....and there is a lot....lol...
Just try to relax and enjoy all the festivities up to b4 u go in and try not to think about it too much....
oh n i told my NS i dont want to be so out of it because of the meds so if i feel i dont need them i dont want them, she told me at frist youll be happy with them lol so i dont know but i just dont like feeling like that but she said a lot of people after this surgery get muscle pain in the head n neck for a little wile and it can tend to hurt badly so thats another main reason for the pain meds
I know I say now im going to want him there right away but that might change lol. Thats another one of my fears of getting horriable nurses because it can my NS told me for the frist 24hr in icu i will have a nurse by my side an the next day as long as im okay ill be with pysical theropy I just hope my surgery goes well and myn is suppose to be around 3 to 4 hours also but you never know my family will be freaking any longer waiting thats going to be the longest 3 to 4 hours in there life ya know well me i wont know anyways lol iwill look in your journal n I hope so when i last see him n my husband befor I go in im going to be a reck ugh get butterflies thinking about it;( but i just pray everything is going to go smooth with no complications thanks for talking to me selma i will be contacting you again soon befor my surgery just to talk to someone thats already been thru it hope you dont mind lol. Have a good weekend!
COMMUNITY LEADER
U may think u want ur DH there now, but once u r there u may feel diff...just like after u had ur DS, I am sure u were glad for some quite time alone...kinda ...lol..
My DH was not allowed to stay when I was in ICU but was there very late...past 1130pm so not reg hours at all....and all I did was tell him to go...lol.... I had a bad reaction to the morphine I was on and was vomiting and he got scared and did not want to leave...I do not recall feeling that bad....he claims otherwise...but I remember how I felt and wanted him to go and get some sleep....I had good night nurses, the day ones were not worth their weight in salt...so I was happy he was there during the day....
In recovery my DH came in and said DD had called and that was the first thing I said to him...was tell her " the calla lilies are in bloom again" He had no clue but it is a line from DD's and mine's fav movie something we always say when we see calla lilies...lol...so she got the call while I was still in recovery but the issue was my surgery went longer then they expected.....my DH was told 3 to 4 hrs and it was 7.5....so that freaked them out too....
So tell them to expect nething....
BTW- I was in ICU for 2.5 days.... that is never a deff thing either....
I have my info in my journal and the posts my DD sent in r still available in older threads....
Ur DS will do better with this then u think....so many members worry about the kids but they seem to understand what we go thru so well....
Everything will work out fine <3
Thank selma your always help:) and my little on is 7 he will be 8 jan 20th two days befor my surgery I wanted to enjoy his birthday with him also so it is very emotional for me n I have been being very good I think as long as everyone else thinks but I know once it gets closer it will all set in ya know, and that secret message is a greAT idea for my son n I. I also planned on getting meals n freezing them for befor I go in and yes my husband will be with me there but my NS said once I go into recovery he can see me but he just cant spend the night the frist night because I will be in icu which stinks because thats all im going to want is him n talk to my son ya know but she said once i go into my other room he can stay over night with me n plus im going to be out of it on all the meds there going to be giving me anyways but thanks selma for the advice i really appricate it and yes im going to enjoy the holidays n my sons birthday and try to keep staying positive!!:)
COMMUNITY LEADER
Hi...how u r feeling is typical I think we all felt like that...so it is pretty normal.
As for ur son, how old is he?...My DD was older away at grad school when I had my surgery, but I was also worried about her and decided to have a secret message for her when I woke in recovery so she would know I was ok, my DH had no idea what I was saying, but my DD did and I knew it would help her.
A few other members set this up with their kids, a type of code so they knew all was ok while they were still waiting to get in to see their parent.
Meals, pre-made and frozen is a great idea for post op.....I would imagine u will also have all ir Holiday festivities cleaned up and put away by the time u head in so that is good....just do not over do it over the holidays and have urself run down for the surgery...u need to get plenty of sleep so ur body is able to heal.
We do have a list of items that others wish they had in the hospital in the Health Pages...I wished I had ear plugs....the night staff acted like it was the middle of the day....not to considerate....and I did not care for the food choices,so having someone that can run to the Hospital deli or cafeteria to get u something else is not a bad idea...and have someone there when u r out of it and need a voice on meds when u r out of it....
I opted not to pay to the phone or TV in my room as I knew it would not be something I would want to pay xtra for....and once in a reg room having a roommate that has a TV on was more then I could take noise wise....I took a CD player and audio books and earbuds....
Take a deep breath and know it is an emotional roller coaster, we all know that....but the more stressed u r the worse u will feel...focus on ur son and the holidays and slowly work toward them so u do not over do it.
Oh and exhale : )
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