Jersey Girl ...... on recuperation with kids @ home timeline, etc. ...

[ChitChatNine]

I have four kids and a stay at home mom.  My Mom stayed to help my husband and the kids from Tues, Wed. and left on Thurs mid-day .. then she ret'd again on the next Mon, Tues, Wed, and left on Thurs. to help me with driving and FOOD SHOPPING .. that is hard to lift the groceries in/out cart and into house even harder .. so keep that in mind .. incisional muscles pull.

I was driving 6 days post op on ltd. basis and 14 days post-op have FULL RANGE OF MOTION in my neck and cold outside doesn't cause muscle tightness or irratibility anymore . I wear a scarf to keep winter coat zipper in its place away from neck, etc.

Prepare a few meals and put into freezer.  I did baked ziti and meatloaf.  Keep cash on hand to give to Grandma to go to food store without out (as you may want to rest) and then you don't hve to worry about debit cards, credit cards, etc. and the helper can do it for you.

I had a few other surgeries and this one wasn't painful compared to the others (shoulder) but I found it a bit more strenuous on the overall affect of healing of the body .. getting back strength, etc. was a bit longer due to me being in my 40's this go-around + they kept saying the duration and type of surgery.

So, sounds like a good gameplan.

One other thing .. tell you son (LOL) not to drop things on the floor bcz bending isn't so swift the first 10 days, either .. and somebody else can vacuume the house .. I only did that today for the first time LOL again!!!!!

C~

[rayneweather]

Cheryl, thanks for posting this.  I'll print it out & keep it handy when I go in next month for my TT.  :-)

[ChitChatNine]

POST SCRIPT: "Individuals May Vary from what I posted" .... this way I have disclaimed myself if your experience varies from mine ... <<<< LAUGH LAUGH >>> ... C~

[JerseyGirl88]

Thank you for your post! Great tips. I have already put a few frezer friendly meals up, but Grandma (my mom)is a great cook, so I plan to have her make some of my old familiar childhood comfort favorites the fist few days anyway.

I am blessed to have a wonderful support system with my husband who is willing to take off whatever time he needs to, and my parents who are willing to travel to help me. (I think the real draw is quality time with the grandson, but hey, that's what I want them here for anyway right?!)

Wishing you better health each day.

[ChitChatNine]

OH ... my hubby took the whole week off .. and I arranged pickups and dropoffs for school age kids of mine who don't have busing and I gave the school an emergency # list that differed from the usual one they have on hand.

Food ..... I did well the first few days with yogurt, cottage cheese with soft fruits and things like that .. you can physically eat more solid food but the """"sensation""" I got swallowing it the first few days was enough to steer clear of that type of food.  Everyobdy is different and some have more pain (sore throat) from the tube .. mine was virtually nothing at all other than a dry throat at night.

C~

[Nimrod78]

Thanks for these hints, it's all good in helping me prepare - not too long to go! My hubby is taking a week off and can manage most stuff including my son! But I dont have freezer space and can just imagine its going to be take-away :(

With house work - was vacumming the only issue?

[ChitChatNine]

Vacuuming and cleaning the bathrooms.  The sensation of the blood pressure all around the incision upon bending and the pulsating feeling along with swelling kept me from bending over too much .. I bent at the knees the first week and now I can bend w/o thinking about it .. I guess the *neck* is some mind over matter with where it is located and so sensitive but bending and pushing a vacuume, taking out garbage, lifting laundry with a basket all presented problems for about a week to 10 days but by Day #3 home I was doing SMALL loads of laundry and by about 5 days home I saw DUST BUNNIES around LOL .... the better you feel, the more you will do.

I fell into the 14 days (2 weeks) to say I'm 90% recuperated with 10% left with emotional well-being and the equal unrepresented 10% is that I get tired by 7:00 PM which is totally normal.

C~

[azqtpies]

Hi there,

I had a partial thyroidectomy on Jan 18th, so I am 5 days post op. Everything is pretty good the sore throat is easing but the worst of the whole deal like cheryl mentioned is swallowing, coughing and oh god sneezing try not to sneeze!. There is really no stationary pain with the incisison. I have a 8yr old and my hubby is a great help, he spent the one night with me in the hospital and has helped with everything, so its great you to have a good support system. I am restricted from driving for 7 days I snuck out to Walmart yesterday which is only about 3 blocks away, after driving there I relized why they say dont drive... silly me. YEAH little woozy still my neck trurning radius is still limited as I feel like I had my head stitched back on...LOL the tight feeling! So other than feeling tired from the anthesa, and pain meds still in the system, the sore throat, it is really relativley  a easy surgery. I have only done dishes so can comment on the cleaning yet!!! I wish  you the best of luck! Your recovery will do fine! Cherly had told me after her surgery and just before I headed in for mine , we make it out to be so much more in our minds than  truly what it turns out to be, and that is so true. Take lots of bubble baths, keep calm and positive and know we are all here to help! GOOD LUCK .

Kelly

[ChitChatNine]

OHHH I lit one of my new candles today .. first day post op .. I couldn't think of a candle smell before today and I LOVED it so so much .. as many of you know, I've become addicted to candles lately .. a wonderful STRESSBUSTER .. today I burned Sunwashed Linen and though of Spring!

C~

[ChitChatNine]

I meant first day wanting to light a candle to enjoy the smell .. it kind of was not on my mind to have an odor going into my throat LOL b4 today.

C~