preparation for surgery at home etc

[ang55]

My mom was diagnosed with ovarian cancer last Friday.  She has surgery on Monday and was told to expect to be in the hospital for a week.  Can those of you with experience tell me what the most useful things you had or wanted to have at the hospital or when you went home?  What was good to eat after?  I've heard that there are pretty severe gas pains after the surgery for a long time.  Is that what you experienced?  Any ways to alleviate this?  Any info/advice would be great!  

Thanks so much in advance -- our family is shocked and just want to make my mom as comfy as possible during this rough time.

[marie3B]

Good question. The things I wanted in the hospital:  Vaseline for dry lips, good lotion, soft slippers, writing material, reading material, a few photos of family, enough underpants (cotton and loose), footie socks, dental floss, all daily hygeine products, and VISITORS. I wore hospital gowns, but most prefer their own I think.

Things I wanted at home:  soft gowns, snap front house coat like and old lady, loose soft draw string pants a size too big, big T-shirts & tank tops, phone calls and VISITORS.

Food was weird for me after surgery. I loved the hospital food, which is very rare!  I would have a taste for foods I didn't normally like. I suggest drinking alot of cranberry juice and drinking alot of water. Friends, neighbors, and co-workers provided food for our family for a long time after I got home---like 6 weeks or more. That was great. I miss it now even though they still treat me occasionally.

Gas was not a problem, but regaining bowel function was.  Walking as much as possible and drinking fluids is a must. I also had to have reglan, miralax and colace.

Surgery was not half as bad as I thought it would be.  Less than 3 weeks post-op I walked the kids all the way to the park and stood up during the fire-works show at Glen Oak.

Come here any time with questions or just to "talk." I sure wish your mom the best possible outcome. Let us know how she is doing.

Marie

[Knotmeg]

You know, when this happened to our family (my mom was dx in march and I soon found my way here) the docs were telling her one week too.

Here's my best advice... Don't expect anything!  I'm not trying to say "dont think she's coming home in a week"... but just prepare for all possibilities.  My mom was dx st4, and had full hysterectomy, bowl resection (4 places) and omentum/lymph removal.  Doc told her a week and it was almost 3 weeks before she left the ICU.  I found myself being so focused (aside from the fact that she almost didn’t recover the first night after surgery).... on her coming home in a week that I got super depressed about the ICU….and so did she. She kept asking what day it was…..

I know this isn't what you asked outright, but I just know how much I counted on 1 week recovery and how frustrating it was 3 weeks later moving her off the ICU FINALLY!  

That being said...my mom wanted ice, cold drinks (she craved ginger ale), sorbets and lemon ices, slippers, a real nightgown, and visits.  Carmax lip healer (its a little yellow disc container) helped with her really badly chapped lips (from the breathing tubes etc)... and nice, hypoallergenic body lotion. I'd rub her feet and hands down... a nice relief from all the dryness.

GOOD LUCK.... we are all here to support you.  Let us know how she's doing.

Meg

[Alisa42]

My Mom had a real problem with smells while in the hospital.  We had to remove ALL the flowers.  She hated the hospital food, therefore we had approval to bring in food that was according to her special diet.  She craved slurpees.  My heart and prayers to you and your Mother.  Any questions please ask.
Alisa

[Gail8247]

I agree with alot of what have been said, I too was in the hospital for 6 days following surgery. BUT wanted no visitors except family, this is the most humiliating surgery your mother will have to go through.  I did not want friends seeing me with a cath, hearing me fart (your mother will be told to MOVE THE GAS) To be honest, the first 4 days I don't remember a whole lot, I was on morphine.

The best thing you can get for her will be a travel size pillow.  Think about getting up and down, rolling over in bed etc, you use your stomach muscles, she will place the pillow over the incision and apply pressure as she moves.  This REALLY helped me anytime I moved.  It has been one month since my surgery and still use my best frind the pillow.

Once she is home, avoid foods that cause alot of gas ie: fresh cooked vegatables.  I can eat canned corn, but grilled corn on the cob is very painfull eat.  Have her gget back into her routine SLOW.

I wish her, and your family the best, and God's Speed for her recovery.

Gail

[kimmywah]

Hi Ang,
Firstly I am sorry to hear of your mother's diagnosis.  Wanted to let you know that my mother was dx nearly 14 years ago with ovca and is and is well today!
When I had my hysterectomy, I was in hospital for a week and a half.  And its true I did feel like I had been run over by a Mac truck for the first two days, (the morphine is definitely a blessing at that time) then on the third day I started to feel a bit stronger and they seem to try and get you up and mobile quickly, which is important.  I think all of Marie's suggestions, especially the loose drawstring pants, are great.  
Gas and regaining normal bowel function was quite painful on occasion, but the doctors will prescribe something if it is too much of a problem.
At home, it is really important that your Mum doesn't do ANYthing too much, and I am picking that she has a pretty great daughter and  family to help out in that department.
Just resting for the whole six weeks is important, and she will know what she feels like to eat.  Spoil her with her favourite stuff!!
Good luck for the upcoming surgery.
My love and prayers to your Mum, you and family.

Peace and Love....Kim
  

[turtledovemom]

So sorry to hear about your Mom's dx.  As an aside, please do your best to stay healthy.  Caregivers sometimes forget about themselves at times like this.  As far as what I've brought with me during hospital stays...REAL TISSUES! Not the stuff that they usually issue, which is just short of thin cardboard.  Seriously!  Over the years, hospitals have gotten pretty good about having palatable food items around and available round the clock.  Hopefully your Mom will not be shy about asking for things such as jello, juice, ice cream etc.  Whatever strikes her as possibly tasty...go for it!

As far as gas pains, unfortunately pain medications keep those around for a while.  That's not to say that your Mom shouldn't take what she needs to manage the pain.  Again, that's something to discuss with the nursing staff.

Lastly, if the hospital suggests that your Mom have visiting nurses come by to check and help, please accept it.  I've had visiting nurses after two in-patient surgeries, and I bless them everyday.  They were extremely professional, totally complying with the doctors' orders and were just plain terrific. All of the advice from the posters above is great.   Please keep us posted on your Mom...thoughts and prayers are with you all!
peace,
Anne

[ang55]

Thank you so much for the info!  We are just devastated  -- my mom is super healthy and 61 years old.  We just had a baby and she has been really loving being a grandma and then this horrible news.  

She presented with ascites and she has about a baseball sized tumor on one ovary.  The CAT scan also showed some other abnormal masses in her abdomen.  Sounds like it is spreading -- we're just hoping for the best possible news after surgery.

She had the fluid drained from her abdomen on Monday and is feeling pretty okay, but her appetite had been really suppressed, so she is looking very thin.  We're trying to fatten her up before surgery.

I really appreciate all of the nice wishes and info.  I will have a shopping list together here soon to make sure she has all these things.  And thanks for the warning about a possibly longer hospital stay -- definitely something to keep in mind!

-an