[SarJen01]

I'm trying to prepare myself mentally for the surgery. I've waited over a year for this date (jumping through insurance hoops). It's definitely going to happen, but I'm nervous. I need to know what to expect.

Pick a question (or two or five) and let me know how your first day, week, month after surgery went. Or, tell me things that you think I should know! I've been through all the training. Tell me what they don't tell you during the appointments.

1 - What was the most difficult part of the first day after surgery?
2 - What was the hospital stay like?
3 - When you got home, how mobile where you? What did you do your first few days home? What did you find you couldn't do that you expected you'd be able to do? What motions hurt? How about stairs? What was the most comfortable position to sleep in?
4 - If you worked, when did you go back and what type of job do you have? I'm a software engineer and I sit and type at a computer all day. I can't believe that will be too much for me to do after a week at home. What's your take on that?
5 - After you started getting back to "normal" (whatever that is! ) what was your biggest challenge?

Thanks much - this forum has done a lot to calm my nerves. You all sound like a great support group - just what I've been looking for.

[clancythecamper]

I will be happy to give you some idea of how my experience went. My best advice would be to get your home ready (whatever that means to you - for me it was basically nesting - cleaning, laundry, prepping meals for my family and freezing them) this was a great help post op while I was recovering. Day 1 I was out of it - zzzz- Day 2 I was on Morphine and liked that idea. I also got up and started walking. The Hospital I was at insisted on teaching you to barrell roll out of bed and were somewhat insistent which probably benefitted me in the longrun but I didn't like those people - LOL! Mostly, I'd say the first month you should plan on getting some TLC and R&R. I had some gas pains that were pretty persistent but that doesnt happen to everyone and your doc will give the the meds needed to make you comfortable. You'll do a lot of sipping - like 24/7 - even took my water bottle into the shower - LOL! and you need to move around frequently, even just walking around your house or out to the mailbox - this helps with the gas and helps prevent complications from laying around. Take some lip balm and tooth brush and tooth paste with you as you will be NPO (nothing by mouth) til they do your x-ray to make sure you have no leaks. I brushed my teeth every hour or two and it helped keep my mouth from being so dry. This is def a journey but we'll be happy to go thru it with you! Wishing you the best~~~

[GinaGurl]

i'm glad you asked these questions cause now i know what i will have to do to get ready and how i will feel after i will have my surgery in 7 days best of luck with your journey

[not quite Barbie]

My biggest surprise was how weak I felt. I took a month off from work, expecting to do a lot of stuff around the house, and found that I couldn't do any of it! I needed the whole 4 weeks just to rest.

I have a desk job too and even after 4 weeks off I still had trouble working a full day. Soooo tired!

Day 1 - slept, slept and slept.
Day 2 - walked a few times, slept.
Day 3 (or was it day 2?) they took me down for the swallow test. I had to swallow a glass of icky stuff while they watched it through the X-ray to make sure I didn't have any leaks. I sort of remember them making me get into a wierd position that HURT and expecting me to hold that position.

First week - slept, watched movies, slept. Very little pain, didn't take the pain pills except at bedtime, started sleeping on my tummy again. Started taking short walks.
Weeks 2-4 - Increased walking distance, able to stay awake more but still very weak. Hardest thing was trying to find food to eat.

What motions hurt? I got up to go to the bathroom and stubbed my toe on the bed on the way back. Grabbed my foot and fell back on the bed - totally forgetting I had just had surgery. Was reminded immediately LOL. Grabbed my stomach instead of my foot and curled up and cried. Then I dried my eyes, took a pain pill and slept. That was the worst day. I was just tired of being weak and tired and feeling sorry for myself. After that, things got better.

[judijo]

1 - What was the most difficult part of the first day after surgery?
Actually, for me, it was the catheter. It was pulling on the inside of my urethra and I had an urge to pee all the time because of it. I finally got an aide to push it in further and I was much better.

I had plenty of pain medication in my IV and I pushed my magic button and there was no pain at all.
2 - What was the hospital stay like?
The staff was "the bomb". They got me up and sitting in chairs and walking around the room on day 2. Again...I had my magic button. During the night, my IV machine kept beeping...I would ring...they would say, "Yes" in the intercom and I would scream, "YOU HEAR THAT???*BEEP* FIX IT!!!"

3 - When you got home, how mobile where you? What did you do your first few days home? What did you find you couldn't do that you expected you'd be able to do? What motions hurt? How about stairs? What was the most comfortable position to sleep in?

Nice. 5 questions in one!
I wanted to lie on my side, as I usually sleep, but found I could not until day 10 or so. Stairs were no problem. I walked and drank water and napped for 3 weeks. I was able to give up my pain meds by day 7 and I was able to drive and do small chores at day 8.

4 - If you worked, when did you go back and what type of job do you have? I'm a software engineer and I sit and type at a computer all day. I can't believe that will be too much for me to do after a week at home. What's your take on that?

I work on my feet all day. I allowed myself a full 6 weeks off. I COULD have gone back at about 4.5-5 weeks. If I had a desk job, I guess I could have gone back at 3-3.5.
5 - After you started getting back to "normal" (whatever that is! ) what was your biggest challenge?
Well, food was the challenge. But I will let others help you out there.

[kbfrmaz]

OK here is my $.02!

1 - What was the most difficult part of the first day after surgery? Getting out of bed hurt like heck- but once I was up walking (and pushing my morphine pump as much as possible) it wasn't too bad. I didn't realize I would be in as much pain as I was in- you use ab muscles for everything! Even putting on pants and underwear I needed help the first 2-3 days.

2 - What was the hospital stay like? It was OK I guess- it was hard to get comfortable and going to the bathroom required help! I loved the morphine pump!

3 - When you got home, how mobile where you? What did you do your first few days home? What did you find you couldn't do that you expected you'd be able to do? What motions hurt? How about stairs? What was the most comfortable position to sleep in? I slept in a recliner for at least a week. Laying flat and getting up was near impossible. Laughing and coughing hurt so bad. Day 3-4 were the absolute worse, but day 5 on things got much better. I did a lot of laying in the recliner and sleeping the first few days at home until I quit taking pain meds. (at about day 5) Getting up was hard, but once up walking around wasn't too bad. Didn't have to do stairs but I can imgine they would have hurt!

4 - If you worked, when did you go back and what type of job do you have? I'm a software engineer and I sit and type at a computer all day. I can't believe that will be too much for me to do after a week at home. What's your take on that?
I could have gone back to a desk job at 2 weeks but I would have been very tired- it is amazing how tired and weak you can be.

5 - After you started getting back to "normal" (whatever that is! ) what was your biggest challenge? Not drinking when eating was the hardest to get used to as well as getting in all the protein. Now 9 months out to be honest it's second nature and not that hard. It just becomes your lifestyle.

Good luck to you! Every one has a different experience, but that was mine. Now I look back it seems like no big deal- but I know it's like childbirth and I am forgetting the bad part because so much is good now!

[thumper1]

Hi, I havent been on in awhile so let me say welcome. I had my surg. in Buffalo, R u having it near here???? First day in hosp. was I guess for me was uncomfortable, not so much pain wise, just couldnt get real comfort to rest, and I think morphine and I got along too well and it won,lol. Once you move about and can get a SHOWER things get better. The first day home I felt great, went outside and weeded my haging pots.........yeh, a bit too much but felt good. Had pain meds for home but didnt really need them. Was off for the summer so no work issues. I am 15 months out and still have love hate relationships with certain foods.....this site was and IS a goddsend so stay here with us. Take Care Kathy

[ragdolldude]

Your questions will get answers "all over the map". Every patient is different. Some patients have poor response to any pain, and want to take 6 weeks off of work. Others, who have desk jobs, may be back at work in one week, or 4 weeks. The best answer to all of your question is "it varies". Your questions are commonly asked at support groups, and the common response from our group leader is "it varies", and then several post ops chime in about their experiences, all somewhat different. DAVE

[SarJen01]

I *really* appreciate all the information you've shared with me. I know everyone is different, but if I get enough of a range of information then I know I'll probably fall in the middle somewhere!

judijo mentioned a catheter - did anyone else have one? My surgeon (Dr. O'Malley at Highland in Rochester) did not mention that. That's something that I would like to be prepared for.

I will practice barrel rolling out of bed, and plan to take a least 2 weeks off of work and then play it by ear.

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

[not quite Barbie]

I think she was talking about a urinary catheter, which everybody has initially.

Some people also had drainage tubes (I didn't). Some even went home with them in place.