I have decompression surgery scheduled for May 29th. I am using this weekend to prepare for surgery, my hospital stay and recovery at home. Do you guys have any recommendations on things I should have, especially once I come home. I have no idea what to expect, when it comes to sleeping with the stitches/staples etc.
Thank you for letting me know. From the last appointment with the surgeon, he will be making the cut just like that, from the bone ridge of my natural skull to 1/2 way down my neck. Did you have a long ride home after you were discharged from the hospital? I will have about a 3 hour ride, edpending on traffic. Any suggestions for comfort during the ride?
Thank you. They are my life!!! When I was at my consult the surgeons nurse said "at least you don't have to worry about your children wanting to be picked up, they are far to old to be held". I very nicely told her that I hold each of my kids every single day. My daughter doesn't get picked up as much becuase she is just to prissy for that but my boys love to dance with mommy in the kitchen. She just looked at me, speechless.
I really appreciate your advice. My husband is going to shave the natural cut I have, kind of a bob in the from and slanted in the back. The shape will be good, I have it shaved with a 2 from the salon so whats a little shorter.
Thank you for starting this discussion! I have my surgery May 24th, and have been wondering some of the same things. I have a really short cut right now, and I've been holding off on having a colleague (I'm a student hairdresser) reshape my hair until after the surgery because I don't want to have a huge glaring hole in my haircut that I can't blend or work with.
I've been a little worried about my kids because they're definitely Mommy's Boys and they all are very eager for me to have my surgery because they want their mommy back.:) I have had to tell them that I am not going to be able to be as active at first, but that I'll be okay sooner than they know.
And thank you Poptart, for the great advice on the trip home. I hadn't thought about that at ALL, and now I know what to have hubs bring with him.
My suggestion is to take your meds timely and don't try to skip any of them. They give them to you at a certain schedule for a reason.
I had my surgery out of state in CO. I wasn't even in the Hospital for 48 hours after surgery. We did spend the next 8 days in a local hotel. I slept most of that time. I have 4 daughters and the youngest was 20 mths so it was really hard not to pick her up.
Do you have someone to who can help with meals and the kids? We had meals brought to us for about 4 weeks after surgery which was wonderful.
Just remember to rest, rest, rest after surgery.
Good Luck!
Do NSs really not put a stool softner at the top of their pre-op list? With Dr Oro, this was the first thing listed and they want you to be on one for a couple of weeks before surgery so you know what dosage works. Then in the hospital you are given a stool meds. I took mine for at least 3 months after surgery to not have any problems.
Once I get home, I'm going to take another look at my pre-op list to see if there are any other suggestions I forgot that I can share.
Diana
We bought a Lg Alternative Down pillow and my mom & husband flattened out a section in the middle in a U shape (sort of like a horse shoe)and sewed it off with a sewing machine to use after surgery. That pillow was a Godsend! it provided the pocket of space to avoid rubbing my stitches at night and gave a place to rest the top of my head. I still use it. We also bought one of those neck travel pillows later on for when we were out and about and you need to give your neck muscles a rest in between errands. It will allow you more time out and about which to the kids is like field trips. So it helps to baby yourself in the car in between...
Thank you to everyone for such great information. I talked my poor husbands ear off last night about you guys!