Last week, I had laparoscopic surgery for endometriosis. It's a relatively "minor" surgery, as far as surgeries go. And it reminded me all over again that any surgery - no matter how small - is a big deal.
There were several things I relied on heavily last week to get me through the first phase of recovery:
1. Yoga pants. Soft knit pants with a wide elastic waistband gave my tender abdomen some support without pinching or pressing. And I could wear them straight to bed without changing when I was really, really tired.
2. Easy to digest food. Apparently, having any type of abdominal surgical procedure is enough to tie your digestive system in knots for a day or two. Powerade, hot tea, brothy soup, and jello helped me get through the first few meals. It also helped alleviate the scratchy throat I had post-op.
3. Extra pillows. My body moved strangely for a while after surgery to work around my tight abdomen. Extra pillows helped support all my achy parts so I could get some sleep.
4. Music, magazines, and books (in that order). I can't concentrate on something as complicated as a book or TV show right after surgery. Music and magazines gave me a way to fill up a few minutes (or a lot more). When I started feeling a little bit better (tired, in pain, but a little more human), books were a great way to pass the time.
5. A friend to talk to. No matter what, I get a little depressed after any kind of surgery. Last week, it happened once I started feeling better but didn't have any "get up and go" yet. Surgery forces you to detach from your life for a while - I didn't go to work, didn't cook or do other typical household chores, etc. And I found myself wondering if I really liked any of my "normal" life enough to go back to it after I recovered. Talking to friends helped remind me why I do want to get back in the saddle - there are people worth seeing and fun to be had.
6. A trash bag and some medical tape. To cover up my incisions while I showered. (I stayed out of the shower for about 48 or even 72 hours, then taped up to take a real shower and wash my hair.)
7. Having important items available at waist level. Bending forward from the waist still doesn't feel good (a week later). Having my clothes, food, dishes, etc. where I could easily reach them helped me be more self-sufficient and pain free while I recovered.
8. Advil or other over the counter pain medicine. My docs sent me home from the hospital with Percocet and some extra-strong prescription Advil. I switched to regular advil after a few days to help transition to being medication-free.
I have my surgery on Thursday. I bought a memory foam pillow corner, my head may be high. An ice pack, the first rubber to fill you with ice and cold water. My doctor gave me tablets and Arnica cream, swelling.
Posted by: excessive sweating | February 08, 2011 at 03:24 PM