G
Georgia
In addition to help with any critters, the recliner (please go to a large LaZboy store and try them out so you get one that fits you), laptop, the following help:
A small stool or chair for the shower - for the first week or so - you'll want to shower as soon as you get home, but the hot water makes you feel kindof lightheaded; so sitting is better.
DVD's of various shows or movies. Concentrating is a real issue at first, so I found that light TV shows were easier to follow than movies.
A body pillow for bed; recliner's nice, bed's better, and the body pillow can make the difference in enabling you to sleep in bed.
A non-spill tippee cup for bed; get a plastic container and put the cup of water and your pain meds (and tissues and whatever) in the container on the bed next to your pillow - if you out-sleep your pain meds you can take them with minimal fuss and strain.
Keep a cell phone with you always - in your pocket, in your container in bed.
Have someone home with you for the first two weeks out of the hospital. Then convince him/her to leave for a while each day afterwards. Your care-giver will want to hover, and it's quite annoying.
A few extras to consider for the hospital:
Your own pillow and extra cases. There's no such thing as a hospital pillow that's "just right."
Oranges or tangerines - taste really good between meals (well, as good as anything tastes post-surgically).
Dry shampoo (although available in some hospitals). Your hair will smell horrid after a couple of days - all those chemicals come out.
And incidentally - in case no one's mentioned it: your hair will be a problem for about 6 months after surgery - it may thin, it will grow really slowly, and the texture will be awful. I guess because your body's healing . . . But it WILL start growing again and get back to normal, so don't panic.
You'll want very comfortable clothes for recuperation, much warmer than you'd expect to need. You'll be really cold for quite a while (weeks or months). Have a warm throw to use when in the recliner.
Girls: before surgery, purchase a couple of very soft, lightweight bras a size larger than you wear (unless you really don't need one). You DON'T want to have much constriction around that sternotomy.
Get some vitamin E oil to use on the sternotomy every day - it may help with scarring - definitely helps with itching and drying.
Do NOT expose the incision to sunlight - at this time of year you could really burn it.
Good luck. We'll all be thinking and praying for you.
A small stool or chair for the shower - for the first week or so - you'll want to shower as soon as you get home, but the hot water makes you feel kindof lightheaded; so sitting is better.
DVD's of various shows or movies. Concentrating is a real issue at first, so I found that light TV shows were easier to follow than movies.
A body pillow for bed; recliner's nice, bed's better, and the body pillow can make the difference in enabling you to sleep in bed.
A non-spill tippee cup for bed; get a plastic container and put the cup of water and your pain meds (and tissues and whatever) in the container on the bed next to your pillow - if you out-sleep your pain meds you can take them with minimal fuss and strain.
Keep a cell phone with you always - in your pocket, in your container in bed.
Have someone home with you for the first two weeks out of the hospital. Then convince him/her to leave for a while each day afterwards. Your care-giver will want to hover, and it's quite annoying.
A few extras to consider for the hospital:
Your own pillow and extra cases. There's no such thing as a hospital pillow that's "just right."
Oranges or tangerines - taste really good between meals (well, as good as anything tastes post-surgically).
Dry shampoo (although available in some hospitals). Your hair will smell horrid after a couple of days - all those chemicals come out.
And incidentally - in case no one's mentioned it: your hair will be a problem for about 6 months after surgery - it may thin, it will grow really slowly, and the texture will be awful. I guess because your body's healing . . . But it WILL start growing again and get back to normal, so don't panic.
You'll want very comfortable clothes for recuperation, much warmer than you'd expect to need. You'll be really cold for quite a while (weeks or months). Have a warm throw to use when in the recliner.
Girls: before surgery, purchase a couple of very soft, lightweight bras a size larger than you wear (unless you really don't need one). You DON'T want to have much constriction around that sternotomy.
Get some vitamin E oil to use on the sternotomy every day - it may help with scarring - definitely helps with itching and drying.
Do NOT expose the incision to sunlight - at this time of year you could really burn it.
Good luck. We'll all be thinking and praying for you.
