"the shave"

[Ovie]

Is it everything below the head that goes? Arms, legs, front, back? If I have facial hair does that go too? If it doesn't, but people have found its better without I'd I appreciate the pros and cons of each.

Thanks.

 

[sarahsunshine]

No idea (Skyler was 13 with no hair!)... but I want to know if yo've found a place to stay post-op. Hope things are figuring themselves out for you, and wishing the you the best. I will be thinking about you this week.

 

[Lynlw]

It depends on the hospital and surgeon. Some do alot more than others, altho I dont know anyone who had all the arm and leg hair shaved, maybe whole leg if they needed a bypass, but not otherwise

 

[Lionheart]

Ovie,
Facial hair can stay but consider trimming it up if it's long and wild to make it easier for them to place the oxygen mask. They may put a line in your carotid artery so if you have neck hair some of that may need to go. As far as the body shave, I think they just shaved my chest and belly, and they did all of that in the OR.

 

[Mom2izzy]

For my cath they did a little shaving of the "hair down there"...I can't remember if you've already been through that joy or not!

 

[dcc617]

So....I'm not a hairy person at all. I still got the neck to ankle shave. When I got up from the bed to shower, there was a person shadow of my body. We didn't get a picture though. I trimmed the curls on the stache just so I wouldn't have to deal with droopy curls. The breathing tube was apparently was a masterpiece of taping since it totally missed the upper lip.

 

[ElectLive]

Chest only, done in pre-op for me, and inch or so above the belly button all the way up...a little surprising actually, I thought there would be more. The person doing it wasn't sure what to do at first and had to check with somebody else to confirm. I tell you what, though, knowing what I know now, I would have paid them to shave my arms from the elbows on down...it is unbelievable how much tape you end up with on your arms and wrists from all the IV lines, etc, especially if they have to redo any. I was digging tape residue out of my arm hair for weeks! As for the face, I shaved the day before and was told not to shave the morning of.

 

[Ovie]

Sarah, I finally got my father to allow me to stay with him for a few months, so that's under control.

2izzy, yeah, I experienced the shave below when I got scoped up the artery.

I had no idea I'd be having tubes in my neck, so that's new information.

 

[Nancy jane]

Ovie. Not sure you get much of a choice on the shaving. Just roll with it all. And go With that smile ! Makes alllllll. The dif in the world Each day gets so much better ! Stronger - happier. It's all good

Nancy - st Louis mo. 2-9-12. DONE !!! & loving it. Nthanks to all. Nanc.

 

[Dennis P]

They shaved my chest and part of my legs. Facial hair could stay as long as it wasn't too long.

Dennis-AAA and BAV-1/31/12-Mo Bap-St Louis, MO

 

[Bina]

Usually they do chest and upper belly, my carotid neck line was in the right side I think....I was also glad that
I didn't have hairy arms because I ended up with 16 days of IV line.

 

[Tom Berning]

I got the neck to knee shave, it's amazing how fast it came back. If you have especially hairy forearms you might consider shaving them too. One of the biggest pains I had is when they took the IV out of my right forearm and pulled the tape off after it had been on for several days.

 

[Ovie]

I ended up shaving everything on my face, it's been a few years since I've done that and regret it, I usually just use electric shaver to trim. I cut the inside of my mouth pretty bad so Im hoping that doesn't present a problem, guess I'll find out tomorrow.

Nancy, whatever they gotta do I'm going to let them do!

 

[Lionheart]

Ovie,
I don't know how long your head hair is, but I got mine cut a little shorter than normal just before surgery and that made it easier to take care of while laying around in the hospital bed.
John

 

[Boston Tiger]

I had the chest shave while I was in pre-op, but discovered they shaved the groin when they made the connections for the heart lung machine. Lionheart has a great suggestion about a shorter than normal haircut, since it felt really grungy to have bed hair after four days of having the night sweats. That's one of the reasons that first shower felt like a bit of heaven.

 

[normofthenorth]

Just the chest for me, and some thigh/groin "just in case" they had to go in there for an artery or a TEE or something.

I think it was more like close clipping than shaving. Nonetheless, the regrowth of the chest hair in and near the incision was one of the more "interesting" parts of the recovery. Not exactly painful, but I never could find a shirt/fabric that wouldn't get caught in those hairs when I moved, and tug on the still-healing incision! (Maybe it's payback because we don't have to give birth to babies. . .)

 

[Bill B]

Chest area is all I recall. I was expecting more.

 

[epstns]

Ovie,

A couple of things.
1. As for the shave, mine was pretty much neck to navel. It was done with a clipper, not a razor (no danger), and was done after I was already under.
2. "Just go with it" is a great attitude to have. Now that you're on the way, just give yourself to that care team you chose so carefully. They will do what needs to be done, and will do it well. You'll be waking up to a new daylight sooner than you think.

 

[D.C.]

I had 3 by passes with my valve so it was neck to ankles. I am a pretty hairy guy so it took 2 young ladies who destroyed 3 electric shavers about 45 minutes for the process. They told me not to do it because of possible nicks and infection. I was going to start with a smilie face on my chest for the nurses. All in all it was not to bad. Wife, 2 nurses, and I had quite the conversation.

 

[Greg a]

I had 3 by passes with my valve so it was neck to ankles. I am a pretty hairy guy so it took 2 young ladies who destroyed 3 electric shavers about 45 minutes for the process. They told me not to do it because of possible nicks and infection. I was going to start with a smilie face on my chest for the nurses. All in all it was not to bad. Wife, 2 nurses, and I had quite the conversation.

but really THE STUBLE GROWING IN WAS the worst !!!!!!!

Godspeed on the morrow my friend