Thinking ahead

[lynn]

I have about a month before surgery, but I am trying to get my head straight Just bought some new jammies and slippers for the hospital so I'll look smart! HA!

We have a two story house, hubby gets the master downstairs (he snores to beat the band) and I have my nice room upstairs complete with QUEEN size bed, view of my canal out back and my COMPUTER. I really would miss my room

Question....what about stairs??? Can I go up right when I get home and stay for awhile, when can I go up and down??? I really don't need to go downstairs for anything, except if I'm by myself.

 

[Phyllis]

We have our master bedroom on the second floor and our two grown children's two empty bedrooms on the first floor. When we first got home from the hospital, we used the two first floor bedrooms mainly because Dick was more comfortable "trying" to sleep in a bed by himself. He climbed the stairs twice a day to shower and change. After a few weeks, when sleep was still elusive due to shoulder pain, we decided that he would try sleeping upstairs in his own bed and maybe that would help. I don't think the stairs will be a problem. You may want your husband nearby for middle of the night massages!

 

[JimL]

I was told not to climb stairs after surgery -- but then I got told a lot of things that apply to CABG patients, not valve patients. (If you have long incisions on your legs from having the veins stripped out, stairs may not be such a good idea for a while.) So the first time I went down the stairs, I packed all I would need to stay for a while.
A little later I needed to go upstairs, and once upstairs I realized that I had taken the stairs two at a time like usual. I never found stairs to be a problem. However, I think some have. It would make sense to use caution at first.

 

[lynn]

Thank you Phyllis! Maybe I'll break out the old baby monitor so I can call him!

 

[pipersmith]

I have about a month before surgery, but I am trying to get my head straight Just bought some new jammies and slippers for the hospital so I'll look smart! HA!

I have been wondering, but afraid to ask (for seeming silly) - can you put on over-the-head shirts after the surgery? I was wondering about t-shirt pjs, or do I need to find some button down shirts? I have also wondered if any of you ladies out there have found a bra that works well - without irritating the incision?

I have wondered about the stairs as well - thank you for asking . I do not mean to hijack your thread - but your comments reminded me of the questions

 

[dj/utvolsfan]

PIPER,
Hey there thread high-jacker!
For the hospital, they like you to have button shirts/gowns for quick and easy access to your incision. I woke up from surgery at Cleveland Clinic in breast armour...aka surgical bra. I think I could have survived nuclear war in that thing. After losing dependence from that bra, I went into comfy cotton sports bras....around 4 weeks or so. I never had issues with my incision at all.
I am not so computer savy as others, but there are links that have been shared by other vr.comers on where to find bras in case your hospital doesn't provide the surgical bras. Hopefully others will be around soon to give you that information.
Wishing you well!
Debbi

I have been wondering, but afraid to ask (for seeming silly) - can you put on over-the-head shirts after the surgery? I was wondering about t-shirt pjs, or do I need to find some button down shirts? I have also wondered if any of you ladies out there have found a bra that works well - without irritating the incision?

I have wondered about the stairs as well - thank you for asking . I do not mean to hijack your thread - but your comments reminded me of the questions

 

[Jkm7]

I had CABG surgery and not only could I walk the stairs when I got home, I had to walk a full flight before the hospital would release me. Same held for the Valvers on the floor. We all walked stairs before being released.

My nurses were woefully lacking in advice about what sort of bra I should (or should not wear). I feel they were negligent in not advising me. After trying my regular lingerie, I knew that would not work (and gave myself a small infection at the base of my scar), I tried what I had been using as 'airport bras'....no hooks; no metal to trigger a body search. They worked great for post surgery wear.

They are available on line from www.onehanesplace.com. Called Barely
There Microfiber Crop top.
Item No. 898NP priced at $7.49 and available in six colors. No hooks; all soft knit nylon/spandex and slips over the head with lots of stretch.

Massachusetts General Hospital did not use surgical bras. I had no "support' the whole time I was in the hospital, which was okay. Between three drainage tubes, and the temp pacemaker wires, I think any sort of bra would have been a problem.


Which answers the other question asked. I was able to pull sweaters/jerseys over my head right from the start. I arrived at the hospital by ambulance but my DH brought me the clothes to come home in that I had worn to the ER in the other hospital from which I was transferred. It was a slip over the head V-Neck sweater and I had no problem getting it on or off. Very gently.

 

[Phyllis]

Thank you Phyllis! Maybe I'll break out the old baby monitor so I can call him!

Excellent idea!- I should have used our grandchildren's baby monitor after he moved upstairs and maybe I would have slept better than I did as I was always listening to see if he needed me!

 

[lynn]

Awww....poor Phyllis! See this is how we all learn

Piper, hijack my threads anytime, heaven knows I do it enough myself

I did think about button down jammies and then passed them right up and went for the cute ones! Guess it's back to Walmart!! Totally forgot about the bra issue!! I found out two things when I had my mastectomy. One, get the cheapest, easiest pj's, you'll probably throw them out after awhile anyway because they are a reminder of hospital stuff! Two, Walmart carried these knit sport type bras that hooked down the front that worked wonders.....wonder if I still have them??

 

[Ross]

Honestly, you should stay away from stairs if possible. Let me guess, your the stubborns type, so you best have someone follow you up and down until your sure your stable and not a weeble that wobbles and falls down.

 

[lynn]

Let me guess, your the stubborns type

That would be me

 

[Nancy]

I've had a baby monitor for a long time, just got a new two-way one. That works great. I can even go out in the garage and yard and still hear. It's a good idea.

 

[hensylee]

I was told not to climb stairs after surgery -- but then I got told a lot of things that apply to CABG patients, not valve patients. (If you have long incisions on your legs from having the veins stripped out, stairs may not be such a good idea for a while.) So the first time I went down the stairs, I packed all I would need to stay for a while.
A little later I needed to go upstairs, and once upstairs I realized that I had taken the stairs two at a time like usual. I never found stairs to be a problem. However, I think some have. It would make sense to use caution at first.

I had bypass - they had every person on the heart floor going up/down the stairs, no matter what surgery they had. They wouldn't let us leave til we learned that we could do it safely. I had staples not only from neck to below ribs but from ankle to groin (4 slashes on my leg).

Bras: they told me to go to WalMart and get a sports bra but I had some sleep bras and they are very soft and wonderful - still use them most of the time. You can find them in these little catalogs that come to your house, or you can get sleep bras at Penney's. So soft and stretchy - they give when you move.

I used only the hospital clothes.

 

[Magic8Ball]

The only thing i've picked up is to consider getting a recliner chair to sleep in post op, some find the bed a little uncomfortable without loads of pillows etc.

I have an nice new lazyboy turning up this week so i can get used to it for a couple of weeks prior to surgery...

Can't help of the bra front, my man boobs don't need any support yet

 

[aussigal]

I reckon only the very well-endowed gals would be needing a bra...us with average size assets can manage without, watch-out for the front fasteners that will rub where the scar is gals!>. Regular OHS scars tend to end around where your bra sits. so you wont be liking anything too tight there.

I did find reaching up over my head was hard on those stiff & sore muscles. I preferred stuff that buttoned up in the front.

I also took fluffy-bedsocks as my feet were quite cold...

Some lip-balm for those dry lips is probably a good idea too.

 

[Marguerite53]

Hi Lynn. Somehow I missed this thread this week. Havent' been on much.

I got my surgical bras from www.adaptations4u.com They are made by Golda. They have wide velro closing in the front. I wasn't given or offered anything in the hospital which certainly isn't good for someone with breasts as large as mine. I'm past 6 months and still sleeping with a bra on. I used the surgical bra for about 2 months. I just wore a wifebeater t-shirt underneath so that there would be nice softness next to my scar.

Many of us have just worn tight/stretchy camisoles...the kind with 2 layers. I'm actually just using one of those right now under my nightie. The nice thing about the cami is that if you do have trouble pulling things over your head (it was very uncomfortable for me to do that for weeks!) then you can just step into the cami and bring them up into place.

As far as pajamas for the hospital.....I used the hospital gowns. To save myself from embarassment, I wore some of my husband's boxer shorts underneath....kind of fun and nice and they made me feel good somehow! They actually do make hospital robes, too! But only one of 12 nurses actually was kind enough to offer me one!! Had no idea they had them! They were swabbing me with iodine several times a day....why would you want to risk ruining your own clothing?

Stairs were never a problem for me, but I definitely wanted someone around when I ventured onto them (um, actually, I think my husband was adamant about someone being home since the painkilers can throw you off once in awhile and make you quite abit off balance).

Just my 2 cents! Marguerite

 

[maka]

Hi Lynn

I had mitral valve repaired a year ago. My bedroom is on the seond floor. They sent me a therapist home and he told when I climb or go down the stairs to do it "sideways" , that is facing the rail and holding on to it. He said that way, particularly going down, there was a less chance of falling in case of dizziness. Hope this helps

 

[marky]

Hi Lynn..
As for the hospital.. you will probably only want to wear thier gowns.. lovely as they are..you will have too many tubes etc. to want to change.
and besides.. if anything leaks or oozes..better to mess up thier stuff IYKWIM?

I had to climb to the second floor for my bedroom.. and had no problem.
My dh would bring me breakfast..and help me get cleaned up for the day (for about the first week) then I would go downstairs for most of the day.. climb back up for one nap, and back up again at night.

I didnt' have any problems with the stairs.. but limited my climbing them for 1 week to 1-2 times a day.

We had walkie talkies on for that week and I would call if I needed anything, since I went up to bed before anyone else.

It was hard lifting my arms up over my head to put on stuff too, I wore pretty loose fitting t-shirts for awhile..
Wishing you the best!