For those scouring the internet for pre-surgery advice, this post contains my supply lists for my upcoming tummy tuck (abdominoplasty) and arm lift (brachioplasty).
l’m getting ready for my surgery. Thanksgiving is over. ALL the Christmas decorations are up inside and out. The medical equipment I’m renting is being delivered on Monday. I’ve got all the prescriptions filled and labeled in layman terms. (Except for the pain killers. Mr C will fill those day-of). I’m organizing like I’m nesting or something.
I’ve got three baskets: Hygiene, Medications, Wound Care:
Since I’ll be living downstairs for a while I loaded up the hygiene basket:
- Body wipes for between showers
- Face wipes
- Chapstick
- Deodorant
- Tooth brush and paste
- Mouth wash
- Razor
- Body Spray
- Dry Shampoo
The medication basket contents were all laid out by my doctor:
- Lots of prescriptions. Nausea, Motion Sickness, Antibiotic, Blood thinners, Muscle relaxers
- Tylenol — the only over the counter pain killer I’m allowed to take starting last week
- Probiotic
- Stool softeners (to start Monday)
- Laxative to start day after surgery
- Arnica because everyone on the internet swears by it
Then we’ve got wound care:
- Gloves
- Bandages
- Medical tape
- Brand new clean scissors
- Qtips
- Polysporin (the latter two for around the drainage sites)
- Antimicrobial soap
- Alcohol wipes
I also bought something so morbidly embarrassing — but better to have and not need than to need and not have: A poop stick. To wipe your butt. LOL
I’ve got wedge pillows for when I can upgrade from the recliner to the couch for sleeping. (Our bed is crazy high so that one will be a while off). A Travel neck pillow for sleeping in the recliner. I’ve got lots of compression socks (Have to wear them for a week). I bought an extra binder so I can keep one clean (It’s basically a 16 inch wide elastic band ill be wearing for 6 weeks). Two sets of arm compression sleeves. Three front zip bras. Four pairs of comfy pants that are comically too large for me. That’s because everyone says you want BAGGY clothes. Four button up plaid shirts — we’re bring grunge BACK! One fancy shirt that zips up and has pockets to hold your drains. Oh, and a boppy pillow for my arms. They need to be raised and in physical therapy they use boppy pillows for that. So I stole their idea.
I’m renting a lift recliner and a walker with a chair built in. I’m hoping to call them early enough on Monday to try to get one of those tables that goes over a hospital bed to use with the recliner for my laptop.
I’m not ready. But I’m ready.
