reconstruction - Lessons learned

I came home yesterday after four days in the hospital with the "tummy-tuck" reconstruction. I thought I'd pass along some advice.

1) I came out of surgery around 4:00 Wednesday. Around 8:00 a resperatory therapist came to my room with his little gadget that you inhale/exhale into to prevent pneumonia. I was still in/our of it and I don't remember exactly what he said but I really sucked it in and blew and about KILLED myself!!! Talk about pain level 1 to 10 - this was a 10!! He's saying Wow, that's good and I'm screaming and grabbing at my stomach. Later I started worrying I had done something to myself. I figured it is not good to be pushing on your abdomen after 7 hours of surgery. The nurse came in and checked me out and said everything looked good. I told her what happened and she said, "Oh, you should hold a pillow across your stomach when you do that." Well, it was a little too late then!! Why don't they teach resperatory therapists to tell the patients to hold a pillow across their surgery site before blowing into their thing. Better yet, lock your door and just don't let the therapist in!!!!!

2) Day after surgery I could not go to the bathroom. So, they gave me something called a bowlus(?) in the evening to make me urinate. In the middle of the night I woke up and really had to go. I reached around me looking for the call button and could not find it. I was in pain!!! I could hear nurses talking down the hall and my room was just across from a nurses station. I started moaning and calling out and finally someone came. She said they were walking up and down the hall trying to find out who was moaning. Then she said, "Oh your call button is right here by your head!!" Like after surgery I can reach around up by my head. After that I always made sure I had the call button in my hand when I was going to sleep.

3) Buy a pair or two of sweat pants that are a size too big for you to wear when you get home. I had pants with an elastic waste that I thought I could wear but you go home with tubes and dressing and a binder and the pants I had were just uncomfortable. I'm going to have my husband go out and get something for me today.

4) It's good being home but I really missed the hospital bed last night. The nurse gave my husband a hint that I might be more comfortable sleeping with a pillow under my knees and that did help. My husband helped me into bed last night but I was actually able to get up on my own this morning.

Other than that, it hasn't been too bad. I think I actually get up and down in chairs easier than I did after the masectomy. The main thing that has been bothering me is my back hurts when I stand or walk. It's hard to stand up straight! I go to the doctor Thursday and I'm hoping he takes the drains out!