3 more days! Anything you wish you had done before having the DS?

[DBmom23]

So exciting that i just have 3 more days (surgery is Tuesday AM at 7:30). Besides following @Larra's advice from an earlier thread to clean my house (sisyphean with 3 kids and a dog that sheds like crazy), is there anything i should do before my new life begins?!?

Also just want to thank everyone for being so supportive--this board has really helped ease my stress level leading up to the surgery knowing how well people are doing on the other side.

 

[DianaCox]

If you have not updated your will, trusts, etc., DO IT NOW. I am a lawyer. I had my DS 12 days before my 50th birthday, 22 days before my 5th anniversary. My youngest was still nearly 3 months from turning 18, and I had married my husband after only knowing him 6 months - my friends and family would have KILLED me if I had not put a (lame, self-written) prenup in place - now, it was 5 years later, we were living in another state, had bought a house together - so much had changed and - as a lawyer - I had done next to NOTHING (including creating a trust to own the house) that a reasonable layperson should do. So the day before surgery, we signed papers for reciprocal wills, creating the trust to own the house, retirement and life insurance, created durable powers of attorney and medical powers, and all those grown up things.

I actually felt SO much better having that stuff in place going into surgery. Didn't need it of course, but it was the right thing to do. We've updated the wills since then, but we were already working from a great first draft.

 

[Txkat]

Do ALL the laundry. It'll be a while before you can or want to pick up a laundry basket, and you may go through some extra underwear, just saying'. Go buy yourself some nice perfume, a pack of those Olay wipes, and lip balm to take to the hospital. It'll help you feel less gross. And buy a couple boxes of sugar free popsicles.

 

[SJB41976]

following!!!

 

[brooklyngirl]

I agree with @Txkat about the Popsicles, a good lip balm and the laundry. I also wish I had gotten protein samples to see what I liked after surgery instead of investing in big tubs that I ended up hating afterward. Hubby made a couple different batched of soup and froze them in single serving packages (which ended up being many servings for me) but I liked having a variety for when I got to that phase. Lots of different drinks like G2, powerade zero, crystal light, etc. For the hospital, bring as little as possible, you won't need much, but shoes/sandals/slippers that are easy to slip on, baby wipes, listerine spray and/or travel size listerine bottles. I needed a pillow to hold against my abdomen for the ride home, plus I sat on a towel for a while to protect furniture from possible shart situations. Not a pretty thought, but worth the precaution!

 

[OldBroad]

Believe or not, I was really glad that I had a package of my mom's diapers. I had trouble making it to the bathroom in time for about a week after the surgery. Wearing the diaper avoided some nasty cleanups. Absorbent pads for the bed and the chair I was sitting in during the day. Lots of baby wipes.

 

[DBmom23]

That makes me very nervous. Do most people have this experience?

 

[DianaCox]

I'm OldBroad's sister - I had nothing like that (and I should add that I had had a lateral sphincterotomy about 7 years before my DS, so theoretically, my sphincter muscle was already slightly compromised). Now it was close a few times - but I had my recliner in my bedroom with a straight shot to the bathroom. We had different surgeons, I was younger than she is when I had my DS, I wasn't quite as heavy - lots of variables, even with similar genetics.

So the answer is (oh my, I crack myself up) it Depends.

 

[DianaCox]

In the interests of full disclosure, however, I have had an "incident" about 5 or 6 times in the almost 12 years I've had my DS. Usually a dietary indiscretion that I could identify, but not every time. But - I'm getting older so ... I'm not as fast. And my normie husband has had an incident or two himself.

DS related? Maybe a little. But I had had sharting episodes before my DS too, when my IBS was acting up.

 

[DSRIGGS]

I guess this might be a guy thing or just my personality but I didn't do squat before my DS because if I wasn't ready before 3 days I never would be....and by ready I mean mentally. Everything else is secondary. As has been discussed often you just can't go out and buy a bunch of food or drink beforehand because it will go to waste.

Additionally as far as laundry and other household stuff your significant others, child or whomever is going to be with you that first 2-4 werks taking care of you post op ..well they better be prepared to take care of everything because you can't be expected to do anything but recover for at least 3 weeks and after that you need to start off slowly.

I hope I am not shocking anyone but if you don't have somebody to take care of for that first month then I don't think you should be getting the ds until that can be worked out.

I agree with Dianna on the wills and such... I really need to get that taken care of and yes it is embarrassing to admit that.

 

[DSRIGGS]

In the interests of full disclosure, however, I have had an "incident" about 5 or 6 times in the almost 12 years I've had my DS. Usually a dietary indiscretion that I could identify, but not every time. But - I'm getting older so ... I'm not as fast. And my normie husband has had an incident or two himself.

DS related? Maybe a little. But I had had sharting episodes before my DS too, when my IBS was acting up.

I think I have had one incident when I woke up and had crapped.... Other than that I have had no issues in that regard.

 

[robs477]

I'm OldBroad's sister - I had nothing like that (and I should add that I had had a lateral sphincterotomy about 7 years before my DS, so theoretically, my sphincter muscle was already slightly compromised). Now it was close a few times - but I had my recliner in my bedroom with a straight shot to the bathroom. We had different surgeons, I was younger than she is when I had my DS, I wasn't quite as heavy - lots of variable, even with similar genetics.

So the answer is (oh my, I crack myself up) it Depends.

......

 

[Larra]

I was by myself at home post-op. It wasn't easy, but obviously I survived. I did have a friend who came over every day to walk the dog until I could do it myself, and she graciously helped with anything that needing lifting. Another friend took me to the grocery store at about 2 weeks post-op. Other than that, I fended for myself. And still have not needed diapers, and I'm older than you. I do think baby wipes are a good idea, and don't ignore even the slightest indication that a trip to the bathroom is indicated.

 

[DianaCox]

And PS - I told Rachael (OldBroad) to move the recliner from the living room into the bedroom nearer the toilet, but I'm gonna guess she didn't listen to her older sister on that one either ...

 

[DianaCox]

But on a more serious note - having "issues" for a week while recuperating is hardly anything major to worry about. Just be prepared for it to happen, in case it does, and to laugh about it.