Alone and Surgery 3rd January

Hi,

Sorry to read that you have found yourself here along with the rest of us. First off, don't panic as this is well doable. I live by myself in a 3rd floor flat (in a building with tall ceilings so call that 4th floor equivalent) and no lift so I know how it will be for you. I was 70.

The surgery itself, and after, should be painless. This isn't out of any kindness (as if!) it's because you need to be pain free in order to breathe properly and heal correctly. If you get pain then complain - if the nurses don't medicate you adequately (some don't, they get paranoid about opioid addiction) then take it to the surgeon at follow-up. You should leave hospital with a goodie bag of meds, make sure you do. I went home with a pile of paracetamol, a bottle of oxycodone plus a bottle of lactulose to go with because the pain meds tend to cause constipation and straining to go is a bad idea. I also got given some antibiotics after they detected some bugs when they swabbed my wound.

Dogs? Keeping your wound area, and therefore hands, clean is well important so take extra care. Otherwise, taking them for slow walks from day one will do you a power of good. Expect the surgeon to agree. If they are elderly and little I imagine their speed will be just right for you. Don't expect to go very far at first, but try to go often.

Going out for essential shopping (i.e. food) will be difficult to handle until you start recovering so stock up first as much as you can. Start getting things delivered - that'll be easier after Christmas madness has passed. I'm a big fan of baked beans on brown bread toast (who knew that combo was perfectly balanced protein?!) and tinned mackerel sarnies. Both are well budget friendly and decent nutrition.

Your wound will weep a little for a while after, so have plenty of clean cheap tee shirts to wear to save your sheets and clothes.

Check out one my old threads for a warts-and-all how a lobectomy goes.

kind regards
Steve

Aha! I found the thread:

 So what's it like to have a lower right lobectomy? Here goes... 

kind regards
Steve

Steve, Bless your heart for taking the time to reply, you have given me so much hope that I will be able to do this, I can certainly do the beans on toast and the mackerel sandwiches! Haha I'm not so good with strong painkillers and worry about side effects, When I had surgery 10 years ago, I was put on a morphine drip and they tell me I was found running around the hospital corridors with my drip stand, with my backside hanging out of my hospital gown for all to see , shouting that all the Doctors were trying to kill everyone! I don't remember any of it. So hopefully they can find something that will keep me pain free alternatively they could strap me to the bed I guess. I feel very reassured that you say I will be able to walk, albeit short distances, that certainly helps with the independence side of things and managing at home, I have had a good read of your previous thread and I want to thank you immensely for sharing that for those of us managing this alone as you prove it can be done, thanks again Steve  

Hi

I had a lower right lobectomy in July 2019. I was in hospital for four days and the day after the surgery I was encouraged to walk round the ward three or four times a day. I was on a morphine drip immediately after the op but I think they took me off it fairly quickly and then I was just on regular paracetamol. You just go slowly at first and take pain medication when you need it. I honestly can’t remember it being that bad at all. The medical team were absolutely wonderful, in fact, I could quite happily have stayed longer. Try not to worry I’m sure it won’t be as bad as you’re imagining. 

Hi RpW  you have had some really great advice from Steve and Maggie but I just wanted to pop on and say hello myself. I haven’t had a lobectomny so I cannot comment on that, but being a dog owner myself I know that your little doggies will be your strength to get you through this! The sooner it is done, the sooner you can be back home with them. 

Wishing you all the very best for the upcoming surgery, and a very speedy recovery x 

Thank you Maggie for taking the time to reply, your post also gives me hope that this is do-able and I can get through it, You are right in that imagination is often very different from reality, I can't imagine though that I will want to stay any longer than I need to as I will be worrying about my little doggies , thanks again

Thank you Chelle for taking the time to reply, Indeed I need to be well to look after my dogs as they are old and not well themselves, it has been almost impossible to find someone who will take them whilst I have my surgery with their medical needs, but at last I have found an animal sanctuary who is willing to have them and letting me pay the fees in installments, this has taken a huge worry off my shoulders