5 Days post surgery

Mandy, I am so sorry that you are going through so much pain. I hope you are able to get out of the hospital soon but don't push it because once you are home you will have to take care of the needs I hope your nurses are doing now and you may get real tired. I don't know if you've looked at some of the tips we've given women who are just coming home from the hospital but several are:

- rinse really well when you shower and it's helpful if you have a hand-held shower head.
- pat dry only and use a blow dryer on cool setting to be sure you are nice and dry.
- in the US we use sitz baths but I think that's not something your doctors recommend but it sure helps; if you don't have that option a squirt bottle filled with warm or cool water to squirt while you are urinating is so helpful.
- Air drying is really important if you can.
- roll out of bed instead of sitting up because your stitches may break.
- get help getting out of chairs, donuts for your chairs help with comfort.
- As for lidocaine if peeing is still unbearable.
- When I came home with my drain tubes I took a piece of material or scarf, tied it around my waist and clipped the drain tubes to the 'belt' while showering.

I feel bad for you regarding the nerve pain, just keep a watch on it, if you begin having swelling in your hips, legs you may need to learn some lymphadema treatment techniques.

Take care and ask questions. I hope you have a good support system at home too so you don't over do it. I know at my house as soon as my daughter and husband see me up doing dishes it's like, "yay, mom's all better now we can stop helping!" So not the case so I've learned to milk the help as long as I can get away with it that way you don't try to do more than you should. LOL

Sincerely,

Lisa