Here we go, preliminary surgery date set

[anissa]

My "preliminary" surgery date has been set to April 1st.  Its the first date the neurosurgeon has available but my Dr. would still like to do it sooner so we'll see.  I have to admit I feel a little rise in panic to hear of any kind of urgency.  It will be translab.

So, I've only been to the hospital to have babies when I have to pack a big bag to take with me.  I doubt I'll need any of that stuff now, so what will I need?  How else can I prepare for this?  I will be about 4 hours from home and missing my kiddos, oh I don't even want to think of that.  Will I be able to "do" anything?  I am a knitter and would love to use my computer but I'm guessing both of those things are out. 

[anissa]

Oh, I just found the checklist!   

[EJTampa]

Glad you found the list!  It seems like there is so much to keep track of leading up to surgery, doesn't it?
  
Well, congratulations on having your date set!  I'm toward the end of my journey of waiting for my day to come.  Wednesday is pre op for me, then Thursday is tumor eviction day!  If you are like me, you will have busy days where you don't think much about it, and slow days where it seems nag at you all day .
 
Ernie

[lori67]

It seems to hit home once you have a day scheduled.  But the sooner you have it done, the sooner you can be recovering and the sooner you'll be feeling good again.

There are some good lists on the forum of what to bring with you to the hospital - I'm sure some of the more computer saavy will be able to actually give you the links.  

It's hard to say what you'll be up for after surgery.  I'd say, bring the knitting, if you don't wind up working on it, it's no big deal.  Some people feel well enough to read - I wasn't one of them as I was adjusting to having goopy ointment in my eye at the time.  Everyone recovers a little differently.  I brought a picture of my 4 kids with me to the hospital - made me feel better just looking at it.

Lori

[leapyrtwins]

Anissa -

there are several posts on the forum about what to take to the hospital.

I'm not sure which one you found but I had to search a few times to find this one http://anausa.org/forum/index.php?topic=6939.0

I didn't realize you were a knitter; maybe Steve could use you to expand his hat business 

Good luck on the 1st!

Jan

[Jim Scott]

Hi, Anissa ~

I took the liberty of adding your (tenitive) surgery date to the 'AN Treatment Calendar'  http://my.calendars.net/an_treatments/d01/04/2009?authenticate=&display=M&style=B.

I wish you a smooth, complication-free surgery and a rapid and complete recovery. 

Jim

[Syl]

Anissa:

I like to travel light so the only things I took to the hospital were what I needed on me that day. I figured if I needed anything I could ask for it afterwards. The only thing I found I needed afterwards were slippers and robe to keep my back side modest when I got up to walk the hall. The hospital provided toothbrush and toothpaste.

All I wanted to do was rest. I never watched tv while in the hospital because even that was difficult.

Syl

[Kaybo]

CHAPSTICK is a MUST!!

K

[MAlegant]

And sunglasses for the ride home with gauze because I didn't have a bandage.  A shirt with buttons because I couldn't stand to put anything over my head.  And yes, CHAPSTICK.
M

[anissa]

Thanks you for mentioning clothes that go over my head.  Almost everything I wear I pull on over my head.  It never dawned on me.  Yeah, I love to knit but remember I have 4 little kids.  The odds of me actually finishing something are pretty small, ha ha. 

Jim, thanks for adding me to the calendar, I appreciate it.

[Cheryl R]

Hi Anissa,         One post surgery issue is to have some glasses with you without a bow on one side if you wear glasses.  The wonderful dressing is big and bulky so glasses don't fit.    You may not get to wear contacts for a few to many days.   Sometimes one has some dry eye issues even without any facial paralysis.                      I have had more than one surgery due to having NF2 and found also that my Univ of Iowa only gives you tears for in the daytime.     If one has some dry eye than a heavier one like Refresh Liquigel works better so I take that with me.                     The vision may be off for a while even if no facial paralysis.   
Afterwards the feeling  so tired and just not quite right does really improve in time!
I wish you well!     The time before surgery can be worse than after as then you know what you are dealing with after.                                Cheryl R

[moe]

Anissa,
Most definitely, the fear of the unknown is worse than going through it sometimes. Everyone has different symptoms post op, so hard to say. I agree, just plan on relaxing and resting, sleeping.
 Headache may be an issue, so maybe bring a CD with soothing sounds. Waves, zen music, calming the spirit, etc. My daughter got me some after surgery. Wish I had them in the hospital. No I guess that would have been hard with the jumbo head dressing. Maybe just use one side over the good ear. You can hear it through the dressing.
maureen

[Pooter]

I can attest to not being able to wear contacts for some time (6 weeks?) after surgery..  I hadn't worn my glasses that long for any stretch in my life..  Luckily my glasses have hinged sides that "stretch" beyond straight so I didn't have any problem wearing them.  I just hate them...  I prefer my contacts any day.  If you wear glasses, then get the sunglasses that will go over your glasses.  I was sensitive to light for quite awhile after surgery, so I put those things to good use on the way home and well beyond..

Regards,
Brian

[Pembo]

I got new frames for my glasses before surgery. I was a contact wearer and figured I'd be in my glasses for a few weeks after surgery...4 years later.......
Another vote for chapstik and my best friend sent me M&M's...they were heavenly tasting!

[JerseyGirl2]

Just to present a differing viewpoint, I started wearing my contact lenses again the day after I was released from the hospital (four days after surgery) and had no problems whatsoever. This seems to prove, once again, that there are no hard and fast "rules" in the AN game.

Catherine (JerseyGirl 2)