# Post Surgery ?



## polly (Oct 29, 2010)

As I previously posted I will be having thyroid surgery in the near future (surgeon app 2/28) and have been reading thru the posts here finding encouraging words and good advice on what to take to the hospital.

From what I read here and on the net you can bathe the next day. What about washing one's hair ? I know my neck may be sore and hurt to turn so is hair washing okay ?

I'm nervous about having surgery but also ready to get it over with. Already planning out my list of things to do before hand and to take with me.

Also wanted to ask about when recouping, did you have a lot people around you at home, or mostly kept the company down ? I figure I won't feel like a house full of people for a few days and I have family wanting to come help me even though my husband and daughter will be with me.


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## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

My surgery was on Monday and I washed my hair on Wednesday. I was fine leaning back a bit, but was more uncomfortable to turn to the side. The first couple washes weren't particularly efficient washes, but it got the job done.

We live in a rural area so having people around is not the norm. I was glad for the quiet. Aside from the frequent rest/naps, the hormonal shifts sort of knocks your world of its axis a little bit. My appetite would come and go, I had hot flashes, felt foggy-headed and dosconnected, etc. I was glad it was just my husband, the dog & my cats.


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## polly (Oct 29, 2010)

Hey Joplin,
My husband will be with me and my daughter and son in law (who is a new RN) are right over the hill from us and will be around too. I guess I'm going to tell my sister thanks for the offer but no thanks. It would be her, her husband, and adult son, plus their dog. I really appreciate her wanting to come for a visit but would rather them come when I could actually enjoy it. So it will mainly just be me, my husband, and my cats too : ) How long did you feel you needed someone to be at home with you ?


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## Octavia (Aug 1, 2011)

polly said:


> Hey Joplin,
> My husband will be with me and my daughter and son in law (who is a new RN) are right over the hill from us and will be around too. I guess I'm going to tell my sister thanks for the offer but no thanks. It would be her, her husband, and adult son, plus their dog. I really appreciate her wanting to come for a visit but would rather them come when I could actually enjoy it. So it will mainly just be me, my husband, and my cats too : ) How long did you feel you needed someone to be at home with you ?


Oh, goodness...that sounds more like work than help. I agree about a "thanks, but no thanks" response.

As for how long I needed help...well, my husband went into with pneumonia the hospital 2 days after I got home from my surgery, then he came home for a couple of days, then went back into the hospital. So I was pretty much on my own. My sister lives nearby and would have come over in a heartbeat if I had asked, though. And I had someone coming over to walk the dog. But other than that, I was on my own.


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## I DClaire (Jul 31, 2011)

They told me I could shower all I wanted to but no baths for several weeks, I've forgotten exactly how long. Because I had to stay in the hospital several days due to the parathyroid problems and had to keep an IV needle in my arm, I only got sponge baths. Yuck!!

The only thing I remember about visitors was my mind didn't seem quite up to concentrating too much BUT I had surgery on Friday morning and went to an out-of-state family reunion not the next day but the second Saturday and I had a nice time.


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## webster2 (May 19, 2011)

My husband stayed with me the first day home. He has a job that allowed him to come home during the following days periodically to check on me, which wasn't really necessary but it made him feel better. I napped quite a bit. It was mainly me, the dog & the cat. My daughter had made me a bunch of GF foods and put them in the freezer, which was really nice to have. Best wishes to you.


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## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

Yup, my husband stayed home with me the day after but then went back to work. It wasnt debilitating, like major abdominal surgery. I was up, dressing, bathing, preparing food, etc. I was just fatigued & foggy-headed and not really in the mood for lots of company.


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## polly (Oct 29, 2010)

Thanks everyone. I am feeling much better about the upcoming surgery after reading your posts. My husband is a police officer and is off 3 days one week and 4 the next so he should be around the first few days after my surgery anyway. Then of course my daughter and her husband. Guess I can make good use of my SIL being an RN too : )

As far as company, I'm just going to ask them to make plans to come up a week or so after my surgery.

After my Rheumatologist app today to discuss my HSP and to discuss my thyroid surgery (which she has already said it was okay to do via her nurse) I may call the Surgeons office to see if they have a consultation app that has opened up before my scheduled one on Feb 28. Ready to get this going !!


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