Innards removal

Suzybelle

Well, next Friday, July 1, I'm having a hysterectomy and getting my innards removed.  (If my mom knew I was describing it that way, she would skin me.)

Any surgery advice?  I haven't had surgery as an LE sufferer yet.  What should I do?  What should I ask for?  Help, ladies!!!!

I will be home all month during July so I can play with you guys more than usual.  Prepare yourself for more tacky postings than normal. 

kira66715

Suzy, I've just had out-patient stuff since LE, but I go in with a g-sleeve: a pink stockinette sleeve that says "LE, no blood draws, no IV's, no blood pressure" and I gauze wrap my hand for surgery and have them put a pink bracelet thing on my left wrist.

You might want to bring the Solaris to the hospital for afterwards if you stay overnight or for a couple of days--it will be a visible reminder to the nurses to stay away from the arm.

I also wrote on my arm with marker.

Hope it all goes well, and looking forward to more Suzy posts!

Kira 

Suzybelle

Hi, Kira:

Hope you are recovering from moving.  That is worse than surgery.  ARGH!!!!!!!!!

Where do you get pink thingies to go on your arm?

Suzybelle

Kira, can I wear my sterling silver LE alert bracelet during surgery?  Is that allowed?

Binney4

Suzy, here's the G-sleeve:
www.G-sleeve.com

And here's a free neon pink alert bracelet. Tell them you surgery is next week and I'll betcha they'll rush it to you:
www.lymphedma.com

Prayers for smooth sailing and a quick recovery -- we'll welcome your posts, tacky and otherwise!
Binney

kira66715

Suzy, Binney had a sample of a g-sleeve (which sounds kind of racy, but isn't) and mailed it to me, and I've used it twice.

You can make your own: take a piece of stockinette and write on it.

They usually make you remove jewelery before surgery, but they put on alert bracelets and they should have a pink one--but I find that some nurses and doctors ignore the bracelet, but the stockinette is hard to ignore. The actual g-sleeve it kind of short, actually.

I vote you make your own alert sleeve, and have your husband have the expensive Solaris for you to wear while in bed afterwards, if you're not up for wrapping.

You could go in wrapped also....

Kira

spendygirl

Hi Suzy.  I had an open procedure - total abdominal hysterectomy in November.  What type of procedure are you having?

 Prior to going in to surgery, they put tape along the inside of my arm from elbow to wrist and wrote on it "no b/p, no needles".

Best of luck to you, Tracye

Suzybelle

Hi, Spendygirl:

Love the hats in your profile photo - too cute!!!!

I'm having laproscopic total.

kane744

Geez Louise Suzybelle!!  Sorry to hear about your upcoming surgery, but with your spunk, you'll do fine.  When I had my port taken out I had the pink sleeve, wrote on my arm, wore a bracelet, told all the nurses, doctors, made them put it in their charts, paste a note on me, everything I could think of.  They were laughing put I came to with arm unscathed.  I'm not known as the Drama Queen for nothing. 

jinky

I know you will do well Suzybelle. Love the word or is it a word  lol innards. I laughed out loud. you go girl. le hugs jinky

BoobsinaBox

My money is on you to get exactly the care your need and deserve.  Add me to the list of people who are glad you'll be posting more often!

Dawn 

hymil

All the best Suzy of course there's such a thing as innards, i've seen them (not yours, obviously, unless.. ) and hey we have all heard them, and now if course i don't mean yours either!! so you will be Slimmer of the Week and can ask for new silk undies! We will be picking your brains while you are home

Starter question to get you warmed up:Im flying in a few weeks oooh errr, now the choice is beanie-boob, pink-liver with false nipple (Trulife Harmony Silk triangle), or see-through swimboob (Amoena swimform): what to wear, what to go in the suitcase if i wish to avoid having my outer innards removed for general display and edification at the airport and my luggage taken away and blown up? I'd like to at least arrive intact...  Sorry for hijakking the thread. Love the indelible skin-marker pen and tape suggestions for LE warnings..

scuttlers

Definitely make sure the arm is CLEARLY and STRONGLY indicated; I woke up from my 10+ hour DIEP with an A-line in my LE arm. You would think the Mayo would know better. My verbal warnings were not sufficient.



Hymil - never had to remove the foobs at screening. Did have to do the pat down. Most times when flying, I just pack them in my carry on. No searches have been triggered by them and it was more comfortable. Since the DIEP, no foobs to worry about.

Suzybelle

Hymil,

I think you should wear a foil covered cucumber ala "This is Spinal Tap".  AHAHAHAHAHA.  That's what you get for hijacking my innards thread.

Seriously, surely to goodness no one is going to pat down your foobies?  What is this world coming to, for the love of Pete????

Binney4

Suzy, there have indeed been some Foobie Scandals compliments of the TSA. Mostly they've brought their owners to tears of humiliation, but of course no apologies have been forthcoming. It does make you question how much fun your vacation is going to be when it begins and ends with these sorts of indignities...

Binney, who's thinking train travel sounds nice

hymil

Hmm, or if I had the stamina to cycle over the Alps....   not sure about the foiled cucumber, I might get my whole self impounded to a "secure place of safety" till the others came to collect me on their way home.   If those guys do try anything untowards i shall start to tell them all about innards and the removal thereof, until they pass out   Bet they are just big wimps really.

Actually it's quite easy taking innards out, they come in a little plastic bag so you can make giblet soup while the main event is in the oven.... 

Not quite sure about the details of doing it laparascopically but will preserve your lovely bikini-belly. A girl has to keep some of her assets! I do know lap surg can cause referred pain near the shoulders due to stretching the diaphragm, and you can't judge internal disruption by the little holes on the surface, Isn't that the same as if you get shot, a tiny entrance wound and a You probably don't want to know the rest of that....   Take *all* your body-piercings out before you go down. Good Luck!  ed. google "endobag"

hymil

Sorry, I need to spend less time over in the mad chicken threads ...

cookiegal

good luck suzy!!!

BeckySharp

Suzy--I can tell you have guts (no pun intended)!  Somehow I know your LE arm will never be touched during your surgery.  Are you also going in with it kineseo taped up?  That would show them!  Becky

Binney4

Becky, I'm sitting here chuckling out loud!

Yup, Suzy, we all know that somehow your LE arm will never be touched during your surgery. Or if it is, it'll be the last arm they ever touch! Definitely a "teaching moment."

Binney

KittyDog

Suzy I wish you the best.  I had a total and an ooph in Oct.  The only think I wished is that I would have had my Solaris and been able to wear it.  I was still in the learning stages of MLD and I did have problems with swelling afterwards.  After two months of trying myself, I finally got sent back to our clinic where I learned I was doing a lot of wrongs things. 

The surgery is a piece of cake.  I found it harder to realize you couldn't do stuff because you had just had major surgery.  I only wore the pink bracelet but the nurse wrote it on everything.  It also helped that my surgeon had been through breast Cancer with his wife so he so understood all the concerns.

Claire_in_Seattle

Suzybelle......so sorry about the "innards" operation.  Sure you will do fine though.

I suspect the big challenge will be recovering later.  Hoping you have a place to do this, because I understand that they really mean it when you can't lift anything afterwards,

Love the descriptor "innards".  Really hits the mark.  Good luck. - Claire

Suzybelle

Thanks, ladies!!!

kira66715

Suzy, thinking about you as the date approaches. Remember that one of the women on this board had a saying: "May all the hands that touch me be healing hands."

Nothing but healing hands for you.

Kira

sisterinspirit

Suzy,

My thoughts and prayers are with you as you get ready for surgery.  Hope that surgery and recovery is uneventful and that your LE behaves itself.  Maybe you will have time to check out a few more brownie recipies??

Deb

BeckySharp

Suzybelle--You've been fairly quiet the last few days.  Guess you are getting prepared for surgery.  Many of us will be thinking about you and sending good thoughts your way.  I can't wait for all you will be posting in July!  Becky

apple

innards... I love it.

Sending best wishes. 

BoobsinaBox

Suzybelle,

You have my heartfelt good wishes for healing hands from everyone and a smooth and uneventful recovery!  Let's make July a good month to remember!

Dawn 

Adey

Ditto Apple.  Amusing and best wishes!

Binney4

Suzy! Hugs! Prayers! It'll be good!
Binney

Suzybelle

Hi, my friends - thank you so much for the prayers and good wishes!  I have been swamped at work trying to get everything lined up to be gone for a month.

 Innards removal is Friday a.m.  I will check in with you next week and let you know how it went.

Later,

S.