DIEP Recovery help!/Stair climbing?

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Linda7
Linda7 Member Posts: 12
edited June 2016 in Breast Reconstruction

Hello all!

I'm reaching out to those of you who have experienced the DIEP Flap recovery period. I'm having mine in less than 3 weeks. I live by myself, and my dear mom, who was my primary caregiver during my chemo, so sadly, passed away four months ago. The plans we had made about me staying with her, sadly cannot be, I miss her tremendously.

My sister and sister in law have both offered to help. I know I'll have a 3/4 day hospital stay, but after that I'm not sure what exactly I'll need help with and I need to tell both my sister and sister-in-law asap, so that they can plan their work schedules as needed. Please give me an idea of what I'll need as far as assistance from another person and for how long. Both are more than willing to take time off from work and spend the night at my place, will this be necessary?


Finally, I might need to move in a couple of weeks, right before my surgery. I love the place, but it has like maybe 20 steps to get to it, on a second floor. Will this be an issue with my abdominal incisions and all?


Thank you for taking the time, and have a blessed day!

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  • LAstar
    LAstar Member Posts: 1,574
    edited May 2016

    I would definitely plan to have help for the first week and someone to check in on you regularly afterward. I was very groggy after surgery and couldn't be trusted to take my pain meds at the appropriate time for a while. :) Help changing bandages and emptying drains is important, and mine were done at least twice a day for the first few weeks. Some women do it all themselves and I tip my hat to them! This is hard to do on your own. Help making food, doing laundry, and tidying up is needed for the first week at least and reasonably longer. You just can't lift much at all, not even a gallon of milk. Doing so will jeopardize your flap health.

    As far as the stairs, you will be exhausted after you climb them and should have help if you are at all dizzy or out-of-it from pain meds. Hopefully, you won't need to deal with these stairs much during the first week or two.

    Hopefully, you will be one of the folks that rocks this surgery and bounces back quickly! Prepare to be completely worn out for weeks, and hopefully you won't need so much help.

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  • Linda7
    Linda7 Member Posts: 12
    edited June 2016

    Thank you LAstar for your tips and advice

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  • Scarlett152
    Scarlett152 Member Posts: 175
    edited May 2016

    I have a lot of stairs at my house and I was able to manage them well. The hardest part on the incision is getting out of bed or off the couch. Good luck

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  • Linda7
    Linda7 Member Posts: 12
    edited June 2016

    Thanks Scarlett152, that's helpful to know.

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