Coming Home Alone

[SAM55]

Need some advice please.

I live alone and at my pre-op I was asked who would be looking after me when I got home. I said me and they were not happy with this. I do have a cleaner who comes in once a week, and could ask for a further visit, and I am guessing there is going to be little food prep or washing up in the first couple of weeks, and Tesco deliver so no shopping to do. Also friends will pop in occasionally.

Having had abdominal surgery before, both laprascopic and full cut I don't think I am going to need any help with personal care. I live in a small flat so don't have stairs to negotiate indoors.

What have other people's experiences been please? Do I need to arrange for social services?

Thanks.

 

[niccie]

What op are you having?

 

[SAM55]

What op are you having?

Sleeve

 

[beepbeepcat]

Ok my experience is different to the next but be prepared get all food prep done before
Soup either make it or get Covent Garden ensure you blend and strain when serving maybe 7 days worth.
High protein natural yogurts like SKYR which you will need to loosen with milk as it will be too thick, one pot should be enough for a few days
No added sugar squash, Coffee, tea or even oxo to keep fluid up
Get all clothes washing, housework done before surgery.
As long as you have a few people popping in to check on you.
My husband just let men get on with it I was back doing housework 2nd day out of hospital. I just done a bit here and there not too much. Daytime tv is a killer!

 

[Caroline jess]

I would say you should be okay long as everything is all up to date and you get everything beep beep says. I mean your just really lounging around for the first bit recovering. Just make sure that you when you make yourself a drink its a really big one as you could easily get dehydrated because it's too much of a faff to get up too much and keep everything you need close to hand by wherever your going to be pills/vitamins etc. and of course that there are people that will be checking in on you if you need them too.

 

[niccie]

I had a sleeve and I wouldn't have managed. The problem was I couldn't get out of bed for 3 days without some help!

 

[Trish933]

I had a bypass, and had no problems managing alone afterwards - Tesco food delivery etc. Did not do anything to prepare except clean the flat. Found food preparation was not a problem after the op. I'm sure you will be fine.

 

[Butterfly_lady]

I had a bypass and would have been fine, I came home alone (Ok in a taxi) but I got the taxi to stop at Tesco so I could get a few bits, I had the op on a Thursday, came home Saturday, back at work on Tues - 12 hour day but sat infront of a pc.

 

[Mrs Noodles]

I think its all down to the individual and your body but speaking from my experience I would say you would be ok. Like others have suggested I did my shopping beforehand to make sure I had enough yoghurts, soap, water, milk etc in.

I had a sleeve and was walking up and down the ward about 6 hours after the op to help relieve the trapped wind. I live in a flat which is up four flights off stairs, I walked up them nice and slow yesterday and i'm on day three. My husband works long shifts so I'm on my own all day but so far this morning I've made a cup of tea, sieved some yoghurt and prepared some sugar free jelly.

Good luck Sam x

 

[los in it]

I too live myself and like others have said I did some pre work before made small drinks used my flasks for hot ones stocked up so no need for shopping or anything and just took it easy but to be honest because I felt so good post surgery I didn't need any help from anyone I just potted about the house watching box sets and dozing !

 

[SAM55]

I had a sleeve and I wouldn't have managed. The problem was I couldn't get out of bed for 3 days without some help!

Was that because of pain Niccie and how long were you in hospital for please? I have a grab rail I can put under my mattress which I had when my back was really bad so I could pull myself up without pulling on core muscles.

 

[SAM55]

I too live myself and like others have said I did some pre work before made small drinks used my flasks for hot ones stocked up so no need for shopping or anything and just took it easy but to be honest because I felt so good post surgery I didn't need any help from anyone I just potted about the house watching box sets and dozing !

Thanks, sounds re-assuring.

 

[SAM55]

I think its all down to the individual and your body but speaking from my experience I would say you would be ok. Like others have suggested I did my shopping beforehand to make sure I had enough yoghurts, soap, water, milk etc in.

I had a sleeve and was walking up and down the ward about 6 hours after the op to help relieve the trapped wind. I live in a flat which is up four flights off stairs, I walked up them nice and slow yesterday and i'm on day three. My husband works long shifts so I'm on my own all day but so far this morning I've made a cup of tea, sieved some yoghurt and prepared some sugar free jelly.

Good luck Sam x

Way to go Mrs Noodles! Sounds like you are doing fantastically, and is very re-assuring, especially the stairs as I had visions of being stuck in for days because of mine. Wishing you a speedy recovery. Sieving yoghurt sounds pretty tedious though.

 

[Monalisa]

I only have my teenage son at home they just said I had to stay two nts after my sleeve which I was actually glad off and I managed fine like others said I was well prepared and had friends calling in but no problems x

 

[Mrs Noodles]

Way to go Mrs Noodles! Sounds like you are doing fantastically, and is very re-assuring, especially the stairs as I had visions of being stuck in for days because of mine. Wishing you a speedy recovery. Sieving yoghurt sounds pretty tedious though.

Sieving yoghurt...the excitement eh, oh and I meant soup not soap!

I think as long as you do the prep and have a someone to call on just incase you will be absolutely fine.

I also suffer with my lower back (facet joint) and have steroid injections. x

 

[niccie]

I stayed 2 nights. The bed grab rail will work definitely. It was too painful to do it myself. For some reason I had very sharp pains in my back just under left shoulder, it kept going into spasm .

 

[Ohtobeslinky]

Hey, I had my sleeve in October and didn't need any extra help - but it was nice to have someone to talk to whilst I was off. I was up and about on the day of surgery, walking about the ward on day 2, and then off home. I didn't have any problems getting in and out of bed, up and down from the sofa, or anything else. I did have my OH with me for the first few days but I didn't actually need her help at all.

It's very personal though - some people really suffer after the surgery, some don't. Make sure you have some people on speed dial in case something happens you weren't expecting.

Good luck! x

 

[Mrs Noodles]

I stayed 2 nights. The bed grab rail will work definitely. It was too painful to do it myself. For some reason I had very sharp pains in my back just under left shoulder, it kept going into spasm .

Do you think it was trapped wind as they often say it manifests in the shoulder area? x

 

[niccie]

I wish it was I sometimes still get it, it was worse than the op pain. But I didn't have it before the WLS.

 

[HelenAngelfish]

I live alone and had no one to help me afterwards.

Although I was really lucky and had NO pain. Just tiredness and dizzy if I tried to do too much.

Listen to them when they say no lifting and cleaning until 4-6 weeks! I thought I was good to carry on after 2 weeks after my liquid only phase (maybe before) and decided to hoover the stairs. I ended up getting dizzy (presume it's through lack of calories) and fell down the blooming stairs. *hands over face* lol

As long as you follow the recovery advice, no matter how great you feel, you will be fine xxx