RC - what do I take? Items when I get home?

See Ben: I told you they were good!

George I like how you keep minimizing cancer like that.

Does anyone know where a guy could buy a scene of humor around here, I seem to have a low laughter count.

Best of luck Ben, were all here if you need us.

Mark

Now that return home thing.
Being back home will be the GREATEST Thing! This is where your new life begins. My wife and I had 30 years of Fantastic Marriage When cancer stepped into our world, BUT the lessons we learned after surgery Changed the meaning of marriage. We became an undefeatable force of 2! I thought we were in a close and strong relationship before............ pushaw! The bond, created between us, during this whole affair was incredible indeed. We both leaned on each other. Strangely, this cancer thing brought us closer than anything before. Something about fighting a battle together......

So......... When you get home.
I hate them, BUT.......... a Recliner is invaluable. It is hard to sit up straight in a chair. It is also hard to lie down all the time. So get out that recliner.
The Bed.....next to the Bathroom! You will be uniquely tied to the bathroom for a while. Bathroom humor will become a new realm of conversation for you. Hopefully this will be on the ground floor.
The friends.... They will not know if it is OK to come over. If you feel up to it, I guarantee they will make you feel better. But a few rules here.... Don't show them your scar! And hide all the bags and tubes under covers. Look as though you are just relaxing. I had a few friends at the house 3 days after I was released. They were glad to see that I was going to make it, and my wife got to forget about cancerfor a little while. I took 2 naps during the visit.... They were ok with it and so was I.

And finally, I have 2 words for you .... Paper Towles...... Oh yeah! Saved us a lot of angst from spillage Oh! and that sense of humor should come home from the hospital too!

You are going to do fine. Just be prepared for some changes in your life. Surprisingly, if you look for them, they will change your life in many positive ways.

George

Mike's certainly right about that one! (as he is with everything else...didn't want to imply anything) They get all excited about passing gas in the surgical ward.

I'll bet not so much around the house even if your wife is a nurse.

Mike

After a lifetime of hiding it, it’s now time in recovery to celebrate your first FART! It is a sign that your digestive system is starting to function properly. It also means that you will start getting better food than that liquid stuff.

Also your laptop can overheat setting on your blanket.

Ben

Mike took my BEST ideas! That sense of humor thing is WAY important!
These are the facts:
YOU will be a handful for a while. Apoligize beforehand.
The first few days you will need nothing. That walking thing will wear you out completely.
The last few days in the hosp. will require a renewed sense of humor on your part. You won't get much sleep, your room mate will be "interesting" and you will be quite bored. But you will also find that reading a book or "thinking" is unusually hard for some reason. Just going to the bathroom will be a GOAL (think of it)

I found these things to be most comforting at the hospital; An ipod with my favorite tunes (the hospital is LOUD!) an ipad is now so much more useful than my laptop computer of old (you need to keep us informed ) Basic toiletries. I was glad for a shave after 4 days (It made my visitors more comfortable) A COMB! (for obvious reasons.... but 4 day bed head is scarey to visitors)
Yes to slippers and a robe, because you WILL walk! That's an order!
I found my cell phone was easier than the hospital phone to use, and don't forget the charger!

I know that everyone is different, but I found the time in the hospital to be a chance to relax (weird Huh?) I had been running at 1000mph and scared witless before the surgery, and Suddenly I was forced to slow down and be selfish for a while, and look around at how Good I really have it. I was determined to get better, and I left the hospital feeling really lucky.

Now this may seem weird but, You will have a loose grasp on reality. I thought I was in Full control of my faculties at all times. After I got out I was told stories of my weird behavior by my wife and kids. I thought they visited a little sparingly. They informed me that they were there every day for long periods of time. I guess I figured since they weren't there every time I was awake..... they weren't there much.

Now that I've made a perfect fool of myself..... you can find your own "normal" while in the hospital.

Best of Luck

George

Ben,

Maybe some sort of code you guys can do. For example, if you get grouchy from the pain meds, she can hold up a giant smiley face. Then you can both get a laugh? I don't know. Whatever you think might work for you. The morphine can be bad for being a jerk (so I've been told).

Maybe you right a stack of apology coupons. You get grouchy, she takes out the apology coupon and says "That's one"....

When you both know it may happen there are things that can make it better.

My wife and I were already very close but we got a thousand times closer during that recovery. She was there for me and had my back. I really, really needed her and she was there. Other folks here had similar stories about their relationships.

Mike