Preparing for Hysterectomy Surgery & Recovery

I've been reading up on suggestions of things to have, to help you through recovery.  Below are some of the things I found, that may be useful and have purchased for myself.   Of course, once I am going through recovery, I'll let you know how much each one did actually help. 😉  **Always ask your doctor first before trying anything.  These are just some of the ideas I've read that were useful for other women who had a hysterectomy.

• A soft comfortable robe.  Whether you are staying in the hospital for a few days or fully recovering at home.  A comfortable robe is nice to have walking through the hospital halls, especially while wearing the hospital gowns that tend to want to open up in the back flashing everyone you walk by. 😮 It's also nice to wear at home when you need to do your walking around, but aren't up to getting dressed. 
• A Pair of Slip on Slippers.  You will definitely want a pair of soft comfortable slippers that are easy for you to slide on to your feet.  Good for when they make you start walking around at the hospital.  Also, great for going to and from the bathroom or walking around at home during your recovery.  This way you would not have to bend down to put them on.

• A Tummy Binder.  I have read that using some sort of tummy binder helps with healing and swelling of your belly.  It is useful for any hysterectomy you have, but especially if you had an abdominal one.  I purchased one that included cold/heat packs and a mesh pocket to slip them in.  That way I can have the cold/heat packs on my belly even while walking around.  Some women like using them, others prefer not too.  I figured if for some reason I didn't end up liking it, I could still use the binder and packs for back aches as well.  But, I wanted to have it handy just in case it does really help.  I purchased mine online through the hystersisters store.  You can purchase binders at Walgreens, CVS and other places as well.  I'm not sure if they have the pockets for the cold/heat packs though.

• Eye Mask & Ear Plugs.  If you're staying in the hospital for a few nights, you may want to have an eye mask and ear plugs handy.  Hospitals can get pretty loud and you will need as much rest as possible.  It's also good if you have a snoring husband or young children around.  That way you can block out as much noise and light as you can to keep resting.

• Hot Water Bottle.  I read somewhere that putting ice cubes and water in one of these and putting it into a pillow case and lay it on your belly helps a lot.  Also, when you want to apply heat, putting hot water in it will do the trick as well.  I have a heating pad I will use for when I want to use heat on my belly.  But, if you don't have a heating pad, this will work great as well.  I bought one for myself off of Amazon, but you can find them at Walgreens, CVS, Walmart and other places as well.

• Nightgowns/Night Shirts & Comfy Clothes.  You will want to wear things that aren't tight around your belly.  A night shirt or gown is good to wear while recovering, you can just slip it over your head.  If you choose to wear pants, you may want to get baggy sweats or shorts that are loosely fitting.  You want to be as comfortable as you can.  This is the time your husband/boyfriends big shirts/sweats come in handy. 😀

• Small Pillow.  A small pillow is good to use between your tummy and the seat belt for car rides.  Also, a good protection to have from small children or pets that may try to come around your belly.  It will also help to hold it on your belly when you have to cough or sneeze.

These are just a few ideas that I found, that could be very useful during recovery.