Tips for surgeries

List of advice for preparing for cardiothoracic surgery

1. Make a list of family, friends, loved ones, etc., whom you would like to keep informed about your surgery. Include contact information for each person. You will probably want to designate a few people (two or three) who can contact the hospital for information during and after surgery, and while you're in ICU, and relay that information to everyone else. Some prefer to use phone chains, with each person contacting one more person until everyone is notified. Note who may want to see you while you are in ICU, as your hospital may have restrictions (e.g., on allowing young children in ICU).
2. Make a list (with contact information) of people who may be available to help you prepare before surgery, or to help deal with things while you are in hospital and after you get out. Rotating different people can help prevent any one person from feeling burnt out or overburdened.
3. Look at some books on preparing for surgery. There are lots out there, and different ones speak to different people.
4. Listen to some CDs designed for surgery preparation.
5. Breath-focused meditation before and after surgery can help to calm.
6. Make sure your bedding and other staples are set up for when you come home. Controlling the room temperature can be important as tolerance for hot and cold may be low after surgery. Heating pad, ice pack, pillows, blankets, fan, air conditioner, heater, and related items can be prepared before you go into the hospital. Plants are great to have in a room while convalescing. An air filter might help if you tend to have allergies -- sneezing with a broken sternum is no fun. And remember, opening or closing windows could violate your sternal precautions, as will moving anything heavy.
7. Setting things up ergonomically is also important, as you will be under sternal precautions afterwards. Putting clothes, towels, etc., where they can be grabbed without opening drawers, or reaching high or low, is important. Having people who can do laundry, take out garbage, and go grovery shopping is a good idea.
8. Have medical supplies on hand for when you get home. You'll probably need to take your temperature, weight and blood pressure your first few weeks out of hospital. Make sure you can get all your prescriptions filled when you get out of hospital, and that you have a way to deal with child-resistant tops (you might not be able to open them yourself). Some 4" x 4" gauze sponges and wound cleaner (without alcohol, e.g., Skintegrity Wound Cleaner by Medline) are good for cleaning your wounds. Tylenol is good (you'll have prescription pain meds, but it's good to have backup). Ibuprofen and naproxyn are probably contraindicated because of their anti-inflammatory effects.
9. Have easily prepared food on hand, or someone to prepare food for you. Protein shakes are good to boost your protein intake. Microwaveable food is good because it is easy. Buy smaller containers -- you probably won't be able to lift a gallon of liquid by yourself, for example. Store food ergonomically so you can get it without pushing, pulling, reaching far, etc. Have a way to deal with lids on jars and bottles, and other obstacles that might require you to exert a lot of force.
10. Have people who can go on walks with you when you get out. Walking will be very important as you recover, and having company can make all the difference. Also, being able to get out is good for morale, even just going to a cafe -- no caffeine though -- so having people on hand for company is important. You might want to participate in an exercise group designed for recent surgery patients, and your health care provider may have more information for you about that. Might as well get this information together before surgery, as opposed to dealing with it afterwards.
11. Connecting up with your spirituality can be very helpful. You'll probably be asked your religious affiliation on admission to hospital. If you give a religious affiliation, you will probably receive visits from chaplains during your hospital stay. Having others praying for you (or doing whatever they do, chanting, meditating, lighting candles, whatever) is nice.
12. You may not be able to sleep very well when you first come home. Being able to listen to the radio or music, or watch something on TV, in the wee hours of the morning, might be important. Reading may be tough because of inability to concentrate well after surgery, but the more you read the better it will get. Having some interesting but short things to read, or books that you can pick up and put down, is good. Or even doing crossword puzzles, sudoku, or schoolwork can help improve your concentration. Netflix might be a good idea -- you can watch a LOT of movies while convalescing, so having movies on hand is something to consider.
13. Taking a shower can be a challenge after surgery. Having something to hold onto in the shower is a good idea. A chair to sit in is a good idea. Have a friend there just in case you need help.
14. Taking care of business before surgery is important. Any bills that will need to be paid? Automatic electronic payment of bills is available through most banks and credit unions. Any paperwork that will need to be filled out? Advance health care directive, will, applications for disability benefits, are examples of things to consider.
15. Having somebody to take your personal possessions on admission is a good idea. If you require glasses or a hearing aid, it's important that the hospital know this and have them on hand for you afterwards. Do not wear contact lenses when you have surgery, and be prepared not to wear contact lenses for the first few weeks after surgery, until you can comfortably put them in and take them out yourself.
16. A haircut before surgery is always nice, along with anything else that might help -- massage, pedicure, whatever. Indulging and grooming your body can help you feel better in the weeks after surgery, when you may feel too fatigued or have too much pain for such things.
17. Getting your teeth cleaned before surgery is a good idea, as it may be several weeks before you feel able to brush regularly. If there is any major dental work that could cause problems in the few months after surgery, then take care of it now. You risk endocarditis if you have dental work (or anything else that exposes the blood to potential infection) done in the first 3-4 months after surgery, so it could literally be a life-saver to deal with it now.
18. Be kind to yourself. This is a big thing to deal with, and reminding yourself that you're doing your best, and keeping a positive outlook, goes a very long way to helping you get through it all.