Post op recovery, what to bring with you to the hotel

[JohnArbuckle]

Was wondering what other items people brought (or wish they had brought) with them for the time they spent in the hotel recovering post op, and for the flight home.

 

I assume:

 

-neck pillow

-frozen peas (or ice packs)

-food and drink

-regular pillow so you don't have to use the hotel's

-tylenol (advil and aspirin obviously a no no)

-baby shampoo

-vitamin e oil/aloe vera

-saline spray?

-extra bandaging/surgical tape?

-bactroban?

-shower cap?

 

What else? Are the saline spray, surgical tape and bactroban needed?

 

Also did any of you use any sort of ointment to help the healing?

 

And how did you shower? Did you use a cap or were you just careful to keep your head out of the water? How soon after could you wash your head? And how soon after could you apply aloe vera/vitamin E?

 

Could you wear a hat that soon afterwards on the plane? How were you able to manage the flight back?

[JohnArbuckle]

I guess buttoned shirts too to avoid the trauma of dressing

[azdz]

Good thread. I would not have thought to bring some of that. How come no advil?

[wilkinte]

Your doc should provide you a very detailed plan for after the HT as well as the meds you need. Meds include antibiotic, anti inflammatory, and some kind of pain killer. Mine gave me a saline spray too. You need this plan from your doc, and you need it before you get on a plane (or drive).

 

Getting knowledge from these forums is helpful, and has helped me, but there is no substitute for your doc's plan (I'm presuming you picked a good doc).

 

The one useful thing he may not mention (my doc did and it's noted above) is the importance of button down shirts. Peeling shirts on and off after a HT isn't a good idea.

[mattj]

Things like saline spray, bandages, pain meds and surgical caps are essentials and should be supplied by the clinic.

 

Button down shirts are good, but I wore polo shirts that button part of the way down. As longs as the neck isn't tight and you can get dressed/undressed without your clothes dragging against your head, then you're fine.

 

Just remember to bring things to keep you entertained.

[JohnArbuckle]

Thanks for the helpful responses.

 

How did you all do with the return flight? I don't want to rest my scar on the gross airplane headrest but beyond a neck pillow I can't think of how to avoid it.

 

Also how soon were you able to shower? It seems there is some flexibility about this, but was just wondering what more experienced members had been through. This is a first time thing for me.

[wilkinte]

I had FUE, so no scar to deal with. That being said, you'll still be numb from the anesthesia plus the pain killers you better be on from the doc. That's a good thing.

 

I wore a sanitized baseball cap (clinic did the sanitizing) home. No problem. I had taken the dressing off my donor area the morning before I flew, you may need to leave yours on. If worse came to worse I would have flown in a surgical cap. He should send you back to hotel with this. Real risk of scratching out your grafts when you sleep. If you're lucky enough to sleep, my HT was spread over 2 days and I hardly slept at all - nerves or something.

 

I showered every day of surgery and right after, no water on the head. My first wash was two days after the HT. Doc had very specific instructions on that.

 

After about a week I got more aggressive with the hair washing, again under his instructions. Key thing is to lose the scabs.

 

Keep em coming,

[Louisjams]

A good clinic will give you everything you need. This includes medications and bandages. It also includes cleaning supplies. You will get sent home with a little care package. They should also give you a means to contact them even at night if you have a problem.

 

Bring button down shirts. Whatever kind of surgery you are having this is the way to go. Don't be pulling anything over your head.

[Louisjams]

Sleep with your head on a towel so you don't get blood on the hotel sheets or they will charge you a fine.

[wilkinte]

Sleep with your head on a towel so you don't get blood on the hotel sheets or they will charge you a fine.

 

my surgical cap soaked them up!

[JohnArbuckle]

Thanks for your insightful responses, this is all extremely helpful.

 

One last thing, for those of you that applied aloe vera or vitamin E ointment, how soon after were you able to start doing this?

 

Good thread. I would not have thought to bring some of that. How come no advil?

 

Advil is ibuprofen which increases your risk of bleeding.

[mmaldo500]

i did 99% aloe vera from day 1 both on donor and receiving area.

My scabs feel of at day 6 and the redness was pretty tame