Wednesday, October 8, 2014

Don't feed after midnight ...



     Tomorrow is my day to slay the alien at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City. According to their instructions, I am not allowed to eat or drink after midnight. I wonder if I'll turn into a gremlin if I do ? 

     Anyway, back to slaying that alien in my gut tomorrow. My bags are packed and I'm ready to go. Now I'm just trying to actually sit still for a moment long enough to write. I am finding it difficult though, but in a good way. 

    I have been inundated with visits, phone calls, texts and e-mails wishing me well tomorrow. I am overwhelmed with the outpouring of love and support I have received from everyone in my life. It is truly a wonderful thing to know how many wonderful people have your back in a time of need. 

    Now all I have to do is let my doctors do their job and I'll do mine. I firmly believe that I have made the right decision and done so in my own terms. I am ready for change. I am ready to have my life back. 

Before I sign off from the blog for a few days, I'd like to talk about the few things that I've packed to help make my hospital stay more comfortable.

PJ's & Slippers



    First and foremost, are of course pajamas and slippers. 
When I found out I was having surgery, I asked a few people who've been through this as to what they thought were the most important things to pack. Everyone said comfortable and loose fitting clothing but also slippers or slip on shoes. They explained that the act of bending over to put socks or shoes on would be difficult after surgery. Shoes are needed though. Walking around is a crucial step to recover with this surgery as it gets your bowel's moving again. 

     My mantra over the next few days is to walk as soon as they try to get me up the first time. And than keep doing it. I want to be doing laps around the hospital ward floor. Even if I'm shuffling. 

    With this all in mind, I've packed a few comfy older pairs of pj's as well as a terry cloth robe. I treated myself to the softest flannel drawstring pajama bottoms I could find and tried to find a comfortable pair of slippers. I think I have found them :-)


Electronics 


    Probably almost as important as cloths, is my electronics. These beautiful technological gadget's will hopefully keep me occupied. I've brought along my kindle loaded with some lovely new books gifted by friends as well as my iPad to watch TV and movies with. I've brought along a set of headphones as well as one of those new nifty bluetooth wireless speakers that have surprisingly good sound. Overall, I think I have the entertainment portion of this excursion covered.


Mug & Tea


Lastly I've packed myself a giant mug to have cups of tea with as well as my own tea bags. If you know me well, you know that I am quite particular about my tea. This will most likely be my biggest comfort as I will be on a liquids only diet the first few days. 

So cheers to you.
I am off to slay the alien at 10:30 tomorrow morning. 





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