:) here are a few essential tips I personally learned thru Pats website here and the awesome folks on surface hippies, if you are preparing for surgery read me.

• bring your Ipod for relaxation and to drain out hospital noises
  
  Wear silky pj capris if you are a woman to hospital
  Research Research your doctor and find one who you TRUST
  

Do it Soon the more you wait the worse shape you will be in
Have a recliner
Have a Polar Ice Machine (bought mine on Ebay for 70 bucks) kodiak model
Have a memory foam pillow
Have a grabber
DRink GALLONS of water literally while catheter is in place to flush out system I drank at least 2 gallons of water post op- works for me!
Have a raised toilet seat installed before you go home
Have a positive attitude and get excited about your life again
Have a relative come stay with you week one if your spouse is at work
Have Motrin and Tylenol in medicine closet
Have a plastic bag in the car glove box for easy entry exit for your toush
Have a safety bar (removable) in shower
Have a sense of humor
Have a notebook to write down medicine times

Sounds like a nearly perfect list! (coming from a L. BHR recipient of 6 days)

Hi Sherri

Thanks for putting the list together.  Great idea and very helpful.

Good Luck.

Pat

This is going to sound silly - but I wore a short waitress' apron when I got home from surgery - it held my cordless phone, a notepad and pen, tools, and whatever else, while I "crutched" around the house...LOL!!