Immediate post-op fashion advice?

[KathyLauren]

My surgery is coming up in just over a month, with Dr. Brassard in Montreal. 

 

I know the standard advice is to wear loose clothes for the trip home.  If it was summer, I'd wear a skirt.  But the weather in Montreal in early March can be anything from sunny and above freezing to a howling blizzard.  So what do people wear?  A skirt with leggings?  (I would guess tights under the skirt are out because they are, well, tight.)  Yoga pants might be a bit revealing, what with all the padding I will likely have between my legs.

 

Another consideration is that I will be travelling alone, so I need to minimize my baggage.  I will have a single wheeled carry-on and a shoulder bag.

 

Any advice will be appreciated.

 

Regards,

Kathy

[Cyndee]

Hi Kathy, how exciting to be planning for this trip ! I wore a maxi dress home, but that was California in the summer time. For colder climate, and the need to bundle up, perhaps consider loose fitting jeans / slacks ? Wide legged jeans, that rest on the hip would be comfy. Perhaps have a long skirt or dress in case the weather is mild at the time of your departure, so you have an option. A long coat might be considered, so you could wear a skirt and still be covered up ? 

 

Hugs

 

Cynthia 

[Jani]

Cyndee's recommendation of a long skirt is what I suggest with the addition of thick knee socks to keep your ankles and shins warm.  I wore a long skirt on the flight home, but it was summer time.  You'll still be moving slowly so a pair of slacks of any type might be a bit difficult to maneuver in.   No one asked but I was ready to ask for help with the notation  that I had just had "abdominal" surgery and needed to be careful.

 

Jani

[Jackie C.]

I plan on wearing a below-the knee denim skirt with socks. I'll be inside a vehicle for most of that and my coat is on the long side, so I should be OK. After reading this, I'm going to see about stealing some thicker socks though.

 

Hugs!

[VickySGV]

1 hour ago, Jani said:

No one asked but I was ready to ask for help with the notation  that I had just had "abdominal" surgery and needed to be careful.

 

@KathyLauren  Do not be ashamed of your post surgical status or try to hide the fact you just had it.  Get an airlines porter to take you to the plane in a wheel chair and do the pre-boarding thing.  (A post op friend who is a flight attendant actually recommends this to help the cabin staff.) Also get them to give you a blanket for your legs during the trip.  A couple of friends of mine who had surgery in Montreal at about the time you are doing it did all of this and were fine and as comfortable as they could be, which would normally leave something to be desired.  The long skirt and knee socks combination will do a great job as far as clothing goes. 

[KathyLauren]

Thanks, everyone.  I like the idea of a long skirt and knee socks.  That should work.

 

@VickySGV, yes I do plan on taking advantage of any assistance available from airline personnel, taxi drivers, etc.  For sure I am planning to do the pre-boarding assistance thing, too. 

 

Thanks.

Kathy

[Laura76]

Hello KathyLauren,  my surgery is scheduled about 1 month after yours. I wish you all the best, my thoughts prayers, and best wishes are with you.  Laura76

[KathyLauren]

35 minutes ago, Laura76 said:

Hello KathyLauren,  my surgery is scheduled about 1 month after yours. I wish you all the best, my thoughts prayers, and best wishes are with you.  Laura76

 

And likewise to you, Laura!

 

Regards,

Kathy

[KathyLauren]

I'd forgotten about this thread.  I should update it, since I had my surgery four weeks ago.

 

I took the advice I received and wore a long skirt with knee socks for travelling.  I only took one outfit with me, trying to travel light, but two would have been better, since there was a whole day to kill prior to the surgery.  The skirt was fine, and although my knees were a bit cool, the outfit worked fine in the wintry weather.

 

At the recovery centre, the fashion choice was sleepwear.  I wore a nightie the whole time.

 

For the trip home, I had booked a wheelchair ahead of time with the airline.  I got wheeled to the gate, a good thing, since it was at the very far end of the concourse.  The airline staff member lifted my bags onto the conveyor for security screening.  I got pre-boarding assistance at the gate, and the flight attendant lifted my bag into the overhead bin.  Same in reverse after landing: I waited until everyone else was off the plane, the flight attendant got my bag down, and I was met by a wheelchair at the gate.  So I didn't have to lift my bag anywhere.

 

The experience at the hospital and recovery centre was surreal.  Going in, the world was almost normal.  Yes, there was a virus coming, but no one was too concerned.  A week later, visitors had been cancelled, and the world was locking down.  There might have been two or three other patients behind me in the surgery queue that got through, but I was definitely one of the last ones before they shut down.  Yes, I am very lucky!

[Cyndee]

1 hour ago, KathyLauren said:

Yes, I am very lucky!

 

Indeed 

 

Glad you made it !!

 

C

[Jani]

I'm sure you are feeling much better by now!! 

 

Jani

[KathyLauren]

6 hours ago, Jani said:

I'm sure you are feeling much better by now!! 

 

Jani

 

Thanks.  I was.  Until I took the dog for a short (or so I thought, and she agreed) walk yesterday.  It was less than 1 km, but I definitely over-did it.  Now everything is swolen and sore again.  Argh! 

 

Oh, well, the good news is the raw bit that my doctor was concerned might be some developing granulation isn't.  I wasn't looking forward to that silver nitrate.  Now I don't have to worry about it (touch wood).

[Jani]

Oooh, I'm sorry to read this.  Remember that while things may look good on the outside, its all knitting together under the skin.  You're still on light duty!!

 

I was given a few of those silver nitrate sticks to deal with a small bit of granulation.  I was afraid to use them after reading others tales.  Thankfully it did go away.

 

Jani