What can I definitely not do?!

Hi, only been on here a week, have found it so helpful!
I'm having my op on Thursday and I'm trying to prepare my house and myself.
I know I can't drive, can you tell me what other stuff I'll struggle with?
Help is limited so I'm trying to work out what I need help with and how long for.
Thanks

Hi, reaching for things , keep things down low. Housework as in hoovering floor scrubbing. Lifting heavy things. Washing hair can be difficult at first. soaking insicions but you will need to follow surgeons guidelins with regards to bathing. Other girls will be along with some advice soon xxx

Thanks for quick reply! How long can I not do those things for? Is it a long time?

make sure everything you need is at arms length, stuff in kitchen and fridge put lower, food shop online, set timer on phone for meds, laxatives incase you can't go. Leggings or jeggings for after surgery and the following weeks as you might get bloated from ga. When I started cooking after week 1 I found finest ready mash was nice, pre pared veg, and easy things to cook. Hope this helps x x

You'll feel very tired and uncomfortable for the first 4/5 days so bear that in mind....with most surgery you should rest after and keep activity to a gentle level. Many of us have spent the first few days drifting in and out of sleep as the GA leaves our system. Early days it's improtant your boobs are supported and inactive so they adhere to the pocket so no arm raising, lifting and definitely nothing that would cause them to bounce!! I felt more breathless than usual, so a short walk or gojng upstairs felt more knackering than usual. I would plan to do very little iduring the first week. You will be able to sort yourself out for drinks/meals tho, just plan carefully! Get some DVDs in!

Thank you, sadly I can't rest that much as I'll be on school run duty and cooking etc for the kids the next day. I'll try to make sure everything is easy reach though.

It's very important to follow surgeons instructions as in time frame on when you can do some things. They don't always tell you about everyday stuff. We are always here for your support and to answer question. I was about 6 weeks for hoovering. About 4 weeks for reaching. About 2 weeks for driving. About 2 weeks until I found it ok to wash my hair over the bath. Everyone is different xxx

How old are your kids? No lifting heavy pans. You will find school run hard the following day. Anyone to help you ? Xxx

I would seriously try and get some help in, especially with school run early days. I stayed in hospital for 48 hrs and was grateful for that. We are all different and you could be a lucky one, but I would plan for the worst and anything else is a bonus. Be careful you don't end up invalidating your aftercare as if you don't look after your boobs and something were to go wrong, you suegeon may say you didn't stick to your side of the contract....

Its not advisable to be walking and cooking the next day hun, doing this will void your aftercare. With the ga in your system your going to feel not with it, and very weak and shaky. Have you got someone to look after you when you have your ba? X x

You need at least one week off. It won't just be physically difficult, it will be emotionally draining. You've put yourself through surgery, and the ga will play havoc with your hormones. Most girls start feeling human again around 5-7 days. But during that first week, no over exerting yourself in any way. If you do, there's the risk you might pop a stitch and invalidate your aftercare. So no heavy pans or full kettles, and NO housework. Housework comes under the exercise rule, if you're not allowed to the gym, you're not allowed to vacuum! 

I really would recommend getting some help, for that first week at least.

You won't be able to do the school runs the next day Hun. You won't be able to drive for 1-2 weeks. 
And walking  a fair distance will not be possible. 

You won't be able to Hoover, mop for a good 6 weeks. Anything that requires pushing and pulling heavy are a no no.

Lifting anything heavy again 6 weeks. 

For the first few days you'll need help with even things like doing the washing. You will really need to rest early post op, no overdoing anything. 

You won't be able to shower for about a week. So dry shampoo or getting someone or a hairdresser salon to wash your hair. 

Preparation is key. Make meals to freeze and microwave. Microwave meals, or simple easy things to pop on the oven, things that don't require any effort, ready prepped veggies In bags etc.

Keep things at waist level, so keep a few cups/glasses on the side, tea/sugar on the side, reaching will be difficult fist week. 

How old are your children? Children actually like to help and do chores it makes them feel grown up and maybe get a reward chart or the promise of a reward at the end of the week.

Twinkled wrote:Thank you, sadly I can't rest that much as I'll be on school run duty and cooking etc for the kids the next day.

You've already had the inability to drive explained to you in great detail in your last thread [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] Twinkled. If you choose to ignore the advise given you will not only be putting yourself at risk behind that wheel but you will be putting the lives of your own children at risk too. 

Sorry to be so blunt Twinkled but I feel it needs to be said so you realise the importance of not driving whilst under the influence of a general anaesthetic which WILL still be in your system. 

As for cooking, well you can get yourself oreoared for that now. Cook in bulk and freeze lots, this way you've no need to cook only heat through. 

So you CAN rest Twinkled, you just have to prepare as has been explained to you in your other thread as well as this one and as much as you hate feeling helpless, this is exactly how you're going to feel and you will at least for a week NEED to rely of the help of others. 

I've been here a long time Twinkled and ive seen many a mother back on that operating table through overdoing things hun, so it's really in yours and your children's best interest to get yourself some help in. I'd hate to see you suffer because you didn't think we were being serious babe. X

Thanks for the advice, I think you misunderstand this post today. I'm not asking about driving. I've got that covered and won't need to for two weeks.
However I will have to walk my kids to and from school from Monday and I will have to cook for them.
I also have to return to work on Monday but I have a very sedentary desk job which my surgeon actually said would be ok. 

My question today is more about trying to gauge what I will find hard so that I can spend tomorrow getting the house sorted and do any necessary shopping. 
I didn't want or expect a lecture on driving today, I certainly never mentioned it but I thank you all for you advice and will leave quietly now.

Twinkled, it wasn't ment as a lecture.just advice because of the importance of rest and healing. The good thing about this forum is honesty . So please don't take anything the wrong way. We are here for your support xx

Twinkled wrote:Thanks for the advice, I think you misunderstand this post today. I'm not asking about driving. I've got that covered and won't need to for two weeks.

I fully understood you weren't 'asking' about driving, however you 'did' make the statement yesterday in this thread which I quoted and couldn't just ignore that you said you fully intended to drive the day after your Breast Augmentation. This was 4 days 'after' you'd mentioned about driving in your previous post which I quoted and you had already been advised against on there. Hence my concern for your safety and that of your children's, which im sure if you read it back you will appreciate. 

i will always be honest in my posts Twinkled and I know sometimes it's not what we want to read, but it is always coming from a good place for each and every Breast Buddy I respond to here and that includes you.  


Now....I hope you open the door as quietly as you left and continue sharing your journey with us Twinkled x

This wasnt a lecture hun, we've all had are ba and know what he recovery is like. Some people are fine others like me took a week to just walk down the road. It's best you also have someone to look after you in the first 24 hours, honestly you will feel very tired and weak. And some one to help with meds. Any op you need someone to be with after, otherwise you'll have to stay in overnight. 
 Have you looked into doing that hun? X x

I know I couldn't do much for the first few days at least, it was uncomfortable to even get a tray of chips out of the oven for my kids. Could u maybe put yr kids in for school dinners for the first week and then make them something more simple like beans or egg or something with toast for tea?
If things were a little high for me I used y kitchen pinchers (like what u use to serve stuff up) to reach so I could keep my arms by my side. And if something was low I bent at the knee rather than leaning over cuz it hurt my boobs with all the swelling.
As for kids clubs, sometimes life gets in the way. I know as parents we try really hard to be consistent for our children but sometimes we jus can't. Mine missed their clubs for a week as I just dent feel like it. I couldn't get my coat on properly by myself anyway.
My surgeon said it was better for me to keep moving as much as I could, obviously nothing strenuous and no gym for 2 weeks, then just legs would be OK if I could manage it (which I tried but I couldn't) he said that moving my arms around wasn't an issue and it would help with swelling and stop me getting stiff muscles. Everyones surgeon has different advice though :)
Hope this helps anyway. Chin up, everything will be alright as long as you plan ahead :) x

Don't lie u did say about driving in the 6 post from the top and instead of spitting your dummy out because u got sum honest advise u should be saying sorry to cookie who was only trying to help. Mods I posted a big post in here before but it's gone now was it removed? I'm sorry if this gets taken off as well but I had to say something when I see kindness thrown back in someone's face. 
Love Maisy. X

Can I just say, school run doesn't necessarily mean driving. I do the school run and we all walk as we only live a 5 minute walk from school x