I'm scheduled to have my surgery with Dr. McGinn in a couple months.  I've been looking over the paperwork an it's got lots of things to know and items to bring with you.  It's pretty complicated though, and I'm sure there are little things that people have learned from experience.

So from the girls who've already already had their GRS, do you have any tips or pieces of advice you wish you'd known before your surgery?  What things would have made your recovery easier? 

Thanks!!

If you do not have anyone at home once you get back to get things for you make sure you stock up on supplies and food you will need for at least 1 month. The first month you are back home you will not feel much like getting out and about.

Izzy

Thanks Izzy!  I think I read that you went to Dr. McGinn too.  I'm planning to be in the hospital alone and then my mom will be picking me up when I get released and she'll stay with me the rest of the time.  Was there anything at the hospital that you needed for your care-taker to bring you or do???

Thanks!

As a former Dr. Mc.Ginn girl...

1. Don't stay at the Fox-n-Hound Bed & Breakfast Inn. Small and over-priced for what you get. Look in to the Ramada or a hotel in Lambertville.
2. Don't bring too much. Wait till you get to PA and buy the supplies at CVS or Walmart.
3. Be in the best physical shape you can be. It will help you with recovery.
4. Bring extra money for incidentals as they will pop up.
5. Make sure to get your pain prescription meds ahead of time from Mc.Ginn's office.
6. Do get the vitamins and supplements she recommends. The Arnica supplements did work for me.
7. Lower Bucks hospital was great. The nurses went above and beyond.
8. Read everything Dr.McGinn sends you and be sure to explicitly follow her instructions.
9. Do bring as many snacks and packaged foods to eat as possible as few restaurants deliver and you won't feel like dinning out much.
10. New Hope is a "touristy town" so be prepared to pay a premium price for regular every day stuff.
11. Definitely bring extra Colace.

Good luck!

ON THE HOME FRONT --

For self cleaning once you get home have a plastic shoe box with lid that you can store your dilators in, and have it beside you when doing the dirty deed.  I keep both dilator (I am down to 1) and lube in the box, and it is easy to clean and you can put the boyfriend in it between your finish and end of your personal post dilation clean-up.  You can put the dilator and your lube back in the box after you have cleaned off the dilator.

Also have a good supply of plastic bed protectors (Chux Pads) where you can reach them on the bunk where you will be dilating.  At first you may need one per dilation session, but in time you will learn to gauge your lube needs better and not need to toss it away each time.

Another big help is Hotel Grade white wash cloths which you can buy in packs of 25 from Costco and I think Sam's Club.  They work great for handling your boyfriends (dilators) and mopping up after a D session.

Have about 3 10 packs of CHEAP cotton panties on hand because you will probably be changing them several times a day.  I went through about 6 pairs a day for the first four weeks.   The cheap is because you may end up throwing them away if they get stained by dischare.

Have some big bottles of Hydrogen Peroxide on hand for cleaning your underwear.  Hydrogen peroxide gets out the bloody stuff that leaks around your panty liner.