How do I prepare for my upcoming surgery?

Question

In about a month, I will be having some surgery which will put me out of commission for about 4 weeks. My hubby works alot of hours, as does my older daughter who lives with us. How can I prepare ahead of time with meals, cleaning etc so my whole household doesnt fall apart while I am recuperating? I don't work so I have been the chief cook and bottle washer here.

Answer 1

pre-pckage meals and get comfy pillows..

Answer 2

After reading some of the answers to your question, and then going back and rereading your last sentence, "that you don't work" I feel this should be addressed differently. Please don't ever think you "don't work". I fully understand your husband puts in long hours, and I say kudos to him, sounds like a great guy, but I would bet you put in even longer hours doing "your job", keeping the house clean, doing laundry, doing the dishes, grocery shopping, running errands, making sure the bills are paid. You work hard to maintain a smooth running home for them, but now they need to step up and help you. I am sure they appreciate what you already do, but taking charge while you recuperate will give them a whole new appreciation of what it takes to efficiently run a home.

This sounds like a major surgery, and your hubby and daughter should be coming to you, and asking what they could do to make this as easy as possible for you. You are going to be needing lots of rest, and yes, I am sure the doctor wants you up and getting around to heal faster, but never any kind of heavy lifting or an over exertion that may cause bleeding.

Since you have about a month, sit down with them, and make a list of things that really need to be done on a daily basis. Make little reminders and put them around the house, amazing how that helps. Ask your daughter to help you make up some casseroles or sphagetti ahead of time, then freeze them. Then all they have to do is pop something into the microwave or oven. Keep bags of frozen fruit like raspberries, or blueberries for cereal. Bake up some cookies or brownies ahead of time for something sweet. Once a week they can bring in dinner. Healthy whole wheat frozen waffles are very handy plus good for you.

As you slowly get your strength back, you can start to do little things to help out. But let them take care of you, and enjoy it!! They can vacuum, make beds, and wash dishes, how can it be hard to use a dishwasher? And what ever you do, don't pay your daughter to help you, like that one person suggested. This is what family is for, to help each other when in need. Did you ever get paid for helping raise your daughter? I am sure you have paid your dues, and I am sure she must appreciate all you have done for her. Let her reciprocate!!

You mentioned your daughter was working and still lived with you, so I presume she is a little older than a teenager. If she doesn't know how to use a washer and drier, she had better learn fast.

I hope your surgery goes well, and don't worry, your house won't fall apart! If you have house plants, you can buy these little watering devices that will keep your plants watered as if you were on vacation. Good luck, I am sure they will do a great job.

Answer 3

Well they are going to have to pick up some of the xtra slack while you are recupurating. Try to make meals ahead of time that you can freeze. Like pasta sauces so that all ur family has to do is thaw it out and boil the noodles. or you can even cook meat products, freeze them and then all then all that has to be done is let them thaw and then put them into the oven to warm. you will probably be able to start doing little things around the house sooner than you think. Laundry can be done sitting down on a couch, and dishes you can do in small time frames during the day. The extra exercise will help you bounce back quicker as well. Back in 03 I had a major surgery done to me and I was out of commission for 3 months, but I could do small things such as cook and clean a couple weeks afterwords. It wasnt to long before I could go out for a couples of hours a day and come back. But I was always very tired afterwords.

Answer 4

Lots of good ideas concerning the foods and cleaning, so I am going in a different direction.

1) Clothes - your daughter needs to step up to the plate on this one. Do NOT life the laundry basket or even large piles - the weight will add up quickly and you could damage what the doctor fixed - then you will have to go through that all over again.

2) Don't buy large quantities - example a gallon of milk weighs almost 10 lbs! I found that out the hard way after my surgery. Buy the milk in 1/2 gallons instead.

3) Even when you think you are ready to 'get back into the game' - WAIT! If you get back into your normal routine too soon, you will be sorry - again, I found out the hard way.

4) If you don't think either of them will help with the dishes, cleaning -- use paper plates/cups/plastic silverware -- then throw it away --- HUSBAND can take the garbage out! Also, make sure you have your "make ahead" dinners in throw away foil pans or baggies.

Answer 5

The simplest way would be to designate roles for everyone, in terms of chores or duties, and asking everyone in the household to chip to support you while you're recuperating from the surgery.

Even those who work a lot will and probably should chip in. But this is where you'd want to choose responsibilities that fall with their work schedules. For instance, maybe for those who come home after their workday, they can take out the trash and do the dishes.

And if no one knows how to cook... now is the best time to teach them! :P

Answer 6

You have enough to worry about with your upcoming surgery, you will be suprised when your daughter and husband pull together to prepare the meals and do the cleaning etc.
Don't worry about it, you try to take care of yourself and let them pamper you for a little while. They both love you, so I promise they won't mind and they will get the job done. You take it easy now and during your recuperation. Good luck with your surgery.

Answer 7

You're so sweet to be preparing ahead of time for this - and thinking of others. Maybe it's time for your daughter to learn how to cook some basic meals. In which case, a cookbook of the basic things would be a good thing to give her right now. Your husband can look at it with her and maybe cook some things too. Between them, one can cook, the other can clean up. For four weeks, you could probably survive on toast and peanut butter if you had to - well, so could they. Now's the time to get those cooking skills.

Answer 8

well you could get a lot of pizzas and like microwave meals if they don't know how to cook and just make sure they know how to read the directions so they don't burn down your house or something. and for cleaning just make sure you go over a few things with them about how to do this or that and make sure they know what there doing. just be gentle because they are both hard working people and this will take up most or all of there free time.
Good luck with your surgery! i hope you have a safe procedure

Answer 9

Make a lot of food ahead of time, preferably big, simple meals, and freeze it so that your hubby and daughter can iust re-heat it...and if you have another relative or friend to help with cleaning and pet care, etc, ask them to help you. If the money is short and they are a relative, tell them you'll pay them later, if this is a major surgery, which it sounds like it is. Good luck and God Bless.

Answer 10

Well that's what family is all about taking care of each other and when one of the family is down the others have to step up and do more even though it might mean that it calls for more hours than there are in a day. That's what family's are made for. I wouldn't get myself all upset about it because you probably have enough on your mind about the surgery just know that you family will take care of you and you have taken care of them. Good Luck with your surgery........

Answer 11

Find some easy meals - if you have room in the freezer you can make casseroles - but they should be able to manage for four weeks or until you feel up to it. Arrange for friends to come over to do some light cleaning, say once a week. Whatever you do, don't put yourself at risk by trying to take on too much too fast!