In a daze anyone?

[peachtree]

Hi guys I'm currious what everyone was feeling when they first come out of surgery and wake up. Are you so drugged you don't feel anything, or are you in tons of pain and feel like a truck ran over you? Also I've seen the threads about hair. What did everyone do with theirs. I have long, curly hair and am thinking will I have dread locks?

[summer]

I just felt uncomfortable, stiff and achey. I cut off most of my hair before surgery and am very happy I did. It's so much easier to take a shower now.

[dawney]

I am getting surgery in September and I think I am going to have mine french braided. I think before surgery I am also going to get my eyebrows waxed and my legs. This way my legs won't look like tree trunks, lol, by the time I get home.

[sweetness514]

Pain after surgery

It was mostly excruciating and I was very dizzy until after the first two-three days when they switched my meds from Morphine to Codeine.

[crookedspine]

I was not in pain because of the meds, but very uncomfortable at times. My hair looked sooo bad. I felt as if it was standing straight up...then found out it was! There is a "shampoo" you can use that is waterless. You put a shower cap on and scrub...it has the shampoo in it. You just brush it out and let it dry. It wasn't as good as a real shampoo and rinse, but much better. I have also heard (but did not try) about a device you can put on and simply sit at a sink. The contraption allows all the water to run into the sink. Linda

[SandyC]

Waking up felt like partly dream and partly reality. There was a little pain, but I was given meds for it.

If you have long hair try braids to keep it out of your way. You won't care how you look anyway. When you go to the hospital, wash your hair, but don't put any styling product on it. It's going to be awhile before you can wash your hair and all the stuff you put in it will make it dirty faster.

[mattie]

I wasn't in a lot of pain after my surgery. For the first 4 days I hardly remember anything. After that I was uncomfortable but not in a lot of pain.
My staples hurt more than anything else. They were very uncomfortabe for me.
I also had my hair cut before my surgery and glad I did. When I came out of surgery I didn't know what I looked like and didn't care. It was much easier for me to take care when I did care. I washed my own hair and did my own personal care with no help. My husband cleaned and dressed my incision for me, I could not have done it by myself.
Mattie

[Suzy]

I felt relief it was over and surprised it wasn't the horrible pain so many talked of and I expected. The drugs WORK! I was in and out of it the first 3-4 days. I was able to talk to family but only remember a bit here and there. I was coherient enough right after surgery to whistle at my Dad who was wandering around looking for my bed! There was discomfort but I wouldn't call it pain, right after surgery. As to the hair question, Mine is down to my bra strap and straight. I bought the thing you put around your head and sit at the sink and the water runs into the sink as you wash your hair. I never used it and returned it to the store later. I was able to shower when I got home.(I didn't care what I looked like in the hosp.). It worked out not brading it or putting it in a ponytail. I guess because it is so straight. Keep in mind you will be laying down for most of the time so make sure you can lay your head comfortably on braids. Frenchbraid might be the way to go. As to the waxing I thought of that but was worried I would get an ingrown that I wouldn't be able to fix. ( I'm not a waxer anyway.) I was not as furry as I thought I would be after 8 days in the hospital.

[sweetness514]

I think that it's important to tell the nurses if you're in too much pain, b/c when it is unbearable it's not good and some meds work more for some people and not for others-wich was my case with Morphine, so when they switched I loved the nurses at that point.