1. Blender... this should be obvious. Other people have been saying an inversion blender too but I know I won't need it so I haven't gotten one.
2. Water pick... I've not quite mastered this thing yet and it tends to get a little too much pressure at times but a good water pick will save your sanity when you really just want to brush your teeth!
3. Peroxyl mouthwash. This is from my own personal medicine cabinet but I'm glad I already knew about it. Its a special mouthwash that use to only be an Rx but is now sold OTC. Its for mouth sores and other gum infections. My dentist told me about this a few years ago when I was getting horrible canker sores and it worked wonders. Let me just say.. I'm so glad I knew about this. It's been wonderful. They had something similar that is an Rx in the hospital when I was there but they didn't send me home with any or an Rx for it so this works just as good and tastes much better. I really like the fizz the hydrogen peroxide does in my mouth and gets rid of almost all the yuckiness from wounds and blood and drinking through a straw. You can buy at a pharmacy like Walgreens or online. We couldn't find it a Walmart or Target. Here's a link to the stuff in case you're confused: http://www.drugstore.com/search/search_results.asp?srchtree=1&Ntt=Colgate+Peroxyl&N=4294839095&Ntk=All
4. Mouth Sponge Lollipops... Uh, yea I don't know what they're technically called but they had them in the hospital and I loved them. they squeeze in between your ity bitty opening and are able to sponge off a lot of the gunk. I use it with the mouthwash above. I had to send the husband out to find them. He said he had a hard time finding them and that he ended up getting them from a medical supply company so maybe order online before hand. He could only find 7 so I'm going to try that as well now. Here's a link to some on Amazon. I won't need 250 though so I'll find a smaller qty. http://www.amazon.com/Toothette-Individual-Oral-Swab-Box/dp/B0007VBDAI/ref=pd_sim_hpc_5
5. Bendy straws... again, obvious. The straight ones will work but its just easier if they bend. :)
6. Ice and large gallon size Ziploc... for the swelling
7. Aquafor. I was using an Rx of Bacitracin on my lips right after surgery for a week until I saw Dr S but he informed me that's why they weren't healing right and I had continual scabs. He told me to get some Aquafor and keep it slathered on my swollen lips and nose. It's been heavenly. I sent my mom to the store for some and this is what she brought me back. It's huge... but I have a feeling I'll use it up pretty fast.
8. Humidifier. I guess you'll only need this if you had a turbine and septoplasty done as well which I did but it's been a must. When in the hospital they kept me connected to a high pressure humidifier along with the oxygen to help so my nose wouldn't become overly dry because of all the blood and gunk in there. I have to say that I think keeping up on that helped my nose clear out really fast. It only took a little over a week for my nose to be clear and pass most of the huge chunks.
9. Q tips and hydrogen peroxide or saline solution... Again for the nose. In the hospital the nurse had me use q tips and saline solution to clear out the boogers and blood so I could breath better. At home I don't have saline solution so I've been using hydrogen peroxide. Just dab a q tip in it and a quick clear and you're good to go.
10. Liquid high protein meals- Boost, Ensure, Slimfast or Carnation Instant Breakfast. I have a variety of all of them and I'm glad I do. They're easy and do pretty good at filling you up. You'll need the calories so you keep up your energy. I'm having a hard time getting more than 800 calories in a day but that's ok for me as I need to lose a lot of weight anyway. (down 15lbs so far). These are great when really cold and you can either use a straw or the syringe if you're not at 'level-straw' yet. lol
11. Water. Or better yet, Vitamin water or Smart Water. I tried both and didn't like them but that's just me. I don't like any water except Dasani and even then I'd rather have a Pepsi. Anyway-- those have electrolytes and vitamins and stuff so they're better for you when you need all the help nutritionally you can get.
12. The most important- Feeding syringes with tube. -- I can't believe I didn't make this number one!!!! This really is the most important. My nurse in the ICU was the genius who figured out this was the best thing every and every Rn after her said her praises. Basically it's a large syringe with a feeding tube attached to it. The wonderful nurses sent me home with about 8 of these things in various sizes. You'll need them at first to eat like a baby bird, to take your meds, and they're also good to help squirt water and suck it back up in it when you're home and don't have a handy suction sitting next to your hospital bed. Here's the picture of it in front of my huge medicine bottles. Do whatever you can... beg, borrow, cheat, steal... to get lots of these before you leave the hospital!
13. Plastic baby spoons. This one I found out all on my own. Its a good thing we still have them around because I would've had to send the hubby out to get more if not. Basically those very beginner stage tiny plastic baby spoons is what you're looking for. You can find them in the baby isle. The ones we have are from First Years and called Take and Toss and come in a set of 8 or something for $3.00. Basically, I can't fit anything else in my mouth. I'm at the mashed potato/soft pureed foods (just like a baby) phase of this and since my mouth is still pretty banded shut its the only way anything it getting in there unless its syringed which I refuse to do with potatoes. The metal spoons also seem to be too rough on my tender swollen lips and palette.
14. Boxes of tissues. I don't normally have tissues around the house but because it was beginning of school time they were on sale and I thought I was going to need to send some to school with K. However, I didn't so we have them. And boy am I glad. I'm pretty sure I'll be going through the entire 3 pack of the largest size of Puffs Plus. Between the drooling, the bleeding, the nose runs, the syringe droplets and your failures of straw drinking you'll be a wet mess. Keep them on hand to wipe up. Since you're doing a lot of wiping you want them nice and soft.
15. Baby wipes. Kind of along the same lines as the tissues. When you start eating you'll tend to notice you too eat like a small child. Most of what was on your spoon ends up on your lips and chin and only have your family laughs at you will you know because you can't feel a damn thing. Wipe up. Baby wipes are soft on skin and perfect for the job. I also needed them for (clearing throat) eh, bum wiping right after getting out of the hospital. TMI! Lots of people tend to have constipation from the meds and lack of food but I of course am not normal and I was given Ibuprofen which I am not suppose to take after my Nissen for my stomach so I had a horrible case of the shits. My poor little bumhole needed a little TLC so the wipes came in handy. Since you're still very top heavy you don't have a lot of stamina to be bent over taking care of your bum because your swollen and bleeding out of your face. So get in get out, use a wipe. :)
16. Pepto Bismol. If you read #15 you'll know why. But also I guess its pretty common to have pretty bad reflux after this surgery. Because its a liquid its the best to help out. I even had some reflux problems one day and that's saying a lot since I had the Nissen to fix that years ago.
Well, that's about all I can think of at the moment. Since its after 1am I can't really go upstairs and rummage through my hospital tub full of patient care stuff my hubby keeps with him for my care. If I missed something I'll come back.
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