Leanne's Story: My grown-up surgery wish list

The holidays are upon us, and with my belt lipectomy surgery only 7 weeks away, my thoughts are turning to all the things that I need to do to get myself, and my home, prepared.

I hope that you’ve enjoyed reading about my journey so far. In my first post, I recalled how hard it was for me to lose weight, and why I had to turn to gastric surgery.  A then, in my second post, I recap how I chose ended up choosing my plastic surgeon despite the $20k price tag.

This month, I’m putting together my grown-up surgery wish list. I hope this helps others who may be also trying to plan for their surgeries.

1) A lift chair: This is probably my biggest “need”. Because my incision is 360 degrees around my middle, it will be impossible for me to turn my body. I’ll need a lift chair to sleep in and hang out in. At first, I contemplated buying a used one, but then I learned there are retailers that rent them, which is a much more affordable option! I’ll be renting one with all the bells and whistles from Vital Mobility in the Greater Toronto Area. They also rent chair covers for protection, and they deliver the chair to your door (those suckers are heavy!).

2) Bryght’s Strength Repair Balm: A friend of mine had surgery last year to remove an aggressive, cancerous tumor from her thyroid. Her neck dissection was much larger than what is typical. She started using Bryght’s Strength Repair Balm before surgery during radiation, and again after surgery to help minimize her scar. Now, the reality is that her scar will always be there, however, it has healed so beautifully, so I am jumping on the Bryght train! Also worth noting that many of Bryght’s products are oncology-safe.

3) A sleepshirt: Comfort will be a big deal post-surgery. I’ve realized that I’ll want to wear loose fitting clothing over top of my compression garment, so I’ve already started shopping for sleepshirts. Admission: I’ve never been a sleepshirt girlie. I love a full pajama pant, but waistbands will be a no-go. Canadians will know and love our own plus size fashion brand, Penn, also known as Pennington’s. They have an excellent selection that includes both short and long lengths, and I was absolutely thrilled to find one with Snoopy on it! I love Snoopy.

4) Compression socks:  Swelling and edema will be major factors post-surgery. To help improve blood flow and reduce swelling, I’ve bought a few pairs of compression socks from Viasox, and I’ve been wearing them already. They are not just for people with diabetes! This may sound crazy, but they make my legs feel more supported, especially when I’m doing any activity that requires standing for long periods of time. I’m sure you won’t be surprised to learn that they, too, have Peanuts patterns. More Snoopy!

5) TuckTats temporary tattoos:  I honestly can’t wait to try these temporary tattoos for abdominal scars. I will take excellent care of my incision to try and minimize scarring, but it’s unlikely that my scar will be completely invisible. These temporary tattoos are an excellent option for coverage when I need it, without the pain and permanency of a real tattoo. I can also start to use these as soon as my incision is closed and the skin is healed (likely about 6-8 weeks post-surgery). Their designs are so fun and realistic, I might just throw one on to freak out my mother.

For those of you who went through surgery, what were your must-haves?