Q: What is ILAB?
A: ILAB is a mental and physical pre & post rehab that Dr. A strongly recommends. You are given exercises before & after surgery as well as a place to work through all your emotions and get in the right headspace.


Q: Is ILAB worth it? 
A: From my experience, yes. They helped me mentally and physically prepare myself more than I ever could have done by myself. ILAB has also been super helpful post surgery, I can't imagine recovering without it. The exercises really really help build back the muscle I lost and I noticed a dramatic change after I started six weeks post op. I have never heard anyone say a bad thing about ILAB.


Q: What if I get my period when I'm recovering in the hospital?
A: I found out that it's pretty common for girls & young women to start their period after the surgery due to the body's trauma. I did start mine but it was a lot lighter than usual. The nurses are really used to seeing it so they know how to take care of you, but you can definitely buy your own pads and underwear if that makes you feel better. (I know, it sucks)


Q: How is the swelling after surgery? 
A: Oh man. I was a swollen, bloated ball of IV fluids and meds for a few days (my fingers and toes looked like sausages). I was swollen everywhere (like really everywhere) but it quickly started to go down and you end up peeing it all out. My dad got a good laugh in looking at how swollen my feet were.


Q: What are the recommended places to stay? 
A: In my opinion, I think the Ronald McDonald house is a really great option, but if it's fully booked, hotels that are really close to the hospital are a good option too. My family and I stayed at both the Hyatt and the Ronald McDonald house and both were good :)


Q: What do I do the day before surgery?
A: I worried about this stuff a lot, and there's no need to. You will have a pre-op appointment no matter what and everything you need (pre-surgery drinks, antibacterial soap, etc.) will be given to you. On the day of the pre-op you can also ask all your procedure related questions (I advise making a little list of questions). All the little rules of what to eat/drink/do will be given to you. Don't stress!


Q: Any advice for someone who's scared of needles?
A: Needles suck. Unfortunately, they do have to draw your blood and do one IV the morning of surgery. I hate needles too, but if you think about it, the two pricks in the morning will honestly be the hardest part of your day. You'll be too high to remember anything else. You got this! :)


Q: What's the most difficult part of recovery?
A: From my experience, weaning off the meds (I was on oxycodone) was the hardest part besides the first few days in the hospital. I know that my body is really sensitive to medications and changes so this might've been worsened for me. I don't want to sound dramatic, but weaning off the meds caused more pain than the pain from surgery (it exasperated the pain from surgery AND created new pain if that makes sense). It was really difficult mentally and physically because I would start to feel better and then the next time I weaned I would feel awful. It felt like I couldn't get better and I wasn't making any progress. Keep pushing though! You are stronger than the meds and you will feel so much better when you get off of them. The process sucks so much but in the end it's so worth it. 

I think it's really important to educate yourself and learn to differentiate surgery pain from withdrawals pain. Look up symptoms and lean on people you can count on. It's ok to feel awful, upset, frustrated, overwhelmed, tired, etc. without knowing why. If you couldn't get what you needed to get done, don't be hard on yourself. Give yourself the space and time to recover. You are not lazy or weak.


Q: When did things start to feel better?
A: This definitely differs from person to person, but I started to actually feel better around 9 weeks. I definitely still had pain and wasn't just back to normal but I started to feel like I was getting stronger. I started noticing I could stand for longer periods of time (~45 min+) and I wasn't super tired and weak. This definitely correlated with getting off the hard meds which were making my life VERY difficult to say the least (keep in mind: I had a double curve and recovery is different for everyone).

Q: Car rentals VS. Uber?
A: *from parents POV* I think having a rental car is 100% the most convenient. If you are staying at the Ronald McDonald House, the walk to and from Saint Peter's is definitely do-able, but it can feel long if you are tired. You never know when you'll need a car for something and it's very useful to be able to have one. Also, on the safety side, having your own rental might be more comfortable. 

Q: Is flying first class worth it after surgery?
A: Personally, I don't know how I would have made it home without first class. I've never flown first class before then, but I definitely think it was worth it. I had one of my parents in first class with me while the rest of my family sat in economy. Also, we flew JetBlue because their first class seats reclined fully flat. I'm a laid back traveler normally and I don't mind being a little sardine in economy at ALL, but I would really consider flying first class post surgery.