Going home

Be sure to arrange to have a ride home from the hospital. As much as you’re looking forward to going home. the trip can be uncomfortable experience. You’ll be dealing with seat belts, the abdominal strain of getting in and out of the car, and the inevitable bumps along the way. You also may feel dizziness and nausea from anesthesia.

If you live near by the hospital, here are some tips to make going home a bit more bearable:

• Wear very loose clothing.
• Time your pain medication so you take a dose just before leaving the hospital.
• Have a pillow with you in the car so you can hold it against your abdomen for support.
• Take a bottle of water with you so you can sip all the way home.
• Do ankle exercise by flexing your feet back and forth and then rotating each foot in a circle.