Eating after surgery.... What can I prep?

last month

I recently found out I need to have a hysterectomy - possibly with followup treatment. I have never had surgery before… I am not too anxious but a bit frazzled about it all. . Mostly I am frustrated about the fact it is winter. Winter in Maine requires some heavy lifting (firewood, snow shoveling) which I am not going be able to do for 6 weeks. Plus moving around outside is trickier.

Anyhow today I decided I need to think about some meal prep. Anyone have suggestions about what kind of food they wanted post surgery. My vague inclination is that I will want bland food for a bit and gradually getting back to normal food. Would you prepare finished meals like soups casseroles or stews? Or just prepare building blocks like broth, beans?

Hungry great-niece on Thanksgiving…

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plllog

last month

last modified: last month

Petalique, I loved reading all the Winter survival stuff. So foreign to me, it's like reading a travel journal.

Carol is so right about the pain killers--I forgot about that. It's better for your health if you use them if you can. A '70's muffin recipe from a family friend, which was quite populat then, is the best for the side effects of post-op opioids (it worked for both my parents who had very different metabolisms and guts), and tasty and nutritious too. There's a newer medicine that's supposed to do the same thing, but the muffins really work, and without being scrtchy or heavy. I've posted it before, but here it is. The batter will last up to 6 weeks in the fridge, so you can bake a few fresh daily, or bake more ahead and freeze. They're good for a day or three once baked, but best in the first 30 hrs.

6 Weeks Muffins

Yield: 4-6 dozen

Dissolve 5 tsp. baking soda in 2 cups of boiling
water and set aside to cool. Make sure all the soda dissolves.
1 c. shortening (butter or margarine or both, or shortening (or oil, as Glenda has done))
2 c. sugar
4 eggs
1 qt. buttermilk
4 c. flour
1 tsp. salt
4 c. Kellogg's All-Bran cereal (or similarj
2 c. Kellogg's 40% Bran Flakes (or any bran flakes)
2 c. chopped dates and raisins

They don't make 40% Bran Flakes anymore, though Kellogg makes "All-Bran flakes" which I think are the same thing. Any bran flakes work, even raisin bran if you adjust the quantities for the raisins.

Some people like an extra cup of dates/raisins. This changes the
muffins from being more fiber to more sugar.

Cream shortening and sugar.
Add eggs and soda/water
Add remaining ingredients, gradually, and mix well.
Keep batter in an air tight, well sealed container, up to 6
weeks in the refrigerator.
After refrigerating do not stir again.
Spoon into greased (sprayed) muffin tins (they come out fine in metal or stoneware)
Bake at 375 for 25 minutes.

Note: You do not have to refrigerate before baking
the first batch, but it's easier to handle the batter if you do

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Comments (20)

carolb_w_fl_coastal_9/10
last month
Well, you do want to be sure to get lots of protein, and you also want to get enough calories to help with healing.

Protein drinks can be helpful when your appetite isn't that strong. These are good ones that come in a variety of flavors:
plllog
last month
If there aren't any requirements in your instructions, I'd say prepare, portion and freeze either complete dishes that warm up well, or components for them, if they're easy to put together. Also consider you may have limited mobility (like walking) for awhile, so choose things that are easy to digest. Also, make sure to have things that are easy to eat and which will tempt you when you're not feeling like getting a meal ready is worth it. Maybe some comfort foods, like mac and cheese and vegetables, or hunger satisfiers, like cut up steak (and vegetables). Stews and hashes are great for warming you with limited chewing if you're just feeling blah. The specifics of what you want to eat when you're down depend on what you like. Something to remember is that your tongue may get out of whack, and things can taste too salty or suddenly bland, and that kind of thing, so maybe go easy on some flavorings, and be ready with condiments to adjust with while you're eating.

Many good wishes gor an easy surgery and speedy recovery.
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hobbitmom
last month
Sorry to read about your surgery. Hope all goes well, with a speedy recovery. When I was laid up for a while, and before I was ready for the soup/crackers phase, I enjoyed lots of vanilla ice cream and chocolate syrup and 7up. It sure hit the spot when I didn't want anything else. Best wishes.
petalique
last month
last modified: last month
Cute grandniece! I wish you the best with your surgery and recovery.

Treat yourself well, even though you will likely be able to cook with no problems after a week. Still. If you have ample space in your freezer, make up some nutitious comfort foods. I once bought a cookbook w great photos, entitled ”Comfort Food.”

🔺Most importantly, you need to find a way to NOT be shoveling or operating a snow blower or that sort of gear. Line up dependable helpers now. 🔺

Also, you want to be very careful not to slip and fall. If you do not have any over-the-boot ice cleats, get some — the ones with SPIKES, not rollers. There is a good brand, ~ Stabilicers ~. LL Bean used to sell them; also the Ace Hardware in So. Portland (next to Nonesuch bookstore, Mill Creek.

Be careful driving after you're feeling better — even a small accident can give you a jolt you don’t need.

If you wear a handknit beanie hat with a turned over hem when walking on sidewalks or driveways with any ice or slush, it can help save you from a fractured skull. Seriously.

Firewood is heavy and cumbersome. I know from experience. Even lifting a ~ 4” diameter, 14” oak log is likely too much for you for a while. Perhaps move firewood next to the woodstove as much as you safely can now for 4 weeks post surgery.

Meanwhile, ditch the wood heat and spring for the electric or oil. Remember the saying, ”firewood heats you twice.” Although it should read thrice.

You split and stack it

[If you are a petite female, you may have to nag, nag, remind, rant and rave to a laidback spouse. Repeat. Repeat. Turn the electric heat up to 80 and open the windows to get his attention. Leave the fridge door open. Pack for Cape Cod or Cape Hatteras. Load up the car and leave. Tell him you’ll be offering up any unstacked firewood on Craigslist, for free….]

You have to keep bringing it into the house and load it as needed into the woodstove before it can warm you.

Build/lay the wood with kindling, light it, keep fire fed.

Get warm

ETA Tampa is 75°F, maybe go there for surgery and recovery ;)

ETA2 — more detail
petalique
last month
Stabilicers —

There are now similar brands, different styles. Some are in way cool colors.

stabilicers

https://www.llbean.com/llb/search/?freeText=stabilicers&init=1

https://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/43355?page=stabilicers-lite&feat=stabilicers-SR0&csp=a&attrValue_0=1&searchTerm=stabilicers&pos=1

$39

Walmart — variety

https://www.walmart.com/search?q=stabilicers
carolb_w_fl_coastal_9/10
last month
last modified: last month
Maybe stock up on prunes and prune juice too - you definitely don't want any straining on the toilet. Pain meds can really block a person up too.

FWIW, my insurance co. has very helpful online guides and checklists for pre- and post surgery. Yours may as well
agmss15
Original Author
last month
Cleats are essential for walking on my road. I have the kind that stretch over my boots and last year got a pair with the built in cleats. I love them!

https://www.nexgrip.com/en/retractable-spikes-winter-boots/short-boots/?v=0b3b97fa6688
petalique
last month
Hell on pine floors. ^^^^
annie1992
last month
I hope you recover quickly and well, and that you have help. That grandniece is adorable but doesn't look like she'd be much help shoveling snow. :-)

I've never had a hysterectomy but one of my secretaries did, and she had the laproscopic type. I guess it's not always the best option but it's much less invasive, so I'm hoping you can have something similar. I did have two C-sections, so I I know about abdominal surgery, although they were over 40 years ago. I do hope the procedures have gotten better since then.

I went home after 24 hours each time, and it took me about a week to feel good enough to want something more than soup and a muffin. Fortunately, those are both things that freeze well, and as mentioned above, get as much fiber as you can stand. You might want a container of Metamucil or something similar as a precaution.

You won't be shoveling snow for a while, that's for sure, but the first couple of days are absolutely the worst, have something in the fridge that you can just warm up or eat cold, you probably will mostly want a warm cup of something and to sleep off the anesthetic. Protein is good, something simple and fast, like scrambled eggs or yogurt. Your appetite will be back in a couple of days, then you can eat all the good stews and frozen casseroles you want, but you're not going to feel like spending a lot of time on your feet cooking or doing prep work at first. Heck, the first couple of days I felt like it was an accomplishment just to get myself out of bed, showered, dressed and a pot of coffee made, but by day four I started feeling a little better and recovery went pretty fast from there.

I also second the "be careful" advice. You don't want to fall or tear a stitch/staple, or get banged around in the car or even catch a cold that will cause you to cough/sneeze/etc. That will hurt, as will laughing. Use grocery delivery if it's available and if you just want frozen pizza or instant potatoes, that's fine too.

Be kind to yourself, and you may even feel better after the procedure than you do now. Well, a week or so after the procedure, but still better.

Annie
Olychick
last month
I hope you have a speedy recovery! As someone who also heats with wood, I agree with the advice to stockpile as much wood as you can inside, or at least very close to your door, before surgery. Maybe pick through for the smallest, lightest ones or split it down so it's lighter, in case you have to use it. Then I wouldn't burn any unless the power goes off. You want to be able to keep warm in that event, so save the wood for emergencies and heat with your back up heat until you can safely handle wood again.
Fun2BHere
last month
last modified: last month
I would have stool softeners on hand to start taking prophylactically daily. The last thing you want is to strain those abdominal muscles until they heal.

I think you will need to be able to sleep on your back, so if you can't do that in a bed, you might consider getting a recliner.

I don't remember what I ate so I can't help you with meal prep.

Good luck! I hope all goes smoothly.
nicole
last month
Meal suggestions:

Soft boiled eggs and toast

Greek Yogurt

Cottage cheese & Pineapple

Grilled Avocado & tomato sandwiches

Chicken Noodle soup

Chicken gumbo soup

Cream of Chicken soup

Tuna salad
morz8 - Washington Coast
last month
Every drug store is going to have a stool softener in small tablet form. Buy a bottle, they are not expensive and they are not laxatives. Just a guard against needing to 'push'.

My sister in law had a hysterectomy a couple of years ago. The doctors asked her to go as heavy on protein as she could, said she would heal faster so she did that. Lots of eggs breakfast or even dinner. Red meat when she'd been eating little of that.

I hadn't heard of it but they did some kind of interior 'wash' when they'd finished the surgery. It was somehow loaded with pain killer. She didn't need any of the tablets they gave her until about day 4, then only took them a couple of days before switching to tylenol. A university hospital.
nancyjane_gardener
last month
Why isn't your doctor giving you this advise? All of the above, but I would make a ton of thick soups, and get a loaf of healthy bread that you can slice and freeze. Split pea, 15 bean, clam chowder and have some salad makings on hand that take a whopping 5 min to prepare. Good luck!
foodonastump
last month
I have no what you’d feel like eating after this kind of surgery, the only surgery I’ve ever had (tkr) I just felt like eating regular food. So I’m not here with any advice, just good wishes that it goes smoothly, and to say that your great-niece makes me smile every time I open this forum. Too cute!
HU-949980546
last month
last modified: last month
Carefully check the detail information of the antibiotics you will be taking, about your food intakes to make sure there will be no interference side effects .

dcarch
foodonastump
last month
last modified: last month
@HU-949980546 - Welcome back dcarch! i was wondering if that was you on the IR thread, thermometers and Harbor Freight sounded just like you, but it’s a different HU number.
HU-949980546
last month
Thx FOAS!

I am still around, cooking as always, just have been involved with a few big projects. Something like moved 10,000 lbs of dirt, 20 bags of concrete, etc., etc., -----------------------

Sounds like you have been well.

Happy holidays to you and to everyone else here.

dcarch
foodonastump
last month
Hope you didn’t forget the lime! 😉

Eating after surgery.... What can I prep?

plllog

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