I am going in for a hysterectomy on the 31 of Aug. If there are no complications, I will be there for one night, and recovery will take 6-8 weeks. If there are problems, 3-4 night stay, and a longer period of recovery.

My mind is spinning. Our household currently consists of myself and my husband, both diabetic, and needing to folow low carb/good carb diets, and two geriatric cats with bowel control issues.

I need to plan for some easy simple dinners for my DH to cook, maybe make and freeze some, and get some help from the kids for housework and yardwork.

What else would you do, plan, delegate, to make the recovery period easier?

Make a list of chores that are absolute must be done and ask others to help out. Make a list of where cleaning supplies are found for others.
What can your DH do to help out around the house?

As you feel better you might be able to help out.

Also make and freeze some meals.
Stock your pantry and freezer with foods that you both can eat.
Write down any recipes or find recipes that you use to cook with.

Try and do a thorough cleaning of the house, and catch up on laundry.

Maybe make a library run, for when you feel you can sit and read. Make sure you have pants/shorts/skirts that are easy to pull on and won't rub.

Ask your doctor if you can alternate prescription pain relief with OTC. Make sure you have some on hand and ready to go.

Definitely ask the kids for help. Do they live with you?

By all means, do what you can, but being diabetic means you'll be a slower healer. Don't push yourself and listen to your body.

Just been looking through cookbooks for some easy, and/or freezer meals to make ahead. DH can cook, but he's not great on planning meals that include meat, and carb, and veg.
Laundry is done 1-2 times weekly. DH knows how.
Kitty litter needs changing at least once a week.
Small lawn needs weedeating and mowing.
Flowers need watering.
Dusting and vaccuming.
I've been losing weight (low carb diet) so most of my clothes are loose.
I have a kindle, well loaded, so reading is covered.
The kids aren't living here, but they're close.

Will you be home alone during the day or is DH home with you? Do you have a neighbor or close friend who can stop by or get to you in a few minutes? I suggest you take notes of meds, when you take them and particularly any side effects. The anesthesia can cause weird side effects.

If there are any vegetables that you and DH particularly like, it could be fun to do a 'cooking' class with DH at home for evening entertainment. Most protein [meat/fish/tofu] cook quickly in the microwave or slowly and delicious in a crock pot/slo cooker without heating up the house. Restricting carbs during recovery should be ok especially if you take a vitamin supplement. When it's hot we mostly eat salad greens + gilled chicken breast but he would need to make his own diabetic approved dressing. It's super easy with quality balsamic vinegar and EVVO.

Wish you an easy recovery, don't stress, it takes time for our bodies to heal.

Terry, hope the surgery goes well and recovery will be fast, complications free and pain free. Definitely a good idea to prepare some meals in advance and freeze; also make some meal plans and post so DH knows what to shop for and prepare. Write down a list of things that need to be done (like the kitty litter, weeding, bills that need to be paid, etc.)

Terry,

the most important thing is a good emotional support system. everything else will work out. You will be amazed. I just went in for a sudden surgery and that has been what has happened.

Saying my prayers for you

Just an update, and a story. I had laproscopic surgery and 2 nights in the hospital. I premade and froze, sloppy joes, breaded chicken thighs, meat loaf, chicken mozzarella with tomato sauce, and pasta with white clam sauce. DH stayed home with me for a week (unpaid family leave).

Now the story. Friday, June 29th, we had a sudden severe storm. An 8 month old puppy,frightened by the noise, pulled up her spiral stake and ran away. Sunday evening DH and I heard a dog bark. We thought it was just a dog walker, then we heard it again, and again. We went out searching, and found the puppy all wound round some bushes. Lucky for her, because she was at the bottom of a highway enbankment. We called the police, animal control, the number on her pet finder tag, and the ASPCA. Everyone had power outages, and the police and the ASPCA both asked us if we could possibly keep her overnight. We still had the crate from our dog who died last year, so we said yes.
The next morning we were able to find the owner and reunite them. We told her how sweet the dog was, and how we half wished no one would claim her.
Aug. 27, we came home and found a note on the door asking if we would be interested in adopting the puppy. The owner had a change in family circumstances, and there would be no one at home with the dog for more then 12 hours a day.

I called and said I was interested, but was about to have surgery, and could I call after I got out of my surgery? We agreed on that, but the next morning, she called, sobbing, and told me she hated to pressure me, but if I couldn't take the dog that day, the dog would have to go to the shelter. I said "Bring her over."

My son, DIL and their dog spent the weekend I was in the hospital at my house, taking care of the puppy. After he went back to work DH had to attend a convention, and my son, my daughter, my daughter in law made sure one of them came over every morning and every evening to walk the puppy.

So I'm still on restrictions until I see the surgeon Oct. 29, but I am feeling better, and have a wonderful new dog, sleeping by my feet as I am typing.

Terry
That is a wonderful story, and I am so glad you have a new puppy!
Hoping your surgery is healing and you are feeling better each and every day. What kind of dog is it? That is so nice that the family pitched in to take care of the puppy while you were in the hospital.

She is part lab, part border collie. She looks like a lab except for patches of white on her throat, her chest, and the 2 middle toes of each rear foot. Yes, I am very lucky in my family.