post-op leakage question
For those of you who have had surgery, I'm trying to piece together some things about the fluid leakage / bandaging situation the first few days after surgery and I'm curious about your experiences. Some specifics I'm wondering about:
- I've read a ton of stories about how much you leak especially that first night - I know you're wrapped in gauze and bandages and compression garment but there are also absorbent pads involved somewhere? Do those go outside the compression garments? Is that the only part you can change yourself until you have your MLD appointment the next day and they rewrap you?
I'm just imagining lying there all night in soggy bandages and garments (this sounds like a sensory nightmare tbh) and I have no idea where the pads factor in. (other than, presumably, underneath me)
am I reading this right, that the garments go OVER the bandages? How long does that last before it's just garments?
How long did it take you to stop leaking? Am I still going to be leaking on the plane home 3 days later?
How did you navigate car trips during the leaking period? Is this a "lay down puppy pads wherever you plan on sitting" situation?
I know you are supposed to walk around a bunch, but like..am I going to be walking around in soggy bandages/garments? In public?
Do you need to re-bandage yourself after you are finally allowed to shower? or how does that work?
Because I'm traveling for this I just want to make sure I am prepared and have a general idea of what to expect.