it's gettin' real, y'all...

I haven't made any spreadsheets yet, but I do have checklists!!!

I went to Office Depot this morning and picked up some supplies: a groovy Mead Fivestar Flex "Hybrid Notebinder" & some tab-flap 3-hole document pockets of various designs.  I spent part of the day putting together my official Sleeve Surgery Notebook that will go with me to my Pre-Op appointment on Thursday and to the hospital on surgery day.  It will be the official "go to" place for both me and my caregivers.  

My checklists include:

Pre-Op appointment checklist (documents to take, etc)

Pre-Op supplies checklist (liquid fast, meds, etc)

Hospital bag checklist

Post-Op supplies checklist (allowed liquids, meds, supplements, etc)

My notebook will have:

Contact info for all of my doctors (surgeon, PCP, gyno)

Copy of Driver's License & Insurance Card

Advanced Healthcare Directive

Power of Attorney

Will

List of medications & supplements with dosages

Post-Op Nutrition booklet from the dietitian

Post-Op instructions from surgeon

Copies of all paperwork signed last week @ my surgeon's pre-op appointment

I have never been an overnight patient myself, but I have spent my fair share of time in the hospital as a caregiver.  In my experience it doesn't seem to matter how many times we tell the hospital staff about medications, something almost always gets mixed up or there is confusion about what they wrote down. Over the years, my family has learned just to print out multiple copies of the medication list for whichever family member is the patient and then we just hand one to anybody and everybody who walks into the room wearing scrubs or a lab coat.  Problem solved!

4 more sleeps 'til pre-op testing.

8 more sleeps 'til surgery!

***UPDATE***
Day-um, seriously...I cannot count!  9 sleeps 'til surgery as of the original writing of this post.  8 sleeps as of this update.