Post breast reduction question

[sandinmyshoes]

Not sure which category to post this in...

So i got a reduction last week & am cruising out of my home port in two weeks. I hurt like crazy & plan on using the ship as the perfect getaway of not having to deal with daily life. I have to change bandages frequently from leaking incisions. Is there a sanitary way to do this without grossing out my cabin steward?

I only plan on leaving the cabin to eat & watch a few shows. I will not be getting off the ship.

My other question is about my compression garments to keep things in place & prevent too much swelling. Will onboard laundry service be willing to wash them?

We've been on more than 25 cruises but never after major surgery. My hubby is a great nurse so I won't need medical assistance. So please don't tell me I'm acting irresponsibly by taking the cruise. I just want to know what i can do to make the experience go smoothly from someone who's cruised after major plastic surgery. Thank you for your time!

 

PS ~ No bathing suits or getting off ship for me. I also plan on showering in the spa so I have more room.

[spookwife]

maybe using the medical facilities when they are open to change bandages?

 

as for the medical laundry, well I would not expect the ship to handle that at all. they are not equipped to handle bio waste.,

[Langley Cruisers]

I would suggest asking for extra feminine paper bags and putting your discarded bandages and such in there. This way, there is less of a chance of someone else coming into contact with your bodily fluids.

 

I also plan on showering in the spa so I have more room.

 

Would you be permitted to shower in a public shower as opposed to your own cabin? Just thinking about your blood and fluids possibly coming into contact with other passengers. And I am not trying to be rude or sarcastic - sincerely asking, and I also do hope you have a lovely vacation.

[NMLady]

I would recommend strongly that you contact the cruise line's Special Needs dept and ask then those questions. I would think your bandages would need to be specially bagged, possibly with red bio-bags. I'm almost sure the feminine hygiene bags would not be large enough.

Your situation is certainly unique so I think Special Needs should be contacted.

[6rugrats]

I really think this is a very difficult situation to make work. Using a public shower creates a biological hazard for the next person; I'm sure you wouldn't do this.

 

Your cabin steward isn't trained to deal with medical waste, and agree that the laundry can't wash possibly contaminated compression garments.

 

I would think you should contact the special needs department of the cruise line and discuss this with them.

[sheeniwoo]

Sorry there is nothing sanitary about this.

 

Bring a ton of compression garments and hand wash them in the sink? Buy some mini trash bags to dispose of your dirty bandages yourself an do not use the public shower.

 

 

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[Glaciers]

Will the cruise line require some type of fit to cruise letter from the physician?

[zqvol]

Assuming that your physician is OK with this your situation is going to really improve in the next two weeks. Most, if not all, of the drainage should be gone. Lots of easy solutions for disposing of any bandages you might still need, including taking ziplock bags, or even paper sandwich bags. As far as your compression items the laundry will wash them without any issues, but I would be more concerned that the heat they use would damage them.

 

As long as you are not actively draining using the showers in the spa is a good idea.

[navybankerteacher]

Not sure which category to post this in...

So i got a reduction last week & am cruising out of my home port in two weeks. I hurt like crazy & plan on using the ship as the perfect getaway of not having to deal with daily life. I have to change bandages frequently from leaking incisions. Is there a sanitary way to do this without grossing out my cabin steward?

I only plan on leaving the cabin to eat & watch a few shows. I will not be getting off the ship.

My other question is about my compression garments to keep things in place & prevent too much swelling. Will onboard laundry service be willing to wash them?

We've been on more than 25 cruises but never after major surgery. My hubby is a great nurse so I won't need medical assistance. So please don't tell me I'm acting irresponsibly by taking the cruise. I just want to know what i can do to make the experience go smoothly from someone who's cruised after major plastic surgery. Thank you for your time!

 

PS ~ No bathing suits or getting off ship for me. I also plan on showering in the spa so I have more room.

 

Wouldn't incisions from surgery a week ago be largely healed two weeks from now? To the extent you have any special needs, that is what the lines special needs people exist to address. I do not think room steward should be expected to handle such extraordinary matters.

[sherilyn70]

I throw up often into emesis bags... this is also considered bio waste by most hotels. But, so are diapers. So ask what they prefer for handling them, i usually am told to treat them like diapers in some places and they give me a seperate waste container for it. It's probably going to vary from ship to ship but still contact special needs to clarify. Lots of people travel with medical issues that create waste (ostomy bags, dressings for healing wound or even bad edema that causes seepage).

 

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[Xyla]

I had a similar surgery earlier this year and really think you won't be leaking that much by two weeks from now. I had drains in for a week afterwards but they usually seal up within a couple days of pulling them.

The actual incisions should be well on their way to healing by then. For those grossed out at the thought of the OP using the spa shower, you do realize other women use the showers while on their menstrual cycle? That's surely much more bloody fluids than I would expect post surgery.

[cb at sea]

Bring some small trash bags, and put your used bandages in them, and throw them in the normal trash. Hopefully, in 2 weeks, drainage will be minimal. Has your doctor cleared you for this?

You won't have any issues, I'm sure. Go and have fun!

[SPacificbound]

Have you been cleared by your surgeon to travel in two weeks?

 

The special needs department can have a bio-hazard container placed in your cabin on day one.

[OzKiwiJJ]

I went on vacation a couple of weeks after a breast reduction a few years ago. By then the major bandages were no longer necessary and I'm fairly certain I was no longer required to wear the compression garments - at least not all the time. I was even able to swim. I used waterproof dressings like these https://www.amazon.com/3M-Tegaderm-Transparent-Film-Dressing/dp/B000PYP5R4 on a few places that were slow to heal.

 

I used ziplock bags to dispose of dressings. We were staying in a place that had laundry facilities so that helped. I would suggest taking a supply of Napisan with you so that you can handwash things like the compression garments.

 

Your cruise will be a lovely way to recover from your surgery and to celebrate the start of a new, more comfortable, life.

Edited August 20, 2016 by OzKiwiJJ

[SadieN]

Ships launder on hot and dry on hot. The elastic is too delicate for high heat.

Found this about washing compression stockings Assuming your garment us similarly made

http://www.compressionsale.com/washing-compression-stockings.html

 

 

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[chengkp75]

Ask your cabin steward for either sanitary napkin disposal bags, or a bio disposal bag if you need something larger. The stewards are in fact trained to dispose of bio waste, as they do it all the time with the feminine hygiene products. This stuff goes down to sanitation separately and is fed to the incinerator separately. The stewards are gloved and it gets double bagged.

 

You will need to contact the special needs department before sailing, and at Guest Services, and maybe a visit to the Medical Center, to let them know you will need medical laundry. They will provide a "red bag" to put your compression garments into, and the laundry has one machine that is dedicated to medical laundry (high heat and different chemicals). The bag and all goes into the machine and the bag dissolves. This is the same machine used for all laundry from the Medical Center and from cabins where the occupants have had noro or other infectious diseases.

 

I think that the care of compression stockings is somewhat different than an item that may have blood contamination, and I would not recommend hand washing in a sink without a sanitizing agent, but the directions given with the garment would be best to follow.

[NMLady]

Ships launder on hot and dry on hot. The elastic is too delicate for high heat.

Found this about washing compression stockings Assuming your garment us similarly made

http://www.compressionsale.com/washing-compression-stockings.html

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

 

My husband wears extra firm compression hose. I used to handwash them on cruises and at home I didn't put them in dryer. However, on the last three cruises I sent them to ship's laundry. They did not lose their elasticity so now at home I toss them into the dryer with the rest of either whites or colors.

[sail7seas]

I would recommend strongly that you contact the cruise line's Special Needs dept and ask then those questions. I would think your bandages would need to be specially bagged, possibly with red bio-bags. I'm almost sure the feminine hygiene bags would not be large enough.

Your situation is certainly unique so I think Special Needs should be contacted.

 

 

^^ Yes, this. You need to have proper disposal materials so no one is exposed to b io waste. Seeing your DH is a nurse, surely he is ab l.to get you proper disposal materialStewards should nogt have to touch wsoiled bandaages. Wishing you a good recovery and safe cruise.

[CapeCodCruiser]

Bring a supply of dog waste bags for your soiled bandages...just tie them closed and put in appropriate waste container - just request medical waste container - no problem. People cruise with all manner of medical conditions that most folks don't even realize. You will be fine. and the med center is there if you need anything

 

Definitely check out the tegaderm dressings - they are fantastic - even just for showering.

 

Enjoy your cruise and happy healing!

[sail7seas]

deleted message. sorry

Edited August 20, 2016 by sail7seas

[notentirelynormal]

Without reading all the previous posts I do know that for diapers they bring you in hazmat bags for disposal. I would contact the ship in advance and make sure those are available to you. I would also make sure that both Stewart and Stewart's supervisor are aware of the situation so there are no misunderstandings about you being in the cabin so much and the reason for the hazmat bags. I also think diaper disposal bags from BabiesRUs will work to keep things sanitary.

 

I see no reason for this not to work. As long as everyone is on board and there are no hidden issues I don't see why you can't recuperate on a ship. Shower in your cabin and keep your stuff in your cabin. I would definitely check to see if the Medical center can change your dressings or at least dispose of them.

[CapeCodCruiser]

Without reading all the previous posts I do know that for diapers they bring you in hazmat bags for disposal. I would contact the ship in advance and make sure those are available to you. I would also make sure that both Stewart and Stewart's supervisor are aware of the situation so there are no misunderstandings about you being in the cabin so much and the reason for the hazmat bags. I also think diaper disposal bags from BabiesRUs will work to keep things sanitary.

 

I see no reason for this not to work. As long as everyone is on board and there are no hidden issues I don't see why you can't recuperate on a ship. Shower in your cabin and keep your stuff in your cabin. I would definitely check to see if the Medical center can change your dressings or at least dispose of them.

 

Perhaps you should read the previous posts.

 

How can you be sure their room attendant will be Stewart?

 

Secondly - no one has to be "on board" with her plan. It really is no one's business why she would choose to spend a lot time in cabin - no explanation is necessary.

 

Thirdly - her husband will fine changing in changing the dressings - trips to the med center are not necessary and would certainly not be free.

[Trainer]

Without getting too personal, I had the same surgery and after three weeks, I was almost perfectly fine. No bandages or dressings left. A little soreness but nothing to impede my activities. I was very happy with my results almost immediately. I think you are worrying unnecessarily.

[navybankerteacher]

Without getting too personal, I had the same surgery and after three weeks, I was almost perfectly fine. No bandages or dressings left. A little soreness but nothing to impede my activities. I was very happy with my results almost immediately. I think you are worrying unnecessarily.

 

Probably the most credible and helpful response. A lot gets better in three weeks.