Travel-List

Any Zones

Comfortable clothes including button up shirt: Easier to get on and off as compared to T shirt (no pulling a shirt over your head)

Bendy straws:
Make it easier to drink rather than bend your head back to drink.

Probiotics:
Post-surgery pain medication may cause constipation which can be painful!
Always ask your surgeon about any medications or supplements.

Comfortable Pillows

Ask your surgeon if there is a local hotel medical rate –
Some surgeons work with local hotels to get a better rate. Even if they don’t, ask the hotel if they have a medical rate if you plan to recover in a hotel.

Recliner:
You are often asked to sleep upright after surgery. If you are staying in a hotel, ask your hotel for a recliner. They may have recliners in other rooms they could move or may upgrade you to a larger room.

Wheelchair or roller chair:
Many hotels have wheelchairs available. Ask ahead of time if they have one and have your “surgery buddy” use it to help you get in and out of your hotel room.

Plastic bags:
Bring quart sized plastic bags for ice. These can be used, depending on your surgeon’s recommendation, in recovery and while you are traveling.

Depending on the zones…
Nasal

Saline Rinse:
If you have a surgeon who does the nasal surgery, he/she will likely want you to rinse a certain amount of times daily.

Gauze and gauze tape:
There’s no such thing as too much gauze, especially for the nose. You may use gauze several days after surgery.

Temple area – Do you wear glasses? –
You may want to ask your optometrist to bend the frames if you can’t see well without them so that you can comfortably wear them after surgery (typically with the temple surgery). He/ she can readjust them once the swelling goes down.

Supraorbital (EYES) and Supratrochlear
Sunglasses –

Your eyes may be a little more sensitive, or you may prefer to cover your eyes as they will be likely be swollen shortly after surgery

Air Travel

Wheel chair:
Don’t be brave, get a wheel chair on your return flight! You can arrange this before your flight with your airlines. Have the airlines bring you through security to your gate and let you pre-board.

Ice!:
Airlines do not let you bring liquids through security. After you go through security and get to your gate, ask your surgery buddy to go to the nearest restaurant and fill a couple of quart sized plastic bags with ice. If your surgeon recommends that you ice as much as possible, try to ice on the plane for as long as you can and ask the flight attendant to take the bag when you are finished.

Window Seat: You may prefer a window seat so you do not get accidentally bumped as people pass by in the aisle.