The first week at home was uneventful with the exception of learning to navigate through the activities of daily living with a four foot hose exiting my body and terminating in a bag. Peg the Wonder Nurse suggested I keep the bag inside a pillowcase to help avoid the possibility of infection from household dust/dirt (it also makes for a handy way to carry/conceal the bag).
Cleaning the catheter and entry point a few times each day are important to further avoid infection...something with which I never did become comfortable. But the fear of infection is a powerful incentive to do as instructed (I had this irrational fear that I might accidentally pull the catheter out...not a possibility, but that's the definition of irrational).
The solution I found to showering was to leave the bag outside the shower curtain on a small stool...then try not to pull it off during the shower. Lucia remained within an arms length whenever I showered as my balance was suspect.
Sleeping arrangements had to be found that would allow me to remain on my back (which I hate) to accommodate my incisions while allowing the bag to rest on the floor. We put a couch in the living room where I would spend the vast majority of time those first seven days.
Having never had surgery, I was amazed at how easily I tired and how much time I spent sleeping...it seemed like I napped every two or three hours.
My appetite was good and, thanks to not requiring any pain medication, I found wine to be a great treat with meals (could get used to that...oh, who the hell am I kidding, I've been drinking with my meals for years).
I did try to get outside to walk every day...not too far, and it was great to be out seeing neighbors and feeling compelled to explain the pillowcase I was carrying (I did not like the leg bag that was given to me at the hospital, too small and, thus, requiring maintenance too often).
No adventures to speak of during that first week at home, just waiting patiently for the day the catheter would be removed and I could return to life untethered.
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