Only a week left before I return home, so today I went to the local pharmacy to stock up on supplies — including 120 tubes of lube. Behold the Great Wall of Lube!

That, plus six dilators, plus a bag of Schedule IV pain killers, should make for an interesting “items to declare” form.

The surgeon here in Thailand does provide written prescriptions for all the drugs he sends you home with, so actually that should be the least of my worries.

Why 120 tubes of lube? Post-surgery you need to dilate three times a day for three months (and lesser amounts for up to year), and the local lube, initially supplied by the clinic, is the best one for dilating — and not available in the States.

Unfortunately, it’s not considered “medical supplies” so the clinic provide additional lube beyond your recovery period in Thailand. So I’m bringing back enough to cover the initial three months, after which people usually switch to other alternates. (Coconut oil is popular follow-on choice, since it aids in healing.)

I’m annoyed that the dilators have to go in my checked bag — apparently they’ll get confiscated if they’re in your carry-on because they’re considered potential weapons…