Staying in hospital

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Posted: Sat Dec 14, 2013 6:41 pm

I agree with the person above about being nice to the nurses! They are the ones who do all the work and get treated crappy, (from patients like me Razz

) and are very much overworked and underpaid (at least here in the USA they are). If you have the nurses on your side, you will be treated very well.

Posted: Sat Dec 14, 2013 10:35 pm

Here's hoping for the best, Cougar. I haven't been hospitalized since I was in my early 20s, and that was just an overnight stay in an Air Force dispensary on an IV to chase dehydration brought on by a wicked bout of dysentery.

But my wife has been in and out of hospitals for the past six years and I can attest that you have already gotten a boat load of good advice in this thread. I can add only two things:

- if you have any friends or relatives who work in the health care field, exploit them. My older brother is a nurse anesthetist, my sister is an ICU nurse, and my wife's sister is a respiratory therapist. They were invaluable in supplementing the information the hospital folks gave us and provided a lot of insider info.

- Whatever the outcome, think of it as a roller coaster ride -- just be sure to hang on and remember that it is OK to scream.

Posted: Sat Dec 14, 2013 10:52 pm

Take your own slippers, bathrobe/dressing gown, plenty of nightwear, and interesting/light things to read. Audio books on mp3 player also help pass the time.

Wishing you a swift and safe recovery!

Posted: Sun Dec 15, 2013 1:08 am

Many blessings Coug!

Posted: Sun Dec 15, 2013 2:03 am

Wow, so many good tips! Thank you everyone for your kind words and good wishes, both here and in pm's, I'm truly touched.

The initial recommendation of the diagnostic team was to have a full hysterectomy. I asked a few questions and managed to get the consultant to agree to just taking the cyst and ovary for now, and seeing what the results of the analysis are before deciding to have it all out. Let's see if it's really necessary first, eh?

Apparently it'll be the full vertical scar across the abdomen job - no little holes or bikini line cuts, it's too big for that.

Still, let's look on the bright side - I'll lose weight, and I get to go shopping for comfy pyjamas!

Posted: Sun Dec 15, 2013 4:08 am

Wishing quick recovery from me and mine.

Posted: Sun Dec 15, 2013 3:38 pm

Cougie! I have only been in hospital once over night. Not too much advice to give, but it looks as though you've had plenty of good stuff. Crossing pawz for nice easy peasy surgery and stay.

Posted: Sun Dec 15, 2013 4:04 pm

Cougie wrote:

and I get to go shopping for comfy pyjamas!

Atta girl. Thumbs up

Posted: Sun Dec 15, 2013 7:33 pm

Stop and think a nightdress or 2 would be of more use, the cord from the pyjamas will go right across where you going to have the operation. Shocked

Posted: Sun Dec 15, 2013 8:40 pm

Cougar, when I was 22 I had a bowel obstruction that required part of my stomach and small intestines removed. I had the gastric bypass before it was fashionable (I most definitely did not need to lose weight at 86lbs), although my 10 inch vertical scar is not very pretty. Razz

If they are doing vertical, make sure you walk, walk and then walk some more as that will help with the healing process. I don't mean to tell you this to scare you, but it's going to hurt like the dickens, so make sure your doctor prescribes some heavy duty pain killers (speak to him BEFORE you are admitted and then BEFORE your surgery after you are admitted). I know this will sound funny, but bring in a pillow with you. (soft/semi-soft). You will use this to put a bit of pressure on your abdomen and will help when you walk/get up. I remember believing walking from my hospital bed to the door was a major feet. Just make sure you walk, walk, and then walk some more. Did I mention walking?

You're going to do just fine, and that was very smart of you not doing the hysterectomy. Wish you lived near me as I would be very happy to come sit with you while you are in the hospital. Or walk with you Razz

Posted: Sun Dec 15, 2013 9:44 pm

Good luck, Cougar. I hope everything goes well.

I don't have any advice, as I've on been hospitalized twice. The first time was probably 30 years ago, when I was in the Air Force. I came down with Chicken Pox and had to be hospitalized/quarantined for two weeks Sad

The last time was this past July for three days--I had hemmorhoid issues and ignored it, until one day I suddenly started bleeding heavily and it would not stop.

Anyway--I wasn't fortunate in either case to go to the hospital prepared.

I guess I'd agree with the others about bringing books, magazines, and comfortable clothing/slipper if they will allow it. Definitely have the TV turned on!

Hopefully you will get a private room, instead of a shared one. Back in July I had a room mate and it was a terrible experience. He had had a stroke or something and was really delusional and out of it. He never shut up with his moaning and groaning. And unfortunately for me, they took blood for testing every three hours on me. Needless to say I did not sleep for three days.

Not sure how good the food will be at your hospital, but if you not under dietary restrictions, maybe friends or family can bring you up some food. I was fortunate that since I was admitted so late in the day, that I was able to forgo the usual menu and was able to order room service Smile

So far as guests visiting--I guess it depends upon how long you will be in there for. When I was in for the three days, I really didn't care whether I had visitors or not. Actually, my sister was going to come up, but she would have had to takes the buses or cabs, so I told her not to.

Oh yeah--be nice to the nurses. The nurses loved me as I was so nice and a few of them said I was the perfect patient.

Posted: Mon Dec 16, 2013 12:01 am

Cougar

Quote:

and I get to go shopping for comfy pyjamas

You have just destroyed my image of you sleeping au naturel Crying or Very sad

Posted: Mon Dec 16, 2013 6:18 am

^

Hold that thought. Why d'you think I need to go shopping in the first place? Wink

Posted: Mon Dec 16, 2013 11:27 am

I did have one other thought. If you have pets then keep a pillow on your belly when you get home in case they unexpectedly jump on you.

Posted: Mon Dec 16, 2013 2:23 pm

^^^Good idea!

Especially koi, they are often rambunctious.

Posted: Mon Dec 16, 2013 4:53 pm

Darn those koi!

That's a good point actually, my kitty Martha isn't one for surprise jumping, but it would be sod's law that she choose to do it when I'm recuperating. Will keep a big pillow handy!

Posted: Mon Dec 16, 2013 5:22 pm

I echo everything of above. Luckily enough the only time I slept in a hospital I was six months old, so I can't remember about this, but I have found myself going to the hospital a little bit more than what I'd have wished for (ill relatives), so I've ended up knowing a little bit my ways around it.

1. Be friendly to the nurses, don't over-stress them (As much as possible, of course) and, if you can, chat to them or get some visitor to chat to them. Will work wonders. My great uncle could be, depending on the nurse a 60 year old drunkard with an inflamed esophagus and an absolute lack of respect for social conventions and minimal etiquete rules or a charming man, depending on if he thought worthy to exercise his blarney on her or not.

2. Fight boredom as much as you can. If you end up without reading that book, watching that DVD or surfing the internet, no big deal, you'll have carried a little bit more than necessary but it's not the end of the world (hope that no ultralight backpacker reads this). If not, you'll bore yourself to death or you'll have to struggle not to pay attention at things that may not be too pleasant. Did I mention you to bring headphones and earplugs?

3. Trouble sleep? Avoid "Yanga go wake am" (Fela Kuti dixit) by bringing earplugs, and if you think you'll need medication, bring some. Valerian tablets will work well, but if you think you'll need something stronger, you can get it over the counter. Just ask at the chemistry.

4. Comfort food, yeah, by all means. Speaking both as a backpacker and a relative to sick people, I can attest how "boring food" can send your high spirits to the dogs. If you'll have to stay more than one or two days, DO bring some. Whatever, chocolate, soup... something that makes you instantly feel good just by thinking of it.

And of course, my thoughts are with you, lots of hugs and hope everything goes all right. We'll be waiting for your good news!!

Posted: Mon Dec 16, 2013 5:23 pm

A Kindle loaded with some classics from the likes of http://www.gutenberg.org/

I've had lots of surgery for TMJ and related hearing problems, with more to come. Some NHS buildings can be a little rough around the edges, but the staff and consultants are as good as you'll find anywhere.

All the best Cougar.

N.B. I don't care what they say. Those orange things on the dinner plate are not carrots! Wink

Posted: Mon Dec 16, 2013 6:02 pm

I hope all goes well Cougar, I personally have no experience so no advice to give unfortunately but I know from relatives that boredom is an issue so make sure you bring plenty to read/do/watch. The more bored you get the lower your spirits will get!

Baiting Guru Joined: 17 Sep 2006 Posts: 5905

Best of luck and wishing you a speedy recovery!

Posted: Wed Dec 18, 2013 5:58 am

First of all you shouldn't set yourself up so that if you get the bad news you're dreading, you write yourself off. I had what my medical notes described as an "immense" and "massive" kidney cyst that turned out to be malignant and that was in 2007, and I'm still here.

Before the operation I just put my headphones on and played my most favourite music as loud as I could in to my brain and wallowed in all the things it reminded me of, like people and places so that there was no room or chance for negative thoughts to creep in.

The bed TV's are a ridiculous cost but there'll usually be a communal TV close by, and it's handy to locate that before your operation so you don't have to go hunting afterwards. It's also a place you can natter to other patients, but try not to miss doctors' rounds which tend to be at irregular times.

Laughing will be tricky immediately after the operation but you probably won't misbehave as I do.

Worrying won't make the outcome better so it's best to concentrate on doing what will make you happy. I usually look for a like-minded person to team up with. Think Compo

All the best and get back soon.

Posted: Wed Dec 18, 2013 2:30 pm

Netflix or Hulu an option in hospital? Although changing the channel/programme at inappropriate times for your roommate is such fun! Twisted Evil

Posted: Wed Dec 18, 2013 4:01 pm

Firstly, best wishes for you!! You'll do just fine. Try not to stress too much. I know, easier said then done, right? Your surgery is very routine and has probably been performed hundreds of times by your hospital. I wouldn't expect your stay to be more than a day or two. But remember that it's YOUR body and if you feel that anything is wrong, speak up! I recently went to the hospital to stay with a friend that had appendicitis. When I got there she was rolling in pain and had already had two morphine shots. I charged outta the room like a bull and demanded something be done. Five minutes later she got a shot of dilaudid and she was better within 15 mins. So as others have stated, having a loved one there to speak up, keep you company and give some hugs really does help.

I myself have had two csections and three laparoscopies. One exploratory, one for endometriosis and one for an ovarian cyst the size of a lemon. SBAH gave some great advice!! Walking seems like the LAST thing you'll want to do but you must. They woke me 8 or so hours after my first csection to walk to a scale to weigh me and I thought they were friggin nuts!! Within a day I was walking around the hospital by myself. Taking a small pillow to hold on your stomach is a must as well. Not to scare you but it's gonna hurt to laugh, sneeze, cough, fart(no joke they make you) and having the pillow to hold against your tummy really helps. They'll probably also give you this small plastic cup thingy with a small ball in it to breathe into. Like a breathalyzer you have to blow into it as hard as you can to try and raise the little ball. It's an exercise to make sure that fluid doesn't settle in your lungs. They did that for my csections but not the laparoscopies

As for pain relief, it depends on what they put you on. Probably morphine at first and then Percocet or something similar. Speak up if it's not working! My first csection was an emergency and I only had a spinal block. Once it wore off I was hurting pretty bad. They were alternating Percocet and Demerol every 4hrs. So I would feel ok with the Percocet for a few hrs and then hurt like hell for 5hrs till the next dose of Percocet. I was young and it was my first time ever needing medication so I didn't know what to do. And that was an Air Force hospital and, well that's a tale for another day! My second csection they gave me a walking epidural during my hospital stay. They placed the epidural prior to surgery and then left it and kept giving me some kind of magic meds through it. I had zero pain and wasn't loopy! I was sitting cross-legged on the bed the next day cooing over my new baby. Smile

Moral of the story - talk to your dr PRIOR to surgery about your pain relief options.

When you get home, take it easy for a week or two. Baby yourself. Don't lift anything. Take your meds. Use an ice pack on your stomach and you'll be fine! Well that's all I can think of for advice. Once again, best wishes!!

Not quite a Newb Joined: 20 Oct 2008 Posts: 27

Sending positive thoughts, Cougar.

Posted: Wed Dec 18, 2013 7:46 pm

Don't forget your mobile phone and i-pod chargers, and always ask permission before disconnecting anyone's heart monitor Very Happy

(joking). Make a mental note of where spare sockets are before the operation and I always get permission by not asking. Never had a problem.

Being told to have a positive attitude sounds as if no one understands your feelings, but actually it changes your perspective from being helpless to making you understand that you can exercise some control over what happens and how you deal with your stay.