nervous about hospital stay- looking for your experiences

I was already on liquids weeks before going into the hospital...and my family is low-income so there was no pre-hospital pampering but I was worried, like you, about having to stay in there.
I'm a high functioning autistic person and I don't do well in strange places normally but even for me the hospital stay wasn't bad and I was alone in there for nearly all of my stay. I only had someone with me the day of surgery.
I went in on a Tuesday morning and stayed till Friday afternoon and I was really doped up the whole time so I didn't much care about that.

My room was private because every room in that hospital is a private room.
I felt really fortunate because being on medicaid I was worried about ending up in a ward situation the way they used to treat us in the old days. *L*
You can call ahead and find out about your own hospital, that's what I did.
It helped to alleviate some of my fears.

I'll tell you, if you're on a great deal of pain and anti-anxiety medicine, as I was, you're not going to care if anyone stays with you.
In fact, I was so out of it a great deal of the time that the days blurred together and I don't remember very much about my stay. All I did mostly was sleep, drink, and walk. I'd loaded my laptop with movies before going in and music too so I had Enya to put me to sleep and help me relax when I was awake or movies to entertain me - not that I was awake long enough to actually watch a whole one.
I might have slept through most of my stay if they hadn't come in and messed with me so often and if I'd not needed to walk every hour or two....and you will need to do some walking. It will help with the shoulder pain.

Take your own pillow, take some gas-x strips (at least one box), take some isopure drinks and some smart water with you because like they were sending me trays of fresh fruit and drinks (like coffee!) that I couldnt have on my dinner trays.... it's just better if you have what you need on hand to control your own comfort and diet - they can handle the pain and any other meds you might need for you but I was REALLY glad I took my own supplies.

Lots of the others on here went home the next day after their operations....I stayed where the pain medicine was (like most others "like me" I have a very low pain threshold and a high tolerance to opiates, many others on here said they experienced very little pain).....but the hospital itself is just a minor annoyance in the end.
You'll be okay in there. : )

Everything is going to be fine...you'll see. : )

Just try to stay "in the moment" the whole time and it'll pass quicker than you can imagine...then you'll be the one sitting here telling the next person going in that there's nothing to be afraid of and sharing your personal experiences! : )

Cat
Nissen Fundoplication and Hiatal Hernia Repair 11/02/2010

Were you sleeping most of your time in the hospital? Yes, when they weren't poking me or checking my cuts.

Did you have a private or shared room? My room was private.

Did you have anyone stay with you? Yes, My mother. She slept on the bed/chair.

Did any of you do anything special the day before? I had to travel the five hour drive the day before. I did eat out, but too nervous to eat much.

I thought about taking the day off. Some things I considered are getting a massage, going to see a movie, taking myself out to a nice meal....
Sounds great...I'd pamper myself if I could.

You don't need to bring your own pillow, they will give you one if you ask for one. I placed mine on my belly for my coughing and to rest my IV arm on. I had some trouble with the vein they put it in. You will not want to sleep laying flat, your stomach muscles will be tender to being stretched. I elevated my head to a 45 degree incline with the knees slightly bent. It was a very comfortable position.

I had a semi-private room, so I got woken up by her visitors too. I didn't want my husband to stay, and he probably wouldn't have been allowed in semi-private. I'd just wake up every time he stirred and he wouldn't have gotten any sleep in those chairs. I was on a monitor because my meds kept making me stop breathing (even when I was sitting in a chair), so that kept waking me up too, but I'm unusually sensitive to lots of meds.

I had to take my own clear liquids because hospitals don't have anything without sulfites. I made plenty for at home too because I knew I wouldn't be able to go shopping, and I can't buy clear liquids I can eat in a store anyway. I made up my own soft foods, picked up cream of rice - things in the "full liquid" and soft food categories. I knew from looking up the diet of my hospital on the internet that I would be on clear liquids when I went home and wouldn't be able to drive for a week. I have no help available to stay with me or even go shopping more than occasionally. My husband works long hours and is only home to sleep, so I can't even count on him for much except extreme emergencies.

My pre-surgery day was a lovely bowel prep - almost as bad as for colonoscopy. I was glad to get to the hospital and get the surgery done and start recovering. I woke up after surgery with a tube down my nose, and as a strictly nose-breather that is not nice, but at least I was expecting that. I also had a bandage around my wrist - looked in and sure enough they had done a radial artery line (for blood pressure) and stuck me 3 times to hit it. I had a bruise from hand to elbow, so I wasn't pleased at their technique. I used to do those sticks as an ICU tech.

But it's over! Every day got better. I needed quite a lot of pain meds because my surgery included bringing my stomach down out of my chest where it was stuck, but it was a relief to know that I wasn't refluxing anymore. My LES was no longer stuck wide open! :)

Since then I've had a vomiting episode that has messed up my wrap. I didn't get to the paregoric soon enough to stop it. My wrap has migrated upward and is sitting up against the diaphragm. If my symptoms get worse I'm in for a re-do, but I'll not worry if that happens. I'll go into it, if I have to, with no anxiety because it will get better.

When I woke up I was connected to oxygen and something that went all crazy when my blood oxygen got too low.
That thing was seriously annoying. Let's see...there was also a blood-pressure cuff, IV, stickers on my chest...oh and those boot things were on my legs too....) .
I didnt have anything scary attached to me like the tube down the nose ...
Dont be scared...
Just like Alcie - I was alone in the hospital and I had to care for myself when I got home. It's doable. You just have to make sure you're stocked up on everything you'll need to take along with you and for when you get home. It helps if you leave all that where you can get to it easily ready to use when you get back.
One of the best things I got was an egg-crate mattress....it made laying down so much more comfortable.

Cat

The warm up suits will be your friend for the next few days. I couldn't zip my pants up for two weeks due to my stomach swelling.

Oh and I ate a HUGE "last supper" meal at The Cheesecake Factory"

I also woke up with an O2 line connected to my nose (just one of those that sits right at your nostrils and you can move it as needed)....I also had a catheter inserted until the next morning...(which certainly helped me not having to get up during the night to pee, but I wasn't expecting to have it, so it was a surprise to me). I think because I had the catheter, I wasn't encouraged to get up and walk while I was in the hospital. (I think it would have helped me with the shoulder pain if I had been able to get up and walk some.) So I didn't walk until the next morning following my surgery...when my doctor came in to check on me that morning, he was not too happy that they did not already have me up and walking.

I also had the leg tights on and hooked up to the machine that puts pressure on your legs...I'm pretty sure this was to keep blood clots from forming and keep my circulation going.

Also, as others have stated, be sure to be alert as to what you should and shouldn't have to eat/drink. I got straws brought with all my meals and the nurse brought me iced water...neither of which I should have. Luckily, from this forum, I knew that it was best NOT to use straws and I shouldn't have anything too cold or too hot. Sip slowly!! This will hopefully keep you from getting hiccups or swallowing too much air. (not fun!)

I slept pretty good last night...I did have to get up about 3 times to potty. My throat is still a bit dry and I have to cough up some phlegm here and there...which is a bit of a struggle.

Lovie, be sure and read Denise's daily updates that she posted in my thread ("WRAPture Day") She's got some really good info on what else to expect! Denise, I am going to try your ice pack trick on my left side today! I bet that will help me a lot!

Oh, I FINALLY tooted today!! (We're celebrating at my house!) :) I haven't yet had a bowel movement (of course I haven't eaten anything substantial at all, but I know that you are encouraged to get back to a normal bathroom routine as soon as possible.) Hopefully that will come today for me. Denise, how long before you were back to "normal"?

Take care Lovie! At this point, just be looking forward to it! I'm SO glad that I did this!!! I just know it is going to be a great answer to many prayers for relief for me!!! :)

Yep, 14 days! I hope that NEVER happens again! lol

It's so nice to see you cheering and in good spirits LeAnne! : )

You've got the perfect attitude to sail on through!

Cat