What's being in the hospital like?

[gpmed 623]

Hi everyone! My insurance company just authorized my surgery and I will be meeting with my surgeon soon to set a date. One of the things I'm really wondering about is what it's like to be in the hospital. I've never had surgery before and I've never stayed in the hospital overnight. My surgeon says I will likely be in the hospital for two nights. I'm hoping you veterans can share some info and tips! What do you wish you'd known before you went in? What did you bring with you? Did it get boring? Did you want visitors and to watch Netflix and stuff or were you more in pain and sleeping a lot? If you were at an academic medical center, were there things you wanted the attending to do vs. a resident? Anything you can tell me will be helpful! Thanks so much in advance! ~megan

[The Candidate 3,215]

I'm also pre op, and never had surgery either, so this is an excellent question!

I can tell you that I visited a friend in the hospital just a week ago who had the sleeve surgery. It helped alleviate a lot of my concerns seeing her awake, talking and visiting. It was the day after her surgery.

Initially I wasn't going to have anybody visit me, but I've since changed my mind. I think having friends and family around will help tremendously in the healing process.

[glitter eyes 1,398]

Being in the hospital was not bad at all. My husband stayed with me and I had tons of visitors. Make sure that you get up and walk a lot. I think the walking helped me so much. Some things that I took with me that were lifesavers were: a small travel pillow to hold against my stomach to brace it when walking or coughing, biotene mouthwash ( it help keep your mouth from being as dry), loose clothing.

Good luck to you!!

[Daisee68 2,493]

Mostly you won't care. I wish I had taken a heating pad and earplugs. I asked for a heating pad at the hospital nicely many times. After 4 hours if asking my tone wasn't quite as nice. They did finally bring one. (I know the nurses are very busy and overworked and have much better things to do but I felt 4 hours to get it from "supply" was excessive. They will wake you up all night long. They switched my IV machine and it was loud - making an annoying noise every 5 seconds - I counted ????. I asked jokingly if they had ear plugs and the did and brought those promptly. Probably earphones with your iPod might be a good substitute. It's really not bad. You will sleep thru most of it when you aren't being poked and walking. Be nice to those nurses. As I said, they are very overworked. Good luck! You'll be fine!

[Sajijoma 1,324]

I'm pre op, but I've had my gallbladder taken out, kidney stones, and all of my babies were born in the hospital. The thing I wasn't prepared for is that they NEVER leave you alone even at night! Nurses will come

through doing rounds, flipping on lights to check your vitals, take temps, change IV, deal with the input line that keeps beeping because there's a link in the line, etc. and if you have trouble going back to sleep like I do, it can mean you just don't rest at all the entire time.

I do recommend taking ear plugs, eye mask and your own pillows for comfort-partly because the hospital ones are like rubber coated, hard, and super flat and also because they never seem to have any extras so if you want more than just one flat pillow, keep that in mind. Also put it in a bright colored case so they know it's yours from home and housekeeping or a nurse doesn't snag it for another patient.

When I had my gallbladder taken out and when I had kidney stones, I was too tired from the pain meds to care much about entertainment beyond a little TV, or cuddling one of my kids who was visiting, but when I was in having my babies, after the kids all went home and it was just me and the new baby who was sleeping, I needed the iPad, my phone, some sudoku and crossword puzzles, and told my friends and family on FB too many details of life in the hospital. Seriously, it's embarrassing what you find yourself posting! For example: "status update: I smell bacon, wonder if it's Breakfast time? Guess they'll bring it in after the nurse leaves." And 5 mins later "status update: turns out it wasn't Breakfast, nurse just burped in my face. She hoped I hadn't noticed til I mentioned the smell of bacon...LOL" and 4 mins later..."status update: really gotta poop but I can't poop in foreign toilets, I hope to god they discharge me before I end up exploding! LOL" yeah those are all real posts sorry to say. Maybe stay away from Facebook til the craziness of the drugs wear off.

All in all it's manageable. I usually check out as soon as humanly possible which was like 12hrs after my gallbladder and depending on the doc and complications, anywhere from 6-12hrs after birth. I just do better in my own home.

[The Candidate 3,215]

Ha! Love the status updates, especially the bacon burping nurse. I think that would just be outright cruelty were that to be a bariatric patient!

You made a lot of great points! Already have my pillow, mask and ear plugs packed!

[gpmed 623]

Thanks so much for the great tips, you guys! I'm really glad I found this online community for support!

[KensingtonWalk 10]

I have had 8 abdominal surgeries, and the stay in the hospital is really not huge in the grand scheme of this process. You go into surgery, you go to recovery, then go to your room. They'll do post op vital signs and get you up to walk. Walk, walk, walk! It will get you out of the hospital sooner and you will feel better sooner. Walking helps get rid of gas, reduces the chance of deep vein thrombosis and helps prevent pneumonia. Use your incentive spirometer, and keep moving.

[soapymomma 1]

Don't forget your cell phone charger. I always bring slippers and a robe. I hate those socks they give. Their gowns are usually open in the back so a robe is great to cover up and keep warm.

[red37 116]

It was my first time in the hospital. I ended up staying for 4 days and 3 nights-it seemed like forever. I had my own room so there was no need for ear plugs. I was glad to have my phone and charger and slippers. Other than that they provided everything. I wasn't in the mood to watch tv or do anything other than send a few texts here and there. I had my ipad but didn't even take it out of my bag! It was nice to have visitors, though I slept a lot esp. the first two days. I only had Water the entire time I was at the hospital-that was interesting, though I did not feel like I was hungry or anything. Worst things-getting out of bed and moving around in bed was very painful but you have to do it to gain strength, my IV blew in my hand-this was painful and they had to place a new one in my other arm-my hand was swollen and painful for 2 weeks, someone on the floor had C diff so I was scared to death that I would get it! Some of my nurses were great, others lacked the "nurse" compassion! Overall, it wasn't a horrible experience, but it was a necessary experience to get me to the path I am on.

[KensingtonWalk 10]

Every nurse should be compassionate and caring. I am sorry your experience was bad. Nurses like that give nursing a bad rap.

[Sajijoma 1,324]

Ha! Love the status updates, especially the bacon burping nurse. I think that would just be outright cruelty were that to be a bariatric patient!

You made a lot of great points! Already have my pillow, mask and ear plugs packed!

Oh it was so funny! She was embarrassed and said she was praying to God I didn't notice, but we had a good laugh about it. The one thing I always try to tell people is that your nurse is just basically like you. Totally human and totally guilty of embarrassing moments. You burp, you fart, you get talked about on FB LMAO

Edited July 20, 2015 by Sajijoma

[Dub 9,922]

I'll be bringing a backpack loaded with the following:

*Comfortable sweatpants, shorts, and t-shirts

*A pair of New Balance 801 slip-on sneakers (awesome comfortable shoes....just step into them. No need to bend over. More supportive than Crocs. Gonna be doing some laps in them at the hospital

*iPad loaded down with a few new novels on iTunes w/ charger

*Bose earbuds & iPhone w/ charger

*A pillow from home. If it is anything even remotely like the abdominal hernia surgery....it helps to hold a pillow lightly against the area.

*Most important items of all......my C-PAP & reading glasses ( I won't be fooling with contact lenses in the hospital)

It's going to pass quickly.

[Kelsey Marie 49]

I'm pre op, but I've had my gallbladder taken out, kidney stones, and all of my babies were born in the hospital. The thing I wasn't prepared for is that they NEVER leave you alone even at night! Nurses will come

through doing rounds, flipping on lights to check your vitals, take temps, change IV, deal with the input line that keeps beeping because there's a link in the line, etc. and if you have trouble going back to sleep like I do, it can mean you just don't rest at all the entire time.

I do recommend taking ear plugs, eye mask and your own pillows for comfort-partly because the hospital ones are like rubber coated, hard, and super flat and also because they never seem to have any extras so if you want more than just one flat pillow, keep that in mind. Also put it in a bright colored case so they know it's yours from home and housekeeping or a nurse doesn't snag it for another patient.

When I had my gallbladder taken out and when I had kidney stones, I was too tired from the pain meds to care much about entertainment beyond a little TV, or cuddling one of my kids who was visiting, but when I was in having my babies, after the kids all went home and it was just me and the new baby who was sleeping, I needed the iPad, my phone, some sudoku and crossword puzzles, and told my friends and family on FB too many details of life in the hospital. Seriously, it's embarrassing what you find yourself posting! For example: "status update: I smell bacon, wonder if it's Breakfast time? Guess they'll bring it in after the nurse leaves." And 5 mins later "status update: turns out it wasn't breakfast, nurse just burped in my face. She hoped I hadn't noticed til I mentioned the smell of bacon...LOL" and 4 mins later..."status update: really gotta poop but I can't poop in foreign toilets, I hope to god they discharge me before I end up exploding! LOL" yeah those are all real posts sorry to say. Maybe stay away from Facebook til the craziness of the drugs wear off.

All in all it's manageable. I usually check out as soon as humanly possible which was like 12hrs after my gallbladder and depending on the doc and complications, anywhere from 6-12hrs after birth. I just do better in my own home.

You talking about what you posted on Facebook had me on the floor, but only because I've done it too! A few years ago, I had serious dental surgery. On the drive home, my ride had to go into a store to get something. It gave me enough time to call my cosmetology school and talk to some very confused students and to take a horrible picture of my jaw swollen and red and it had a crazy imprint of the gas mask across the nose and post it onto Instagram and Facebook. I always think of taking it down, but it makes me laugh too hard.

[Inner Surfer Girl 12,015]

My mom was with me so I gave her my phone so I wouldn't drunk dial or drink post while still loopy. She texted the folks who wanted updates. I didn't ask for my phone back until I was discharged. It was very nice to stay unplugged for a couple of days.