Upcoming hysterectomy - 5 days in hospital?

Hi I am new to the forum but already have read lots of great info, ideas and tips it's a minefield out there!

I am from the UK but now live in Greece where hospital care is very different to the UK.

My Gyni has advised that I will be in hospital for 5 days so my husband has booked a hotel for a week to stay nearby.

Reading post op forums most of you seem to have only stayed 1 or 2 nights. I will ask her again as I have lots more questions for her but does this seem right? I know I will just want to get home to my creature comforts.

I am having abdominal surgery due to large fibroids and dysfunctional uterus.

Another question, as the hospital is a 6/7 hour drive away any tips on comfort for the drive back? My husband will drive me home but 6/7 hours in the passenger seat of a car on Greek roads is not great?

Thanks in advance
LMH

Hello,

I had a TAH-BSO and stayed 3 nights in the hospital. But I live an hour away so I spent a night in a hotel the nights before and after my hospital stay. Maybe your doctor is keeping you in to get test results before you go home or because you have such a long drive. Since your husband is getting a room for a week, maybe consider staying in the hotel for a few days after discharge before you set off on such a long drive. If you could give yourself even a couple of days for the anesthesia to clear more and to just feel comfortable out of the hospital, I think you'd manage the drive better, or if you could break up the drive with stops or staying over midway that would help too. Either way you'll need to be sure to stop frequently to walk around for a few minutes to keep your circulation up. Try to have an abdominal binder to wear for the trip as this will help keep jiggling to a minimum. Good luck!!

	Quote:
Originally Posted by St Lucia Bride Hi I am new to the forum but already have read lots of great info, ideas and tips it's a minefield out there! I am from the UK but now live in Greece where hospital care is very different to the UK. My Gyni has advised that I will be in hospital for 5 days so my husband has booked a hotel for a week to stay nearby. Reading post op forums most of you seem to have only stayed 1 or 2 nights. I will ask her again as I have lots more questions for her but does this seem right? I know I will just want to get home to my creature comforts. I am having abdominal surgery due to large fibroids and dysfunctional uterus. Another question, as the hospital is a 6/7 hour drive away any tips on comfort for the drive back? My husband will drive me home but 6/7 hours in the passenger seat of a car on Greek roads is not great? Thanks in advance LMH

Hello,

Most of those who stayed in the hospital only one or two nights likely had a laparoscopic or totally vaginal approach. I had an abdominal hysterectomy and spent 3 nights in the hospital.

I was quoted 3-4 days for my abdominal hysterectomy and ended up staying three. I was released on the third day after surgery. I had an option to stay for a 4th day, but I was feeling confident as to my ability to take care of myself at home and was getting bored of walking laps around the ward.

If you have a 6/7 hour ride home on Greek roads, my advice is to stay in the hospital as long as you can because the more healed you are by the time of the ride, the better! Take a dose of pain meds just before you start the trip, and bring a small, flat pillow to put between your belly and the seat belt.

Also, plan to make frequent stops. If there's some place you can stay overnight about halfway through, that might be a good idea.

Here's another point to consider re: your stay: if anything goes wrong after you're discharged, it's another 6/7 hours to get back to the hospital, eh? So stay in the hospital long enough to make sure things are going well.

When packing for your surgery, make sure to include entertainment for your hospital stay. I was pretty stoned the first day after surgery, but much more alert by the second day. I'd've gone bonkers if I hadn't brought plenty of books to read. My roommate preferred crossword puzzles. A craft such as knitting or crocheting might also be an option.

Be a little careful when bringing electronics. First off, there will be *no* security for these items. Second, don't assume that your room will have a free outlet for your charger. Mine didn't, and I'm in Canada. Every outlet in the room was taken up with the plugs for the beds, the IV pumps, etc.

I had tah/bso and spent only one night.

Thanks Ladies,

I am going to buy a support to wear next time I go into a big town as I am not sure if the hospital will provide one. Did any of you have to wear the support tights? I have some in a draw somewhere so I can take them too. Although the care in Greece is non existent, you have to take your own sheets, pillows, towels etc. I have chosen to go private so I should get more than the bare minimum.

My husband had 2 surgeries last year on his spine, one in a private hospital which was better tho no curtain around the bed so zero privacy and the families all sleep on the chairs and the floor so even in a 3 bed ward he had 5 other brothers, wives and girlfriends all staying the night so he got no sleep. The second op was in the University hospital an hours drive away and it was filthy, disgusting, no nursing care I even had to drive home and get food and tramadol and morpheme for my husbands pain. He had no food for a week!

There are nearer hospitals if something goes wrong and my Gyni is only 20 mins away for the stitches removing and her private clinic so hopefully if something goes wrong I won't have to get to Athens, but good point maybe stay an extra night and maybe a night at the hotel maybe wash my hair! Set off early the next day as I will just want to get home. I am going in the afternoon before surgery for ECG and prep and op 9am the following day thankfully, no hanging about.

We will stop often as hubby needs to stop for frequent rests due to spinal fusion 6 months ago, we are a right pair at the moment!

Good idea about the cushion for the seat belt, hadn't thought about that.

Can't wait to get it over with!

LMH

A nurse measured me for compression stockings and put them on me when she was prepping me for surgery. I had to wear them until the third day after surgery.

If you bring your own compression garments, I'd strongly suggest stockings rather than tights. You're going to have a longish incision in your belly, and you may also have some vaginal bleeding.

Sorry yes they are stockings my husband only wore them a few times as they were so hot and itchy. Having my legs waxed before I go so they should be more comfortable for me.

LMH

Another tip: ear plugs for sleeping. The standard in my province are 4-bed ward rooms. Having some experience with staying in hostels in my younger days, I came supplied with ear plugs for sleeping. :-)

As it turned out, I lucked into a free semi-private. My roommate was a quiet middle-aged woman with a quiet middle-aged husband, so I never needed the ear plugs. But they were no trouble to pack and I was glad to have them just in case.

Thanks. On my list now along with iPod iPad books eye mask I may even try knitting cat blankets for the charity I run.

LMH