How many have someone stay with them all night?

It depends on your comfort level. Are you familiar with the hospital you are going to and do you feel you need someone there? I am extremely familiar with the hospital I went to and I knew what to expect as far as patient care was concerned. I know they have an awesome staff and I had absolutely no worries that the care would be lacking. They didn't let me down - my care was outstanding. I wouldn't have asked DH to stay anyway - he doesn't do well in hospital settings. He was wonderful to have stayed as long as he did. As soon as I was aware of my surroundings I sent him home. He came back to visit the next evening, then came to get me as soon as I was ready to leave. I would have hated to have anyone just sitting there watching me sleep.

s and best wishes.

My husbandstayed pretty late but not overnight. I did not make it back to my room until 10:30 at night, surgery was at 6PM. No private rooms were available unfortunately. I had really good nursing I must say. I was checked every hour the first night. There were a lot of nursing students so I had plenty of attention. Too bad I did not get rest.

The castle will shoo everyone out at 8pm. I really don't mind based on what I have read, I will be going in and out of sleep and won't really feel up to anyone being there.

Plus DH and my very wonderful mom in law will be helping me at home and I want them to get some peaxeful rest before I become a burden.

I asked for a private room, but wasn't given one therefor DH couldn't stay with me.My Mom was down here with me and did stay the night.I felt sorry for her though because they didn't have cots or an extra bed for her.So, she slept on the floor and in the chair.........she alternated between the two.She got VERY little sleep.

I have been awake most of the night with residual pain. Saw my doc yesterday and I do have an ovary infected,please don't ask how she was able to determine that because it is not pretty. Anyway finally gave up on not taking a second pain pill ,took one and am checking webpage for posts and this one popped up again so I will continue to add my two cents.
I feel like I am the only one who expected someone to stay with me all the time as did my family.Maybe it is a cultural thing. My husband and I are married almost 25 years and we very rarely spend a night apart,maybe we are old school in that he is not only my lover and best friend but my protector as well. My first night after surgery I couldn't have made him leave as I was in pain. He spent most of the night whispering prayers and distractions to me and pushing fluids and when he fell asleep it was on the floor by my side. I love him so much and if God forbid he needed me in this way I would do the same.
We would never leave one another with strangers no matter how well intentioned in an environment that is so compromising to one who is ill. and that is the bottom line. This is not childbirth where after the last contraction you immediately begin to feel better and joyous, and hand me the remote and bring on the food. This is major surgery and is not a mini-vacation by any stretch of the imagination. So if you are counting on catching up on some flicks and sleep you are kidding yourself.
Several weeks ago someone posted on the pre-op side don't look at post-op threads they will make you too nervous. I listened to that advice for the most part and in a way sorry I didn't browse a little because there were points I could have been aware of and due to my protecting myself from hearing the other side issues I went in with a blind eye on some important matters.
I perfer to not be specific here everyone needs to do what is right for them, take in what you can as you feel you are able.
We make a point here of the waiting game and how hard that is ..oh and the bowel prep..what a drag...I feel foolish now for those sentiments.I would have less wasted time further educating myself and asking IMPORTANT questions as this post does. Please ladiesIW. Have a back up plan...a plan "B" for everything, from whether you want someone with you ,to alternate pain drugs ie:what you will ask for (research this and get an agreement with the doc before the surgery), to what bowel -prep you will do if you can't tolerate GoLightly (many can't) and there are alternates you just need to ask for one.(visichol tablets or dulcolax)
Ask the what ifs...Bless you all...I wish you the easiest of surgeries and fast recoveries and the strength to go on and do your homework...ask all the questions now...

i thought i wouldn't be bothered... but then when the nurse asked my hubby if he wanted to stay - I told him that he did

It was very nice to have him there - though i could have done without him moaning how uncomfortable his bed was! (he should have tried it from my perspective!)
He did get confused in the middle of the night though - I called a nurse to bring me some paracetamol and it disturbed him he said
"What's the matter?"
"nothing - just need some paracetamol"
"ok - shall i go downstairs and get you some out of the cupboard?"

Now i was tempted to say yes please, and watch him stumble around the corridor, confused and in his boxers

topasj:

As you suggested in another post I read your "hyst story" and believe me, you have my sympathies. With your history of problems with pain management I'd have been scared to death to go for surgery, much less do it without my dh with me. Have you never found 'one' medication that really helps?

I, like many of the ladies here, am very lucky in that only a bit of juggling comes up with the right med. I've had surgery with a general anesthetic (sp?) 3 times before and never had the slightest problem, and the only pain med to give me problems was Demerol. And that's only because it makes me very light headed and kind of spacy. It still works for the pain. So it's impossible for me to know what you've been through - I can only imagine.

Though I too have been married for 25 years to my best friend, he will not stay with me in the hosp. He will be home with our two kids, ages 9 and 10. They're both pretty worried about their mom, and leaving them with a relative so I can have dh with me would be very selfish on my part. They want to be with their Dad, so they can share their worries. Everybody has their own circumstances to deal with, in the best way we can. And the fact is, for a lot of people, the hospital stay is (thankfully) quite uneventful. As I certainly hope mine is.

I sincerely hope you can get your pain management problems sorted out, and can get back to a normal life as soon as possible.

HollyK

Well, we've decided that he's going to stick around until about 10pm or so and then come back up the next morning after everyone has headed out for the day. But I have the backup of being able to call him if I feel too lonely or can't sleep and want someone with me.

I'm REALLY looking forward to the whole thing to be perfectly honest. My pain's even been more bearable yesterday and today..I think because now there's a light at the end of the tunnel and before I felt so helpless.

Dorsey


I've been doing a lot of coloring therapy lately..I bought three coloring books (one precious moments and two garfield) and three packs of markers...I love the way it makes me feel so care free.

LAVH-Scheduled for April 25,2005-endo/adeno, PCOS, ovarian cysts larger than the ovaries themselves