Did you get a private room at the Castle?

I know this is stupid, but I will just be devastated if I have to share a room at the hospital. I have a very shy bladder, and can't 'go' if I know there is a stranger in the room. That goes double for Number 2.

I also don't think I can tolerate a stream of roommate's visitors. (I plan on giving all my loved ones/friends/doctor instructions that I dont want any visitors in the hospital - they can come see me when I return home).

THis is supposed to be my time for resting and I don't know how much rest I will get knowing there's someone else in the room all the time (told you it was stupid).

My insurance indicates coverage for a semi-private room. However, I have had several previous surgeries where I was covered by other insurances that covered only semi-private rooms, but I got a room to myself.

I had a private room because I paid to use a private hospital for my TAH rather than using the NHS (I am in the UK). Cost an arm and a leg, as well as the TAH ! but it was worth every penny. I chose to do this largely because I would get a private room, private bathroom, and I've found that even with a so called wonderful *free* health service, unfortunately Money Talks. My experience was that I had much better treatment from the private sector.

I agree with you about the bathroom though - this is one of those occasions when quiet, privacy and *me, me, me* is not only allowed, it is actively encouraged!

cheers,

Julie

Hi, at the hospital i went to I was on the ob-gyn floor, all the rooms are private. but also semi private at my hospital means private, usually. i guess if the hospital is really busy they put another bed in the room. Ususally on the ob floor most rooms are private always. I requested that floor for that reason. The babies being born did not bother me. carol

I had a private room - in my opinion, I would not have wanted to share a room - for me having a hysterectomy was a very personal and emotional event - there is no way I would have wanted to be in a room with a complete stranger (and whatever guests they have) during such a personal time. My insurnce paid for a private room - if insurance had not paid for it I woud have gladly paid for it "out of pocket" if I had to .

I was very lucky when it came to this. The hospital that I stayed at only has single rooms so the insurance has no choice!! I do hope that you get to be in a single room. I understand how you feel and I would feel the same way if I had to share a room. I would have been especially embarrassed if a complete stranger had to listen to my post-op, morphine enduced blabberings. LOL.

When I went through my pre-op they already had all the insurance company's approvals - I was offered a private room if I picked up the difference in the cost, which at my hospital was only $55 per day. However, I went ahead and took the semi-private room and other than a few more guests that the other patient had - didn't really have any issues. Of course, I was getting shots of demerol every four hours, so you could have dropped a big bomb in the middle of the room, and I wouldn't have cared...... much!

I was there almost 3 days and had 2 different roomies. They were basically great, except for when I had to use the facilities. Then since I was the closest to the door, I had someone pull the curtain or ask them to depart. They were astonishingly pleasant and understanding.

I walked the 2nd day and even had a doc conference in the waiting area outside my room the morning my doc released me. I just happened to be out walking when he was doing his rounds. He was very surprised at how much walking I had been able to do and had no issues releasing me since I had already had a shower and was tolerating things well.

I think if can manage it financially and if you would feel better with the private room and can cover the additional costs, go for it if it will make you more comfortable. I felt that I got a little better care since there were 2 of us in the room because we were on slightly different schedules so when they checked on one of us, they checked on both of us.

Good luck with your decision and with your surgery! Just remember it is YOU that needs to feel good about things, ask the hospital and/or insurance company for your options and that way you can decide now and not have to stress over it.

(((HUGS)))

I paid for private room out of pocket. If you can afford it, definitely worth it. It was peaceful! Nurses come in every 3 or 4 hours to check bp, temp, etc. but at least there weren't two people in the room - I can't imagine ever getting any sleep. And once I felt a bit better I did mini-laps in the room or looked out the window.

I also wanted the private room so my dh and dd would feel comfortable spending a longer time visiting. I did not want any other visitors!

Best wishes.

Hi all,
I wish I had even thought to "ask" about a private room, tho I doubt that I would have gotten one without spending a lot of money, which I don't have. My insurance covers the least it can get away with. I guess I can be grateful I didn't end up in the hallway ! . . . I had a truly bad experience in my one overnight stay -- not due to the surgery (LAVH), but due to the roommate and hospital procedures. They woke me up every HOUR to take my vital signs. (Doesn't this seem a bit excessive ?) They woke my roommate every HOUR (at other times) to take her vital signs. Thus, twice every hour, lights were turned on and I was awake. I got very little sleep. My roommate spent half the night talking on the phone. Her husband spent half the night watching sports on TV ! I was too "out of it" to figure out what to do. I practically insisted on going home the next day, in spite of nausea, because I didn't think I could get through another night like that ! Now I wish I had been more assertive. I wrote all of this on the post-surgery questionnaire I got from the hospital. Hopefully, I'll know better next time. Sigh.

Thanks for all the great feedback, ladies! I am now very determined to make my wishes known and request that I have a room to myself. I am the type that notices EVERYTHING that goes on around me, even doped up on demerol, so the less commotion, the better! And the fact that you just never know if you are going to get an angel as a roommate, or get stuck with a nightmare, makes it that much more scary to me.

It is well worth it to pay a little extra for something that can make such a big difference.

Who was the wise sister who said in her posts "You only get one chance to recover correctly". How true! (in fact, I am going to write that down, and tape it to the dresser mirror in my bedroom for me to stare at during my recuperation!)

Thanks, all you Sweeties!

I didn't make a request either way but was hoping for no roomate.

I woke up in a suite. The hospital was very underbooked and there were only two of these suite rooms on the med-durg floor and they gave one of them to me.

It was the size of a double room, with a living area/sleeper sofa, dining table, two TV's large bathroom. IT was really nice for dh and my 3 daughters.

I would not have wanted anyone seeing me in that condition.