Re: post-op care in the hospital

[Guest guest]

I, too, had the magic button. And what was truly wonderful, although

I did not need it (thanks to the magic button) was that my surgeon

sends his patients to a special unit called the post anesthesia

recovery unit, where there is nearly one nurse to one patient

attention. My nurse was handy through the night, if I had needed him,

which I did not, for the most part.

My surgeon really has this stuff figured out. He sends his patients

to check into the pediatric ward at 12:01 on the morning of their

surgery, saving them (me) one day's hospital expenses. The pediatric

nurses are really clued in about what's happening and why, and they

take special care of his patients, too.

Cammie

> > > > hey everyone,

> > > >

> > > > Since I still get so tired I thought I would send the details

> in

> > > one

> > > > message instead of individual ones.

> > > >

> > > > My surgery lasted 7 hours. I was in recovery for two hours

> and

> > > then

> > > > wheeled into my room for an interesting evening. Lets just

> say

> > > that

> > > > sometimes evening nursing/nursing assistant staffing is not

> > always

> > > > adequate. Be sure you have a family member STAY THE NIGHT

> with

> > > you

> > > > in the hospital! Poor Dan was so exhausted from waiting for

> my

> > > > surgery to be over (it lasted 2 hours longer than scheduled)

> that

> > > I

> > > > felt sympathy for the poor man and sent him home to sleep.

> > > >

> > > > needless to say I had to call him at home and have him come

> > back.

> > > > The situation went something like this: I'd push the nurse

> call

> > > > button... " Can I help you " " I need huuuup " . The nurse

> assistant

> > > > came, I told her I needed pain meds " I huuuut, I tink it time

> for

> > > my

> > > > medssss " . She told me that I should expect some discomfort

> and

> > > > disappeared without resetting my call button. Mind you the

> phone

> > > in

> > > > my room did not work...I had to get out of bed...check all

the

> > > wires

> > > > and fix the damn phone myself to make a call. Can you

imagine

> a

> > > > collect call after jaw surgery?? " please state your

> > > > name " " 'SSSEEEFFF " " I'm sorry can you repeat that? " "

> > > SEEEEEF! "

> > > > All this just to get Dan to be my voice to ask for more

> morphine!

> > > >

> > > > He came...god love him, and spent the night in the recliner.

> > > >

> > > > I was released the next morning to my surprise and delight

due

> to

> > > my

> > > > rocky night. This week has been rough. in 7 days I got less

> > than

> > > 15

> > > > hours sleep. I kept having anxiety revolving around being

> > > completely

> > > > congested, having my jaws tightly banded shut and a retainer

> type

> > > > fixture (called a splint) taking up a lot of room in my

> mouth,

> > as

> > > > well as a numb and swollen upper lip that I have no control

> over

> > > for

> > > > now. Lets just say that the brain plays tricks on you and

you

> > > become

> > > > very scared that if you fall asleep you will forget to

breathe

> or

> > > > that there is not enough room for the air to flow. So after

> > > several

> > > > days of no sleep the surgeon called me in for a checking on.

> He

> > > did

> > > > some x-rays and checking to prove to me that I was okay and

> gave

> > > > me " a little something " to get me through this rough patch.

I

> > got

> > > 14

> > > > hours of sleep yesterday. Thank the gods.

> > > >

> > > >

> > > > Later.

> > > > Steph

[Guest guest]

> > > > > hey everyone,

> > > > >

> > > > > Since I still get so tired I thought I would send the

details

> > in

> > > > one

> > > > > message instead of individual ones.

> > > > >

> > > > > My surgery lasted 7 hours. I was in recovery for two hours

> > and

> > > > then

> > > > > wheeled into my room for an interesting evening. Lets just

> > say

> > > > that

> > > > > sometimes evening nursing/nursing assistant staffing is not

> > > always

> > > > > adequate. Be sure you have a family member STAY THE NIGHT

> > with

> > > > you

> > > > > in the hospital! Poor Dan was so exhausted from waiting

for

> > my

> > > > > surgery to be over (it lasted 2 hours longer than

scheduled)

> > that

> > > > I

> > > > > felt sympathy for the poor man and sent him home to sleep.

> > > > >

> > > > > needless to say I had to call him at home and have him come

> > > back.

> > > > > The situation went something like this: I'd push the nurse

> > call

> > > > > button... " Can I help you " " I need huuuup " . The nurse

> > assistant

> > > > > came, I told her I needed pain meds " I huuuut, I tink it

time

> > for

> > > > my

> > > > > medssss " . She told me that I should expect some discomfort

> > and

> > > > > disappeared without resetting my call button. Mind you the

> > phone

> > > > in

> > > > > my room did not work...I had to get out of bed...check all

> the

> > > > wires

> > > > > and fix the damn phone myself to make a call. Can you

> imagine

> > a

> > > > > collect call after jaw surgery?? " please state your

> > > > > name " " 'SSSEEEFFF " " I'm sorry can you repeat that? " "

> > > > SEEEEEF! "

> > > > > All this just to get Dan to be my voice to ask for more

> > morphine!

> > > > >

> > > > > He came...god love him, and spent the night in the recliner.

> > > > >

> > > > > I was released the next morning to my surprise and delight

> due

> > to

> > > > my

> > > > > rocky night. This week has been rough. in 7 days I got

less

> > > than

> > > > 15

> > > > > hours sleep. I kept having anxiety revolving around being

> > > > completely

> > > > > congested, having my jaws tightly banded shut and a

retainer

> > type

> > > > > fixture (called a splint) taking up a lot of room in my

> > mouth,

> > > as

> > > > > well as a numb and swollen upper lip that I have no control

> > over

> > > > for

> > > > > now. Lets just say that the brain plays tricks on you and

> you

> > > > become

> > > > > very scared that if you fall asleep you will forget to

> breathe

> > or

> > > > > that there is not enough room for the air to flow. So

after

> > > > several

> > > > > days of no sleep the surgeon called me in for a checking

on.

> > He

> > > > did

> > > > > some x-rays and checking to prove to me that I was okay and

> > gave

> > > > > me " a little something " to get me through this rough

patch.

> I

> > > got

> > > > 14

> > > > > hours of sleep yesterday. Thank the gods.

> > > > >

> > > > >

> > > > > Later.

> > > > > Steph