Hi Momz,

I can relate some of my experience - but all hospitals are SO different! Best advice I can give is if at all possible have a friend or family member present as much as possible to advocate, firmly but tactfully for you. See that meds are given on time, water is filled, your questions are answered, room is cleaned, etc. It can make a HUGE difference!

Do you know what anesthetics they will be using on you for surgery? Because of your issues, I would really push to meet the anesthesiologist a day or two ahead. Then you can go over your history and what meds you CAN'T have. Maybe check with your Drs to see what has been used in the past that you did ok with. At any rate, the anesthesiologist is the one who can tell you what options there are, and who needs to know what you can't tolerate, and you will feel best if this is handled face-to-face and settled before going into surgery.

Surgery for rib resection and scalene release was about an hour and a half, then about that in recovery, maybe a little less. They want you pretty awake, then take an x-ray, and the Dr comes to talk with you - although I don't remember any of it, really. I had a drain (incision was under my arm, so that's where the lines were), and another line that carried Lidocaine, I believe, directly to the surgical site. However no one in Recovery bothered to wrap the lines on my IV pole, and when I got to my room my nurse saw the mess they were in and declared it "wasn't her job to untangle the mess and wrap them up, so when I got up and walked to the bathroom a day after surgery I tripped over them and pulled out the one with the pain med! (She was a HORRIBLE nurse, long story, and I was moved to a different room and nurse, thank God!)

I slept most of the first day; when I was awake the pain was awful, but the meds kept me at a distance from it. I had a pain med pump, and could push a button any time I needed more pain meds, in addition to scheduled pain pills. After 36-48 hrs the pump meds were reduced in amt, and the number of times I could push the button was limited to so often per hour.

I packed socks and slippers and was glad for both. The hospital is kept very cool, so socks feel good even in bed. And the hall floors are not always the cleanest, maybe this is due to daytime visitors, but my slippers were black on the bottom after my walks through the hall on days 3 and 4. I also had an oxygen tube in my nose, not the full apparatus, just a small tube I could take on and off myself. I was off that by 48 hrs, maybe a little sooner - keep in mind this was Denver, and I'm from the MidWest!

It WAS hard to get a deep breath, but I think practicing deep breathing, and breathing from all different parts of the lungs pre-op, helped me escape any lung-related complications post-op. No matter that it hurts, you MUST make sure that lung fully re-inflates if they've opened it. But tell visitors NO jokes as laughing is NOT fun! Ditto coughing, hiccuping, burping... Holding a pillow to your stomach when you cough helps a bit.

I didn't bring my laxative/stool softener with me - that was a mistake. What they gave me didn't do the trick, and my Dr. usually doesn't let patients go home til they have a BM I found out. But I got out of there without his finding out any differently, or I might have been there for weeks! Play it safe and take what you know works for YOU!

Pres/St Luke's in Denver had awesome food - a menu like a great family restaurant - even burgers and shakes - and you could order whatever you wanted by phone, any time you wanted it! But with hospitals you don't know what you will get, or when - so I pack nuts, raisins, crackers, chocolate - so I can snack when I want, or fill up when their food leaves much to be desired.

I was put in a semi-private first - I think my roomie may have been an addict and perhaps returning to court-ordered rehab. It was all very weird. Luckily I was out of it the first day, and she left on day 2, then I got moved away from Nurse Incompetent. Later I was at Hahnemann in Philly (I had IV-Lidocaine treatment with Dr Schwartzman for my RSD), and again had a roomie. She would not SHUT UP. Even when I drew the curtain she would come around it to talk!!!! For FIVE days it was constant - I wanted this woman GONE in the worst way!!! NEVER again!! Be SURE you get a private room - it's very little out-of-pocket, and worth EVERY penny!!

I had surgery Thursday morning, was discharged Sunday around 1:00 or 2:00. I think the drain stayed til they were getting ready to discharge me. I know they took x-rays the day after surgery and I think one more time. PT/OT came in the day after and showed me some ROM exercises to do in bed, and gave me a chair massage, that's the only time I saw them. I was given a shoulder immobilzer for the trip home, but not all surgeons do this. If yours doesn't arrange with your driver to bring plenty of pillows for that trip home! And see if you can get all your scrips filled at the hospital pharmacy - but you have to do it before you check out!

Hope this is helpful - and BEST WISHES!!!

beth

P.S. Night before surgery to-do's - shave legs and wash hair!!