Hi all. I know this has been asked over and over, but my surgery is the 11th, and last minute panic has officially set in. I go for my pre-op Tuesday and hope they will tell me what to bring to hospital. I have never had a surgery before and really have no idea what I am doing. I don’t have many people to help me if I don’t bring necessities so if anyone can offer input I would be so very grateful! Also if anyone would like to share in their experience what they think I can expect in general after surgery, that would also be welcomed. Thank you so much and I am wishing everyone a pain free day! Love- TracyJessica
I had surgery a year ago and I thought I was going to need a lot but I didn’t need anything really. Being in ICU, they wouldn’t let me do a thing. Once being moved to a regular room I did change into sweatpants cause I was cold but that was all. I did bring reading material cause if I wasn’t sleep and watch tv I was bored out of my mind. Just make sure you have all necessities at home when you arrive.
good luck with your surgery, I’m having my third one on the twentieth and it’s been over a year since my last two so I’m also in that state of panic. you really don’t need to bring much to the hospital at all, just whatever you think you’ll need to be comfortable. for me I bring an ipad to watch movies on and I also bring a mini fan because the wind blowing on my face helps with the nausea. there really isn’t much need to pack a huge bag, chances are you won’t care about anything in it. I’m not sure about other people, but I was very lucid after surgery and completely aware of what was going on, I even watched a movie a couple hours after the operation. the second day in both surgeries was always the worst for me with nausea, so make sure to stay on top of the anti nausea meds and maybe something with ginger. my biggest advice would be to stay elevated when sleeping for as many days as you can possibly stand it because it puts less pressure on your duraplasty graft, decreasing your chances of a leak. also take it really easy the first couple weeks even if you feel up to doing more just take it really slow. I wish you the best of luck in your surgery and recovery.
I am probably not the best person to answer this question but you should be warned. Most of the decompession surgeries go well, but not all of them do. I had a really bad experience that involved 28 days in the hospital, 18 of which were in the ICU, 4 of them with a heart rate of 36 an I had to be hooked up to an IV pole for 3 months. This most likely will not happen to you, but plan for it just in case it does. Best of luck to you.
Earplugs can be useful if you have a noisy roommate like I did. Lip balm and water bottles
I had my surgery 15 months ago. It was a godsend. And to tell you the truth, because of the meds they give you will make you mostly forget the days after. Bottom line, you will get your life back. Hang in there.
I hope things go as easy for you as it was for my first surgery. I only spent one night in the hospital. I had some pain but nothing like what I had before the procedure. I went home and started physical therapy two weeks later. The second surgery was a month later. I have not been the same since. My spinal cord shifted in my neck and blood/ fluid was not draining from around my brain. I had emergency surgery, to relieve the pressure. When I woke up my left side was paralyzed. I am able to walk but have not regained complete use of my left arm/hand. Please be careful and do not move your head to quick. Good luck!
I had surgery going on 10 years ago. Button up shirts (wasn't allowed to raise my hands above my shoulders) were my savior and my parents brought me sneakers for walking around the ICU as part of the physical therapy. Deodorant was, for me, an unexpected pleasure that I had packed. I also found that loose socks were necessary. I went in on a Thursday morning for surgery and left on Sunday afternoon. I spent two days in ICU and my biggest challenge was fluid intake. I was brought every beverage the cafeteria had and I couldn't drink anything. Even when they lowered my IV fluids, I didn't want to drink anything. All in all, it was a fast, and fairly uneventful hospital experience. Getting home, make sure you have clothes cleaned and put away ready to wear for the following few days. Good luck!
Thanks for your help! I really appreciate it!
caseydmurray said:
good luck with your surgery, I’m having my third one on the twentieth and it’s been over a year since my last two so I’m also in that state of panic. you really don’t need to bring much to the hospital at all, just whatever you think you’ll need to be comfortable. for me I bring an ipad to watch movies on and I also bring a mini fan because the wind blowing on my face helps with the nausea. there really isn’t much need to pack a huge bag, chances are you won’t care about anything in it. I’m not sure about other people, but I was very lucid after surgery and completely aware of what was going on, I even watched a movie a couple hours after the operation. the second day in both surgeries was always the worst for me with nausea, so make sure to stay on top of the anti nausea meds and maybe something with ginger. my biggest advice would be to stay elevated when sleeping for as many days as you can possibly stand it because it puts less pressure on your duraplasty graft, decreasing your chances of a leak. also take it really easy the first couple weeks even if you feel up to doing more just take it really slow. I wish you the best of luck in your surgery and recovery.
Thanks for taking the time to help me!
labdweller said:
I had surgery going on 10 years ago. Button up shirts (wasn’t allowed to raise my hands above my shoulders) were my savior and my parents brought me sneakers for walking around the ICU as part of the physical therapy. Deodorant was, for me, an unexpected pleasure that I had packed. I also found that loose socks were necessary. I went in on a Thursday morning for surgery and left on Sunday afternoon. I spent two days in ICU and my biggest challenge was fluid intake. I was brought every beverage the cafeteria had and I couldn’t drink anything. Even when they lowered my IV fluids, I didn’t want to drink anything. All in all, it was a fast, and fairly uneventful hospital experience. Getting home, make sure you have clothes cleaned and put away ready to wear for the following few days. Good luck!
Wow! Good stuff. But no more husband to help. I hope I will be able to stay by myself after surgery. I really haven’t thought this out until now.
Beeba said:
My surgical routine - and yes sadly I have one.
1. Check into stores grocery delivery services. Many like giant(peapod), and Safeway have them. It is a great way to feel you are still contributing yet it is all done with just a few clicks and takes just minutes. They deliver right to your kitchen and it is a minimal charge.
2. Clean. Mostly organize things. And show husband how to wash the sheets. You will want to come home to a nice fresh smelling bed. Have extra pillows of all textures for propping.
3. Buy a cheap little trash can ($3) line it with two plastic shopping bags. Hopefully you will never need it but with pain meds it can hit fast and hard and it is good to move around with it. And definitely have it for ride from the hospital. Better to have and not need than need and not have.
4. A heating pad. Squishy ice packs at least 2 to rotate.
5.make sure school knows what is going on and to bump spouse to the “emergency contact” teachers need to know what is happening in their kids. Also you want to feel comfortable being able to turn your phone off - moms just don’t like doing this!! But you have to or people call to check on you and end up just waking you
6. Be aware that pain meds really mess with your sleep cycle. You live on a 24 hour cycle instead of the normal 16 awake 8 asleep. So ya just gotta go with it. But when you are up at 3 am - I do like to warn people - infomercial all of a sudden make perfect sense. This is a financial warning!! Lol. Cindy Crawford looks that good from good genes, no pillow will really make your head feel better and carol Burnett is very funny but you don’t need a years worth of videos that when you are better you will never have time to watch. And just because these really are the only people happy to talk to you at 3 am - they are not your friend!!! (My husband said I was the only person he knew that could spend money from icu- but everyday was like Christmas!!)
7. There is a pill app or the old fashioned pen and paper. Use them. Write down exactly what you took and when. As much as you think you will remember - you won’t. You don’t want to miss a dose or even worse overdose. Document it while the pill is in your hand and going down the hatch. Something as simple as a phone ringing can throw you. You will have the attention span of a 2 year old - squirrel!!
8. Limit visitors. You just need to sleep and you don’t want the pressure of entertaining other. Despite their good intentions - people come over and you turn into a hostess.
9, for showers - have someone within ear shot. You should be fine - but an ounce of caution. Showers can cause a bit if dizziness
10. Have your sick food on hand. Popsicles,soup and ginger ale.
11. I was allowed to shower at hospital - bring your things.
12. Get hair trimmed and comfortable - you won’t want to do it later.
13. Definitely ear phones - if you can download some shows do it. Hospital tv stinks - especially on the weekend. I learned how to breast feed again about a 100 times. My 12 and 8 year old were not thrilled. I finally fell in love with the sopranos on 7 years after the show ended. But I did feel the urge to 'whack" my rude roomie.
14. As soon as you do your last talk with anesthesia - ask for the relaxing medicine before surgery. Never been denied and makes those last few minutes more enjoyable and less likely you will jump off the table and run out butt exposed.
15. Know that right up to the last second - if you want out - you have free will. Keeping that control in mind allows you some feeling of comfort. In your head you will cancel all the way to the hospital - that is normal - but I have yet to hear anyone on the table actually say - get me out. But know you can. Screwing up your surgeon, the hospital or anything else is not your problem. You won’t do this but I liked knowing I could.
16. Rest, rest, rest!!
17.do trial runs with the kids. Like pick ups, drop offs and after school sports and such so you can relax and not get that call because someone can’t find your kid who gets dropped at one end of school but picked up at the other end. You don’t need that anxiety.
18. Let the kids help. They can always lay in bed next to you and babble about day and do homework. Go easy in the parent guilt. You are doing what is needed to be a good parent. You are showing strength and courage.
19. Warm socks with grips in the bottom. You get some crappy ones from the hospital - nice ones are better.
I am sorry for what happened to you. Thank you for the advice. My surgeon said mostly rest for a month. I think I will take that seriously
Carol27 said:
I hope things go as easy for you as it was for my first surgery. I only spent one night in the hospital. I had some pain but nothing like what I had before the procedure. I went home and started physical therapy two weeks later. The second surgery was a month later. I have not been the same since. My spinal cord shifted in my neck and blood/ fluid was not draining from around my brain. I had emergency surgery, to relieve the pressure. When I woke up my left side was paralyzed. I am able to walk but have not regained complete use of my left arm/hand. Please be careful and do not move your head to quick. Good luck!
Thank you so very much!
caseydmurray said:
good luck with your surgery, I’m having my third one on the twentieth and it’s been over a year since my last two so I’m also in that state of panic. you really don’t need to bring much to the hospital at all, just whatever you think you’ll need to be comfortable. for me I bring an ipad to watch movies on and I also bring a mini fan because the wind blowing on my face helps with the nausea. there really isn’t much need to pack a huge bag, chances are you won’t care about anything in it. I’m not sure about other people, but I was very lucid after surgery and completely aware of what was going on, I even watched a movie a couple hours after the operation. the second day in both surgeries was always the worst for me with nausea, so make sure to stay on top of the anti nausea meds and maybe something with ginger. my biggest advice would be to stay elevated when sleeping for as many days as you can possibly stand it because it puts less pressure on your duraplasty graft, decreasing your chances of a leak. also take it really easy the first couple weeks even if you feel up to doing more just take it really slow. I wish you the best of luck in your surgery and recovery.
Thanks!
Onesmind said:
I had surgery a year ago and I thought I was going to need a lot but I didn’t need anything really. Being in ICU, they wouldn’t let me do a thing. Once being moved to a regular room I did change into sweatpants cause I was cold but that was all. I did bring reading material cause if I wasn’t sleep and watch tv I was bored out of my mind. Just make sure you have all necessities at home when you arrive.
Who is doing your surgery? I pray for a speedy recovery! I have a follow up with my local neurologist tomorrow. Hoping to get the info needed to appeal Anthem to have more tests done with Dr Heffez in Wisconsin.
I second deodorant...its the one thing I forgot and begged my roommate to bring me!
I would like to thank everyone for taking time to offer me help! Sometimes I feel the group is all I have, and you guys pulled through. I really needed that! So thank you
I had my surgery on October 22nd. It was also my 1st ever surgery.
I was scared out if my mind, but let me assure you that you are making an excellent decision. You are going to improve your life.
I would suggest taking facial wipes. That way you can easily clean your face without having to lean over (my neck was very weak and sore abd I couldn’t lean over the sink). Also, get dry shampoo. You aren’t supposed to wash your hair for a week after surgery. I wish I would have had dry shampoo to help with the oil. My hospital provided everything else like baby wipes and toothbrush.
What state are you in?
The only things I needed was a pillow. The hospital ones were awful. I wish i had written down phone numbers just in case cell phone goes dead or no service.Will keep you in my prayers and wish you the best!
I brought my own PJs and slippers to wear. Some hospitals might not let you wear them, but I was much more comfortable. It was probably the 3rd day before I wore them, not sure. Write everything! down, my memory was terrible for several weeks, but everyones experience is different. My nurses were so amazing. Do not be afraid to ask for and sometimes insist on what you need. If you have friends or family bringing meals or if you prepare any for your freezer, stay away from anything spicy for a while. Best of luck and give yourself plenty of time to recover. Do not rush it!