Hospital discharge after DS (Dr. Gagner) w/o caregiver

Hi,

Has anyone travelled alone to have surgery with Dr. Gagner? The paperwork indicates I have to be released from the hospital into the care of a companion, but I would rather not drag my husband and 8-yr old along for the few days I stay in Montreal after the surgery. I'm in Ottawa, so it's only 2 1/2 hours away from Montreal, but my son would miss school, and I can foresee not being able to rest as much as I'd like if I'm worried about his needs/entertainment - even if my husband is in charge taking of care of our son. 

Has anyone had surgery with Dr. Gagner without a traveling companion? If so, how did you arrange it?

Thanks,

Julie


 

I could be completely wrong, but I'm pretty sure that's typical hospital policy.  You won't be able to care for yourself and you need someone around in case of emergency.  And you certainly can't drive!

Is there someone else who could stay with you or your son?  A friend or relative?  I would hate to see you go through the first few days post op alone, regardless of the surgery you're having.  What if you fell?    Ugh, it gives me shivers just thinking about it!

I did the same trek as you will be doing, back in June.  I would recommend that your husband come pick you up after surg.  Rockland isn't hard to get to, and trust me, you will NOT want to have to worry about driving or having to get to a train etc to get back to Ottawa. 

If kidlette is in school all day, your husband can leave Ottawa by 9:30 am, .. get to Montreal by noon'ish, and have you deposited home by at the latest 3 or 4 pm.  It's a long drive for hubs, but doable, - my hubs went home to feed the cats the day before my release... and did my "pick up" around noon the day I was released.

Cheers :)

Thanks, Allie! You mean since I am in Ottawa, I would not be required to stay in Montreal for a few days following surgery?

Oh,... and ask them to get your scripts ready for you (call them in, if they can) so that they are ready to pick up at either the pharm at Rockland or Jean Coutu across the street.  (I used Coutu, because the pharm didn't have one of the scripts I needed.) 

I don't know if Coutu takes the pain meds you get over a phone call, but it's worth asking, to save time when you're ready to go home.

I didn't stay, it wasnt required. Hubs picked me up and back to Ottawa I went :) Veronique emailed me and I got a call to make sure I was doing ok etc.

I see Dr. Gagner is having you stay in Montreal for a while after surgery. I would suggest you have someone with you for the same reasons already mentioned.

I live 3 hours away from the hospital I had my DS.  My husband picked me up from the hospital and drove me home 2 days after my procedure.  I was given pain meds prior to discharge.  Honestly the trip home was not bad at all, and I slept most of it.  Imho it was better being at home than being stuck alone in some hotel room alone...and my 10-yr old was home too!  Explain to your son will understand you need your rest when you first get home for a few days.  I made meals that my child could microwave and wrote down instructions in advance.  I also had lots of snacks and activites planned that could be done independently.  My husband travels for work and had to go out of town for 5 days the day after I got home...so it was just me and my child and all worked out fine.  It's just a suggestion, but perhaps that is something you could consider?  I will just depend on how comfortable you feel and how you think your child will handle it.

Good luck!

Roxy

I will be having my surgery with Dr. Gagner hopefully on the 5th of October.  My surgery is a revision from RNY to DS, so the surgery has to be done at Sacre Coeur Hospital.  I live in Cornwall, which is only 1 1/2 hours away.  I contacted Dr. Gagner about travel and he wants me to stay in a motel the night before surgery and 1-2 days following being released from the hospital.  These requirements may be because I am a revision.  You should contact Dr. Gagner and ask about having to stay in the area or if you can go home.
I will not know if my surgery is confirmed until a week before the 5th.  Emergency surgeries get priority and my surgery may be rescheduled.  Otherwise, we may have been able to meet, if we stayed in the same motel.
Good luck with your surgery.
Take care.
Penny

Juie,

IMHO, if you are thinking that you are going to be able to leave the hospital and drive home a few days post-op, you do NOT have a realistic view of what kind of surgery you are going to have.  In my experience the DS surgery is MASSIVE...way more than c-sections, way more than an almost-radical hysterectomy, way more than having most of your tits lopped off...this is MASSIVE surgery.

There is a CHANCE I'm the only one who experienced it this way, but probably not.

I stayed in the hospital for maybe four days and then in town for another four or five and my 3.5 hour drive home took well over five hours because we had to stop every 30-40 minutes or so. 

So, how much would a home health aid at a hotel or a few days in a nursing home (several solo DSers have done that in the past) cost?  Then hubby and son can come get you when you are a LITTLE bit more ready to travel.

This surgery is a MASSIVE ******g deal.

Sue