.

.

I'm sorry you're facing this alone but a health aid is a great option. Good luck and please keep us osted.

--gina

posted

  o_0

I travelled by myself. Dr Gagner has you in the surgical centre for a night, then a nurse accompanies you all back to the hotel (included) for the day and the following night. It was a pretty good solution for me, and I didn't mind being 'alone'. I had surgery on the Tuesday, and a friend arrived on the Friday to visit for the weekend. It was nice to feel more 'human' at that point, but I had to wait 10 days to fly home because of the airline's rules around distance. I'd say it depends on your personality and comfort level with going solo.

No worries! Happy to answer any questions.

I had 24 hours of travel to get home, and other than paying for business class so I could lie down, it was about as painful as any long haul flight. (Though I couldn't indulge in the gourmet food and drink, which was a shame!)

I traveled to Germany for my DS surgery.  Germany seems to have longer requirements for hospital stays (even a smaller surgery is a 5 day stay).  I stayed for 11 days in the hospital and spent the next week in a local hotel before being cleared to fly home. I did not need a nurse and was able to do ok on my own.

2 years later, I traveled from Australia to Texas for reconstructive plastic surgery after the weight loss.  After my Lower Body Lift, I was in the hospital for only 2 days and spent the next 10 days again in a hotel.  In this case, I did require assistance and hired care givers to come twice a day to my hotel and assistance me with food, showers, changing clothes, getting my scripts filled.

In both cases, I was given syringes to inject myself for the return flight home to prevent blood clots.

I found the physical challenge of having the surgeries to be fairly easy.  The bigger challenge is the mental and emotional one.  Luckily with FaceTime, Skype, and a supportive network back home I was able to get all the support I needed.  Being alone is a little scary and I could have used a little bit of hand holding  however most of my emotional needs were met thru FaceTime and I just couldn't justify bringing someone with me do to the cost and the limited amount of time I'd actually NEED the person there.

Good luck!

In Germany, I was allowed to leave on my own in a taxi that they arranged for me.  The German hospital does not let you leave unless you are well enough to do so - that is why one has a longer stay.  The US hospital insisted that I have a caregiver.  The nurse/cargiver I hired thru the temp agency picked me up and got me checked in and settled into my hotel room, went and got groceries, made sure my meds were within reach and settled me into a comfy chair.

The DS really was not very difficult to recover from versus plastic surgery.  My advice is pay the extra money to stay in a nice hotel with room service.  I just explained to my hotel that I had stomach surgery and they were happy to make me eggs at any time of the day or send up plain yogurt.  

Its been 6 years since my DS, but from my recollection, there is discomfort from having all of your intestines taken out and repacked.  It isn't terrible, but it is there.  I didn't need any pain meds after leaving the hospital.  I did need a private bathroom all to myself.  I did learn what happens if I substitute my proteins for just a couple of bites of that white toast on my plate they so nicely sent up with the eggs...

Bring your iPad, ebook or books to read, and a positive attitude.  Your hotel, however comfortable, might only have 1 channel in English and you soon might get tired of watching either the news or reruns of Gunsmoke!