Hospital Family Supports

Surgery is now two days away and I am feeling unsure about who I need when and where. Did a family member stay with you overnight? Was it required?

I know most people say they are really sleepy and just want to rest. As a mom of two young kids the quiet restful time is also appealing.

Would love to hear about your experiences.

It depends on you and your own emotional needs, medically it isn't necessary.

I don't like having to worry about reassuring a loved one that my moan, yelp, or other indicators of distress are not really a big deal - so I asked my family to stay away and let me do my own thing. I worked at the hospital where I had my surgery, so coworkers visited during the day but I was happy for my own time. A good friend insisted on being there for my actual surgery but that was more about him and less about me :)

I was getting up every hour, on the hour, and dragging my IV around the floor (shuffling more than walking) the first day, and up when ever I was awake through the night. I would walk to the ice machine, refill my ice pack then go back to bed. The nurses would have done that for me, but I needed to keep moving so doing it myself seemed like the best option. I kept ice on my incision, especially the "big" one that was most tender. Having someone there fussing over me, or being woken up as I tried to get out of bed would have been more a pain.

I think I am similar to you in that I prefer to do my own thing. I don't really want to manage anyones emotions while I am trying to get better. Thanks for the contribution!

I went in for surgery on a Monday and was discharged on a Thursday. There was someone required to be there for registration and checkout. No one stayed overnight. DH did come and help walk hallway laps for assurance. DH also took a week off from week being great help the first day, so-so help the next day, and then he must have decided he had done enough. Again, assurance he was close by was worth quite a bit.

Thank you.

You shouldn't need anyone to take care of you, but having someone take care of your kids for a day or two would be nice.

Thank you! My kids will be staying home with grandma while I am in the hospital for sure.

Nope no one stayed with me overnight, I don't even think it would be allowed. It's the nurses job to take care of you while in the hospital.

I face timed my kiddos so they could see I was fine.

Yes - Facetime is a great idea. We will do that for sure. If grandma can figure out how to answer ;-)

Hi ,

My husband stayed with me and slept in my hospital room for two nights. He even worked from there. I was an out of town revision surgery so thus the need to stay in hospital the extra day. Plus my insurance paid for it and actually approved 3 nights which I chose not to exercise. I am so glad he was with me. He walked me around the hospital.