Alone post-op

[shell-]

I'll be having surgery in a couple of weeks, and my friend who had planned on coming up from Birmingham to help out the first few days after I'm released from hospital will probably not be able to be there for the first day I'm released, assuming that I'm only in one night.

Has anyone else been alone on the day of release from hospital? Is it dangerous to be alone then?

She'll be up a day or two, depending on work, after I'm expected to be released.

There's really no one else I can ask - this friend is the only close friend I have in the UK, the rest of my close friends I would ask are in Switzerland or America, and I'm not asking anyone to travel over here to watch me be all ginger and miserable (and summer fares are not cheap!)

 

[Butterfly_lady]

I would have been fine on my own, get things prepared for your homecoming, bottles of water in your bedroom, make sure you have a fone clode by incase you need to ring anyone and try and stay in bed as much as you can, I found I slept around 16-17 hours a day for 3-4 days due to the anaesthetic, I was lucky I had no pain I was just tired

 

[msrsimpkin]

I know my surgeon said I couldn't leave the day after if I didn't have anyone to look after me at home. So they wouldn't let me off the ward until the Mr came in for me.
I think it's more for safety, and so that if you need help dressing or lifting anything, you won't have to struggle alone and risk injuring yourself.

I guess it depends on what your team says, but if they are anything like mine, they may need you to say in an extra night. It's annoying, but at least you know you'll be safe and looked after.

 

[Yvessa]

If the worst was to happen you would need someone with you. One of the biggest risks post op is clots.

 

[Yvessa]

Can you see if you can stay in longer until your friend can get there?

 

[HelenAngelfish]

I am fine on my own!

The only thing I had issues with the first two days was bending to feed the cats.

You will need someone to collect you from the hospital.

You could always stay in hospital an extra day - tell the hospital someone can only come the day after - Once youre in there. Plus you may need an extra night anyway... They told me home on Sunday, but it was Monday night I went home, due to vomiting Saturday night/early hours on Sunday. xx

 

[shell-]

Thanks all! I'll prepare things in advance, in case I am released, but I'll talk to them about staying in an extra night until my friend can get up here.

:thankyou:

 

[shell-]

...

The only thing I had issues with the first two days was bending to feed the cats.

You will need someone to collect you from the hospital.

...

That's been a concern of mine - feeding the cats and scooping out their litterboxes (they're indoor cats).

Eeep. I may be stuck there for a few days then I'm scheduled for surgery on Monday, but she needs to be in work on Wednesday - so wouldn't be able to get up here till at best Wednesday evening. There's really no one I can ask to collect me. Only one other person I'd think of asking to collect me (but not stay!) and her young daughter is in hospital and has been ill for a while, so I wouldn't ask her to commit to something she may not be able to stick to because of her daughter's health.

 

[Butterfly_lady]

I left hospital on my own, just walked outside with my suitcase and rang a taxi

 

[msrsimpkin]

I think, just like the post-op diet, each team and surgeons have their own advice and recommendations. It might be worth checking with your team beforehand that you can leave hospital alone, if need be.

But I definitely wouldn't recommend being home alone for the first night or two, in my opinion.