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does it get boring toward the end of your hospital stay?

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  • does it get boring toward the end of your hospital stay?

    Not scoliosis surgery... but I'm gonna be in the hospital for at least a week mid/late-august for a tumor resection. ...and in about 10 years, I'll be sporting matching scars both down my back and my stomach .

    I'm gonna assume the first few days I'll be too out of it to know what's going on, but... what do you DO for days in the hospital? I hate being bored... and I forsee that happening.
    30 something y.o.

    2003 - T45, L???
    2005 - T50, L31
    bunch of measurements between...

    2011 - T60, L32
    2013 - T68, L?

    Posterior Fusion Sept 2014 -- T3 - L3
    Post - op curve ~35



  • #2
    I found that after the first few days I slept as much as I "worked". By the time the therapists got through with me, I was so tired I could hardly eat! After several days, I still rested quite a bit. I never got bored...just walked and rested. It took quite a bit out of me. I couldn't read for very long...always went to sleep.

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    • #3
      By the time you eat, do PT, walk a bit, wash, brush your teeth, go to the loo to pee(often ) get checked by nurses every so often...you're just wishing you can relax. The days were all right but nights were tough, b/c there is so much noise and I couldn't sleep.
      35 y/old female from Montreal, Canada
      Diagnosed with scoliosis(double major) at age 12, wore Boston brace 4 years at least 23 hours a day-curve progressed
      Surgery age 26 for 60 degree curve in Oct. 1997 by Dr.Max Aebi-fused T5 to L2
      Surgery age 28 for a hook removal in Feb. 1999 by Dr.Max Aebi-pain free for 5 years
      Surgery age 34 in Dec.2005 for broken rod replacement, bigger screws and crosslinks added and pseudarthrosis(non union) by Dr. Jean Ouellet

      Comment


      • #4
        ear plugs are going on the list of 'stuff i should bring'
        30 something y.o.

        2003 - T45, L???
        2005 - T50, L31
        bunch of measurements between...

        2011 - T60, L32
        2013 - T68, L?

        Posterior Fusion Sept 2014 -- T3 - L3
        Post - op curve ~35


        Comment


        • #5
          I don't think you will need to worry about boredom for sure. This was a major concern of mine as I never sit still! I bought a huge paperback to read and never touched it till I had been home about a week. I was in the hospital 8 days. The meds make you sleep. I wasn't able to focus on any reading material, just watched T.V. and slept. The P.T. will make you sleep too, you will be so tired. That is if you will be doing P.T. for your recovery. Night time is noisy, earplugs will be great. I brought an eye mask but never used it, it was dark enough to sleep. I'm not sure how your tumor resection will compare to all of our scoliosis surgerys but it should be easier for sure!

          Comment


          • #6
            Originally posted by Suzy
            . I brought an eye mask but never used it, it was dark enough to sleep. I'm not sure how your tumor resection will compare to all of our scoliosis surgerys but it should be easier for sure!
            I have a love hate relationships with eye masks. They help me fall asleep in situations where it's not dark enough but I feel so stuffy when I wear them. It also makes it harder to wake up.. *huh it's dark.. wait... it's morning isn' it?*

            This surgery will just just prepare me better for the spinal fusion later on ;-P. But I'd much rather be getting a spinal fusion than this surgery... there are too many unkonwns which I won't find out until after.
            30 something y.o.

            2003 - T45, L???
            2005 - T50, L31
            bunch of measurements between...

            2011 - T60, L32
            2013 - T68, L?

            Posterior Fusion Sept 2014 -- T3 - L3
            Post - op curve ~35


            Comment


            • #7
              My .02

              I have found that the times I have been hospitalized, (3 labors and deliveries, 1 hemangioma removal, spinal fusion) boredom doesn't have time to enter into the picture. Hospitals are busy places and contrary to popular belief, are not conducive to R&R. Regardless of what you are hospitalized for, you will undoubtedly be focusing on your recovery and little else.
              Brandi
              Congenital Scoliosis, 58* lumbar curve
              Combined Anterior/Posterior Spinal Fusion w/Laminectomy May 22, 2006
              L1-S1
              Dr. William Lauerman
              Georgetown University Hospital, Washington, DC
              Pedicle Subtraction Osteotomy @ L3, Posterior Spinal Fusion L2-L4, rod removal with re-instrumentation T10-S1 and Laminectomy February 5, 2009 to correct flatback
              http://brandi816.wordpress.com/

              Comment


              • #8
                Talking to other people...

                And walking around, I find that interesting to get to know people and what they're in for. Something I thought about
                35 y/old female from Montreal, Canada
                Diagnosed with scoliosis(double major) at age 12, wore Boston brace 4 years at least 23 hours a day-curve progressed
                Surgery age 26 for 60 degree curve in Oct. 1997 by Dr.Max Aebi-fused T5 to L2
                Surgery age 28 for a hook removal in Feb. 1999 by Dr.Max Aebi-pain free for 5 years
                Surgery age 34 in Dec.2005 for broken rod replacement, bigger screws and crosslinks added and pseudarthrosis(non union) by Dr. Jean Ouellet

                Comment


                • #9
                  Well, it's good to know I won't be bored...lol.

                  My surgeon told me that my stay would be around 4 days, not 7 - 10 as the scheduler said. *darn scheduler... scaring me like that *
                  30 something y.o.

                  2003 - T45, L???
                  2005 - T50, L31
                  bunch of measurements between...

                  2011 - T60, L32
                  2013 - T68, L?

                  Posterior Fusion Sept 2014 -- T3 - L3
                  Post - op curve ~35


                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Originally posted by green m&m
                    Not scoliosis surgery... but I'm gonna be in the hospital for at least a week mid/late-august for a tumor resection. ...and in about 10 years, I'll be sporting matching scars both down my back and my stomach .

                    I'm gonna assume the first few days I'll be too out of it to know what's going on, but... what do you DO for days in the hospital? I hate being bored... and I forsee that happening.
                    Ah, yep, we all get to that stage were the food is growing old, the nights are lasting too long for comfort, and we long to smell something other than the hospital disinfected linens.

                    1. Take an mp3 player with you. Have stuff you can hear as you go to sleep. (I loved that when I had my second intestinal surgery.) Music is definitely good for the healing process.
                    2. At least two novels and ask a friend to bring over a magazine or two.
                    3. Cards, try playing Canasta with a few friends on one of your last days in the hospital it will be fun.
                    4. Make a list of things you want to do when you get out of the hospital. Make some of them just plan fun stuff to do with friends or family. (kind of a transition period for getting settled back home.
                    Or just a list of food items you want snuck into the room while you await your release. (Now, who doesn't do this one?!LOL)
                    5. Write your Christmas cards while your idle. or belated birthday notes to friends or family. Or if your really artistic, make your own cards to send out later.

                    Jer

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