packing for hospital for tomorrow--question

[shegiles]

Will I have to wear my hospital gown all the time, or can I wear my own jammies if they button up the front?

[LEELEE85]

Will I have to wear my hospital gown all the time, or can I wear my own jammies if they button up the front?

I'm not sure if USA is different from Australia hospital but i was in my own gown until i had all the tubes taken out. So in the end i was in my gown for 4 days and the rest i wore my own Pj's...

Good luck with your surgery!!!!

[LorDon]

I'm sorry that I can't answer your question because my son is still waiting for his surgery but I just want to wish you good luck on your surgery tomorrow. I'll be praying for a speedy recovery for you.....

Lori

[suzyjay]

I was in the hopsital for 5 days and wore the hospital gown the entire time. When the doctor has to check your incision it's easier just opening the back of your gown. Best of luck.

Sue

[ge628]

During my hospital stay which was for 3 weeks at NYU Bone & Joint Disease in NYC, I wore the hospital gown the entire time also...

It was easier for me to just wear the hospital gown... Just for the daily hospital routines washing, checking dressings, moving me... etc...

Good luck, I'll be thinking of you...

Gina

[geo]

I took my own pajamas too, but never wore them. Vanity goes out the window, and the gown is too convenient. You'll have a catheter in for the first couple days, the doctors and nurses will want to check your incision, you'll have a hemovac (drain tube) coming out your incision....really, when you're there, you probably won't care like you think you will.

My 10-year-old niece wrote a cute poem for me, making fun of my tendency to get out of bed with the open-back gown, no matter who was in the room. It went something like "when you were in the hospital, you showed your crack, but you didn't care because you had a broken back, so now we're all talking smack and that's a fact...."

[sccrm08]

Shegiles,

I was in the hospital for 10 days and never even thought of putting on my own things which I did bring. Honestly I remember very little of my hospital stay. I was just thinking yesterday I don't even remember eating anything there until my last night.

I will be thinking of you and can't wait to hear how the surgery went and how your doing in recovery.

[Singer]

I was in the hospital 10 days and it was strictly gown-only.

GOOD LUCK!

[nzgirl]

I hate hospital gowns, as soon as you're mobilising it's good to wear your own stuff. I preferred night shirts for my first surgery as the antiembolism stockings were really warm and hard to manage under PJ's.

[Janet]

Geo: your niece's poem is funny!! I will keep it in mind.

I am planning to take 1 flannel nightshirt that has snaps all down the front, to put over the gown when I am out of bed (my 26-year old son will be with me at the hospital). Would a bed jacket be useful? Or does one simply not care who might notice through the gown one's sagging girls?

How long do you need to wear the antiembolism stockings? Does that mean I won't need a lot of socks to keep my feet warm?

Is the risk of infection limited to the incision location? My dentist cautioned me about gums bleeding. Does this mean that any cut or wound puts someone post-op at greater risk for infection? I'd hate to think that I'd have to take antibiotics every time I shave my legs

[crepehanger]

Good Luck to you Shegiles-

I never wore my stuff either until I went to the rehab, then it was cut-off sweats and gym shorts and T-shirts. I always feel like doing more work in my old comfies. And, I liked not having to tote dirty laundry home- I took entirely too much stuff to the hospital! It is amazing how little you care about modesty after you wake up post-op.... God bless and please keep us informed... Lisa

[geo]

Janet - the hospital I was at provided a robe, which I wore when I was walking out in the halls. I DID care about that! So a bed jacket might be useful to you.

As far as the stockings, I wore them the entire length of my stay, though the actual compression machine was detached from my legs once I was getting in and out of bed to use the bathroom, etc. According to my hospital's policy, I was required to wear socks with traction (rubber pattern) on the bottoms whenever I was out of bed, so I just wore them the whole time for convenience sake. I wore them over the stockings, because the stocking material was a bit slippery. The traction socks were provided to me, but you could probably take your own if you'd like.

[Janet]

Geo - Thanks for your response.

I've already started my "trousseau" for the big day As I expect to be in rehab for 10 - 12 days, I will have to pack a lot of pull-on pants & Ts (unless the rehab can arrange for laundry service!) I also bought 2 large plastic tubs with lids, each one is a "toy chest" with goodies for when I get home. One for immediate use (to hold a deck of cards, wind-up toys, etc.) and one for when I might be able to concentrate on reading. I plan to go to the toy store and buy whatever I think will make me laugh.

I'd love to have a cat for companionship (last year, my 2 guys who loved to rest on my bed both went to cat heaven due to old-age complications) and I've held off getting another. Does anyone out there think it is unrealistic to adopt a kitten when I am 3 months post-op? I plan to buy the litter robot as was suggested on the forum (sorry, I don't remember who mentioned it, but blessings on you for pointing out such a genius product).

[geo]

Janet,

I think a kitten would be the perfect distraction during recovery! My sister had a young dog, so while I was recovering at her house, I had him as company. It was nice to have a distraction from the boredom and pain, and one that wasn't constantly asking me if I was OK

[Singer]

Janet -- If it were me I'd probably adopt a more mature cat since the kitten stage is so nerve-wracking but I suspect you're more adventurous than I.....

However....at three months post-op, the last thing I'd want to be doing is trying to avoid a kitten dive-bombing my ankles every time I hobbled by!!!