Question:
Could I drive myself home following my hospital stay after surgery?
Hey, you all...I live far from home, (my family doesn't approve of this surgery anyway!), I'm single, have a 1 and a half year old son, and am new to the area I currently live in (haven't made any close friends yet.) When I get this surgery, I'll have to drive a few hours to the hospital the Doctor performs in. I am hiring a babysitter for my son, so he'll be fine. But I was wondering: Since I can't very well ask a person I'm not overly friendly with to drive 4 hours to drop me off at the hospital only to come and pick me up a few days later, do those of you who have already had this surgery think I will be able to drive myself home? It's really my only option. I can't afford to travel by any other means... — jenn_jenn (posted on June 13, 2003)
June 12, 2003
The hospital and doc likely won't release you to go home if you don't have
a driver. You will still be full of anesthesia and pain meds and they will
be held liable if anything happens to you. One option would be to have
your babysitter come and get you.
— Delores S.
June 12, 2003
I don't know about other hospitals but I think ours has a pretty standard
policy which is "a surgical patient cannot drive themselves home from
the hospital". You have to consider that you will most likely be in
some pain and it is very unwise to use pain medication and drive. If you
must make the 4 hour trip immediately after being discharged you might
possibly consider taking a taxi to the bus station. You could probably
take the bus home for as little as $25. You might even get a surgery angel
who lives in the town where your procedure will be performed who would
drive you to the bus station. I hate to give you bad news but it's highly
unlikely that the hospital will discharge you without someone to provide
transportation. Best wishes to you!
— ronascott
June 12, 2003
Its out of the question. The hospital wont even let you leave by yourself.
Another suggestion might be to find a hotel near the hospital to stay at
for a few days after you're released. You could take a cab from the
hospital to the hotel.
— Monica H.
June 12, 2003
Let me also ad that after this surgery you will be extremely sore and even
if you were not on pain meds, your movements will be very slow and
deliberate because of soreness/pain. You are not a safe driver under those
conditions. As the other posters said, you will not be discharged without
someone to drive you. A bus may be a good option for you as you will need
to lean your seat back for comfort.
— Happy I.
June 12, 2003
I had my surgery done lap on 5*19*03...I was not on pain med's but maybe 8
hours after the surgery, and by the 3rd day when I was released I was up
and around like nothing had happened. This is not the case for everyone. I
had my mother and sister drive my car(and theirs) to the hospital along
with my 3 kids..I did leave the hospital in my car with my sister driving,
but went around the block and we switched, I drove 4 hours ..getting out
every 30 min's to walk around the car twice. It was a little bit more than
I had thought it would be, but I made it just fine. However, I am not
telling you to try it...I am just sharing my experience, my husband could
not get off work just to drive and pick me up...and we are 5 or so hours
from my mother's and I could not feel right asking her to put herself out
to make that trip. But I promise you had I not felt that I could have made
it...I would not have tried it. But I am a tough ole bird anyhow. Bless You
and Good Luck!
— Marsha P.
June 12, 2003
I echo the others that you will not be able or allowed to drive yourself
home from the hospital. Here are a couple of options: contact the social
work department at the hospital where you will be staying. They might have
some ideas. Some hospitals have guest rooms you can stay in for a few days
after you are discharged for a nominal amount. It might be a good idea to
stay sort of close to the hospital for a few days, just in case you develop
a problem in the early post op period. (You are on your own, but you can
walk to the cafeteria for meals and move around pretty easily in a safe
invironment.) Here is a stretch - is there anyone posting here on the board
that might be willing to help you out by driving you home? I know that is
a lot to ask someone you don't actually know to drive you 4 hours from the
hospital to home, but there may be a kind soul out there that might help.
You could try posting your dilemma on your state's message board. (Better
than a nursing supervisor's brilliant idea one winter when I was doing home
health nursing - she wanted to have radio stations recruit people with
4-wheel drive vehicles to help us get to our patients in some really bad,
snowy weather. As one co-worker put it - "Oh, yeah, like I'm going to
get in a four wheel drive vehicle with a total stranger; they probably
won't find my body until the spring thaw!") Please don't entertain the
thought of driving yourself home. It could be very dangerous not only for
you but for others on the road. Barring that, check out the bus or even the
train. (Our family took a trip out West a few years back on the train. It
was great - lots of room to move around, even on the short trip we had from
Cincinnati to Chicago). Best of luck, and I hope everything works out for
you. If I lived close, I wouldn't mind driving you!
— koogy
June 12, 2003
The answer in one word- NO. However, I have a suggestion. You say you
hired somoene to watch your son...Why not ask the person babysitting your
son? You could pay them a bit more to drive you there and back and have
your son with you on the ride. No? I know 4 hours in a car with a baby can
be a challenge, but it can be done by stopping every once in a while.
— LMCLILLY
June 12, 2003
No. 1. The hospital will not release you if you don't have someone to
drive you home. 2. After MAJOR surgery you are the last person I would
want to encounter on the road. Nothing personal! Its just that you won't
be in any condition to be driving. And let me tell you... the thought of
slamming on the brakes... well, that will be the last thing in the world
you'll wanna do. Find a ride or plan on a taxi. You'll need it.
— Anne R.
June 13, 2003
I'm with Lisa C. Why not just pay the babysitter a bit more to drive you?
Or what about a taxi? Yeah, its expensive but you need someone else to
drive. Let's see...call a local church. Our local United Methodist (of
which I am not a member) Church offers rides to people in need. Maybe an
AMOS member near you could drive you. What about a Gray Hound? You can
get really cheap rates...some times as low as 20 bucks.
— Renee B.
June 13, 2003
No, you will not be able to drive yourself home. Trust me, you're going to
be too busy clutching a pillow to your tummy because every bump in the road
will feel like a punch in the stomach. You'll need to have someone drive
you home. It's best. ~J
— Jillian C.
June 13, 2003
I'm planning to take the Greyhound to town (3+ hours away) and just have my
husband pick me up - maybe that would cut your dilema in half?
— bethybb
June 13, 2003
No! Please have someone drive you home. You can drive yourself but any
little bump on the road is going to make you hurt. You cant hurt and focus
on the road. If there is an emergency where you need to react fast, you
wont be able to handle it. Good Luck to you! (3 mos post op and down 67
lbs!)
— Dayanara A.
June 13, 2003
No! Please have someone drive you home. You can drive yourself but any
little bump on the road is going to make you hurt. You cant hurt and focus
on the road. If there is an emergency where you need to react fast, you
wont be able to handle it. Good Luck to you! (3 mos post op and down 67
lbs!)
— Dayanara A.
June 13, 2003
I drove my self 45 minutes 2 days after being released from the hospital.
When I reached my destination and got out of the car I came very close to
passing out. So my answer would be NO!!! 4hours is a very long drive, and
you will be on pain medication that states you should not drive while
taking it.
— blank first name B.
June 13, 2003
The hospital wouldn't even release me unless they talked to my husband.
They gave me a shot before I left and the last thing I remember until I got
home was getting into the car. Do not drive! I was 3 weeks out before I
could drive. Drove me nuts, but I didn't want to hurt anything! There are
limo services with fairly good rates that will pick you and drop you off.
Check in to that
— dolphins94
June 13, 2003
I agree with the other posters. In addition MANY hospitals will not release
you without a ride home. Contact the hospital to see if they can help. I
had a surgyer 4 yeasr ago and the hospital got me a ride home because my
husband was sent (military) overseas. I lived 90 min from the hospital.
Call the hospital social worker for assistance. They often help to arrange
rides for cancer patients, people with diabetes treatment, elderly
"alone" patients etc. Perhaps you can hitch a ride. You may also
want to see if you can track down other WLS patients from your area and see
if someone would be your "driving" Angel for the ride home. Best
of luck to you
— M B.
June 13, 2003
If you having open for SURE NO; you are not even ' medically released' to
drive for a few weeks. With LAP; your insides are STILL the same as open;
and I wouldnt think it would be safe to drive either. I also hope you will
have some help at home afterwards; you will NOT be able to 'medicaly' lift
your son right after surgery.
— star .
June 13, 2003
I was barely comfortable as a passenger on my 4 hour ride home and if I'd
had to drive then no pain meds and having to be totally aware of
everything...PLUS the fear of having to slam on my breaks (which can damage
something internally that early out). No way. I agree with the other
posters.
— [Deactivated Member]
June 13, 2003
There was a very sad story awhile ago. A patient did this, caused a wreck
where another person died and got charged with homicide by vehicle. My
wifes a nurse and they question patients closely to prevent them from
driving since the hospital can be held liable too. The driver is serving
several years in jail how sad.......
— bob-haller
June 13, 2003
Hi Jennifer- Since it is a four hour drive, is it feasble to fly? If there
are airports near your home and the hospital, it might be easier to find a
ride to the airport, rather than asking to be driven such a long way.
Another place to look for help with transportation would be the United Way.
They may know of an organization to help someone with your transportation
problem. Good Luck :o) Mea
— Mea A.
June 13, 2003
I certainly wouldn't recommend it!!
— msmaryk
June 13, 2003
I wasn't allowed to drive for 2 weeks...open RNY. But I've had other times
when I was released from the hospital where my driver had to sign and say
they were taking me home. I would call the hospitals social service office
and see if they can help you figure out transportation.
— Sarahlicious
June 13, 2003
BIG no no, you will still have morphine in your system and probably on to
something like lorotab at that point....do you really want to rick being on
a narcotic while driving? Big liability issue for the hospital too, if you
are in a wreck and hurt someone else and they find out that you were just
released form a hospital, the hospital can be found liable......in other
words...NO.
Where do you live? Try to seek someone out here that can help, you would be
amazed at the kindness of others on this site....don't be to shy to ask.
— Sarah S.
June 13, 2003
I am with the rest of the posters, please don't even attempt to drive it!
Is there a support group in your area? Talk to the leader and he/she will
probably be able to find someone that would not mind taking you and picking
you up. I would if I lived in your area - so I know that there are others
that would do it too! Best of everything to you! - Jill
— J G.
June 13, 2003
I'm sort of in the same prediciment. I'm a little over an hour away from
the hospital. I plan to take the train down since I go in on a weekday (I
hope that will work - have to check more into it). They say I should be
released on a Sunday, so my friend said she'd come pick me up...otherwise
i'd i guess it would be the train or something again! I know how you feel
though asking someone you don't know to drive you that far, but I know I
would help you if i lived by you. You never did say when your surgery is,
but, I'll say a prayer for you that everything will work out....stay
strong!
— Robin J.
June 14, 2003
Talk to the hospital administrator, tell them you have no way to get home,
they might offer you a medicvan to take you home. Tell them your
situation, that what they are there for. Good luck
— Rebe W.
June 14, 2003
I came home yesterday from 4 days stay and in NO way could I drive home. I
am an hour away from the hospital, but even if I was 5 minutes away I
wouldnt do it. Contact the hospital about transportation because there is
just NO way to do it. Good Luck!
— lesleeloo
June 14, 2003
It's not safe for you to drive yourself home. You will have been on a day
or so of pain killers and it would be an extreme risk. Talk to the
hospital and see if they have arrangements or just find a kind friend who
will do it for you. You owe it to your son to be safe!
— Cathy S.
June 15, 2003
Oh no, no, no! I just came home after open ryn, a 3-day hospital stay, and
I live 2.5 hours from the hospital. I could NOT have done it by myself. I
was dopey from meds, in a lot of pain, and suffered an unthought-of side
effect of odors making me nauseus ... other vehicles' exhaust fumes, my
sister's McDonald's, everything - I actually threw up on the way home. Not
to mention that we had to stop several times so I could get out and walk,
and I was weak and dizzy during those times. Oh honey, do what it takes to
find someone to drive you home! Good luck!
— Dragon G.
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