HELP HELP HELP

Hey everybody I am in a total panic. My surgery is soon. In the next few weeks.  I have to choose between St. Francis hospital in Evanston IL or Evanston Northwestern in Evanston IL. I am in a panic because I hear the staff at ENH can be mean and not responsive. I hear the St. francis is older but the staff is real nice. So any advice please.... I really need some. I just want the best care possible. I feel that enh might be to big and the nurses might not care and be *****es. I really need some help and advice ASAP.. I am a teenager having the gastric bypass and I am so nervous. I want the best care possible. Dr. Frantzides is my surgeon. I hear he is super good. I just want to make sure I get my needs met in the hospital and that I am not suffering because the nurses aren't taking care of me and giving me my pain meds. Any advice would help I am so nervous. LIZ

Hi Liz..  I wish I was familiar w/ the hospitals you are asking about.  Have you asked your surgeons opinion or your surgeons staff?  If I was just basing it on care, I would lean toward the older hospital w/ good staff.  That's just me. Good Luck and Congrats on your upcoming big day!  Pop in after surgery and let us know how your doing. Christina

Maybe Mary W will chime in and help calm your fears because she is Dr F's patient also. As far as pain meds, touch base with your doctor or his staff and tell them that you would like a PCA. That is a patient administered drug delivery system. I do believe that it is short for patient controlled analgesic. They set the machine to deliver the drug via IV and you will press a small hand held control to get the drug. Usually it is set up for every six minutes. It works great. There are other spinal blocking drugs that they are using also. But it is up to you to touch base with the doctor and express your fears about pain control while in the hospital. From what I have heard about your doctor he is fantastic and he will get you through this. Just speak up and talk to him or his staff. Christine

Hi Liz, Dr. F. is my doctor as well.  I had my surgery at ENH last October.  I have never been a patient at St. Francis, but know people who have been there and have had nothing but great things to say about their care. I had no issues at ENH, my private room was very comfortable, my bed was great, the recliner was perfect and I had the most wonderful nursing assistant named Jessica.  She had such compassion,gentleness and care. As far as pain, you are given medication on a schedule, I did quite well.  I never felt any extreme pain at all.  I find that if you treat people with kindness and respect you get that in return.  The nursing staff there is busy as they are at all hospitals and yes you might have to wait a few minutes after you buzz, but that is normal anywhere these days. I cannot say that I had a single bad experience at ENH. Liz, keep a positive outlook, you have a great doctor, a wonderful P.A. in Lesley and Dr. Jones, Dr. F's fellow.  I was not offered the choice between ENH and St. Francis, so I am not sure why you have to pick between the two.  Best of luck to you, you are in good , make that great hands. Regards, Mary