Surgery hospital stay: Family stay or go?

My surgery is coming soon (Ottawa Civic).  Just wondered if you all had family/your support person stay with or did/would you have found it easier for them to stay away?  We live 1 hour plus away & have 2 young children who could stay with grandparents...but to be honest, if I am going to simply be staring at my husband reading a book for 2 days; would rather send him home & have him pick up @ discharge time.  Thoughts anyone?

My mom and daughter went with me the day of surgery, waited until my surgery was completed and i was back in my room, then came back the day of discharge to pick me up.

I had no visitors, i wanted it that way plus i find it very awkward to have company in a ward room with 3 other people. But good luck on your big day.

Sue

I am thinking about this as well but I am not sure I'm tough enough to go it alone, in thought no problem but I'm not sure. Honestly it would be nice to have that special someone that will be there.  If having the kids watched is an option then why not?

My husband left after I went in for surgery and came to visit that night and didn't come bac****il it was time to pick me up.  My surgeon called him to inform him how the surgery went.  We live locally too but honestly, you probably want to sleep the first day and will be drugged up.  The second night, my mom and friend dropped in so I had some company during the evening and again, was up and walking and talking to another girl who also had the surgery.  I told my husband to just stay home and hang out with the kids since I was okay.  I am a pretty independant person and enjoy my quiet time.

It is really a personal decision though.  you might just be staring at each other and listening to your room mates passing gas...  LOL..

I had folks (Mom and one daughter) waiting the day of surgery at the hospital.  They were there after I woke up in the recovery room.  My other daughter and son arrived after their school and work days respectively.  I found it nice that they were there to check on me.  My Mom went home once she knew I was alright post-surgery as she does not like to drive at night.  My children (adults) went out to supper (my treat) after they had visited.  They all came back the next day as well.  Then I had someone else pick me up at discharge.

 

Judy

i was very fortunate to have been given a private room, even though i have no extra insurance coverage other then OHIP. plus my wife was able to stay with me the entire stay,both nites. probably not the most comfortable for her, but she stayed.the entire staff at TWH was super fantastic!!!

I have coverage for a private room, but I was told that the only room I would get is the ward room because that is what the clinic is funded for..regardless of what I pay for.  It didn't make much sense to me.  Oh well! :) 

my fiance had surgery in Ottawa at the end of august... we live an hour away as well. Because of the really early start we opted to stay in ottawa the night before, I went in with him in the morning and stayed till they wheeled him away. I had the option of staying in a sugery waiting room or simply having the surgeon call my cell when the surgery was done 3-4 hrs later. I went to my brothers place because it was 3 hrs for the surgery then at least another 3 before he would be out of recovery and in a room.

The room he was in only had one other person... who had also had WLS.

I visited for about an hour the first day... late in the afternoon, we walked the halls once and he was in and out of sleep for the rest of the time.... so I came back home.

The next day I drove back, visited early afternoon... went to have a late lunch... visited again around dinner and they said he would be released in the am so I decided to stay in Ottawa again overnight.

A few notes to make life a little easier... if your pre-op appt is just a few days before the surgery (same week) and your husband is planning on visiting... get a weekly parking pass.

Also the travel lodge just up the road has a hospital rate of 89$ or something like that.

PS... my surgery is in 6 days so it will be Joey's turn to master the Civic's parking lots to come and visit me :)

 

I will be having support people... My hubby wants to stay overnight with me....i always spend the night with him because i find they dont attend to his needs at night.... We will see how i feel but during the day forsure i will have peopld there.