How many days in hospital...?
Posted , 17 users are following.
Hello Everyone:
Looking for some feedback on length of hospital stays post op. My initial enquiry when I contacted my hospital of choice was "three nights." Since then, and having read the various postings on the site, it appears that some patients are being kept in for several more days than that.
Does this depend upon age and general state of health? I would think that this would certainly come into the equasion. In my own case, I live alone, and have no outside help. However, I am in general good health, other than the bad hip. I am a very youthful 74 years of age, and have been taken for mid 50s! Keep very active, and used to jog, but I know that post op, that is not recommended - high impact, is out! GP states that I am healthy.
I cannot, and do not want, a prolonged hospital stay, but am aware, that my personal safety is the main issue. Surely, there is some provision in the UK for outside help under these circumstances, even if it is just to check that a patient hasn't taken a fall at some point!
I have lived most of my life in the US, so am not too familiar with the UK system. Any feedback on any of this would be very helpful and reassuring.
No family to speak of, and my daughter doesn't drive. She works in Bath, and I am in Wiltshire. She would be dependent upon her boyfriend, who lives in Bristol to bring her here! So, not much help there, I am afraid.
Susie
2 likes, 51 replies
Hailea susie74530
Posted
When I was in for my left hip in April.
I was asked to come in on the monday. Op was on Tuesday. I was in hospital till the following Tuesday. No Idea as to why that long. But it will be the same again this time.
As for outside help.
You could get in touch with district nurses via your doctor or social services for help with housework or cooking for you.
kate030815 susie74530
Posted
Thr on monday and out in thursday but had hubby at home and definitely needed help for a few days. We have a local agency called home instead who will come for as long as you need them and do anything from put on compression stockings to shopping. It is a franchise do you might find them locally.
If i had been at home alone i would have stayed an extra day in hospital
Take care
Kate x
angela61719 susie74530
Posted
It is a scary time, but if you are fit and healthy, young for your age, you will cope. I would say that hospital stays can be unpredictable. Yes, they want your bed back asap, but stuff happens. So I had 6 days in rather than the 3-4 expected. While I had my husband to help at home, I was actually grateful to have health professionals on hand 24/7 to help with keeping on top of the pain relief and reassurance about what was happening to my body. I'm younger than you (nearly 20 years) fit and healthy (doing various exercise classes and swimming right up to surgery) but I still had blood pressure and hb problems, and then an infection. I was lucky enough to have a room to myself, so that probably helped my feeling better about the prolonged stay.
Before admission my husband was ill, to the extent we feared he may not be able to help me. What became very clear was that there would be no help provided, but we would have to pay for any social services support at home. In the event, he recovered quickly and I certainly did need that help in the first week after discharge. Putting on the TED stockings is impossible without help. Whether or not you have them depends not on age or your circumstances, but on the surgeon's preference. I had blood thinning meds (injections while in hospital) as well as the stockings, which I had to wear for 6 weeks. I was told that the Red Cross services can help with this. There are no district nurses in my area. I had to get myself to the GPs to have my stitches removed.
As you say, it's all about preparation. It's scary to think about - and I was terrified on the day of my admission - but you can cope with it, given all the various aids you can purchase, or which may be provided by the NHS. However, if I were alone, I would want to stay in as long as they would have me.
Good luck.
susie74530 angela61719
Posted
Good to hear from you.
I am trying to gain as much knowledge as possible, as I will be totally on my own post op. Daughter lives in Bath, and I am in Wiltshire, and she does not drive. So no help there, I am afraid. However, she may take the cat, which will be a relief as I realy do not want her in a cattery, or alone for too long. The cat should be the least of my problems, but she has to be dealt with!
Reading the posts on the Forum, I have found that the experiences do vary a lot. Last surgery I had was in San Francisco - twice, the 2nd to remedy the work of surgeon #1, whom, I later was told, operated mainly on feet! First surgery was local with sedation, and for the second I opted for a general. I do recall that I was more or less out of it for several days following the first surgery, but I do not recall that I too much of a problem recovering from the general anaesthesia. It was only a finger, that had to have a joint taken out. Should not have happened in the first place. Surgery was supposed to be a cosmesis, but the surgeon decided to remove the joint. It became very clear that I was being used as a guinea pig, as this man was working under supervision of more senior medic, and still managed to mess me up. This experience has left me feeling highly vulnerable, and I hope that I will have a better experience in the UK.
By the way, what is "bh?" Think my blood pressure is normal for my age, but of course, the moment a "white coat" appears, and BP is monitored, it goes up! I do monitor my own BP from time to time.
My understanding is that Social Services will put in various aids and help on a daily basis, and I believe there is another agency that can be of assistance, too.
Many thanks,
angela61719 susie74530
Posted
susie74530 angela61719
Posted
Many thanks. I know that my blood count is high, so probably would need the blood thinners, but maybe not. I'm no medic so given blood loss, I may be at an advantage but suspect that a high blood count equals clotting - good for healing, but also a risk of clotting, or so I believe. Perhaps someone knows better than I do on this one!
Best,
Susie
maggie93798 susie74530
Posted
The clotting mechanism I'd different and after any op, especially orthopaedic, the risk of clots, DVT, is high. Counteracted by early mobility, and anti coagulation measures in the form of tablets, injections or the dreaded TEDs depending on consultant and NHS trust policies
Thursday_Next susie74530
Posted
susie74530 Thursday_Next
Posted
That is really good news, and am so glad that you got in touch with me. Post op is my main concern, but it does seem that post op recovery seems to go right across the board.
Just shows how well people who are living on their own with little or no support can manage.
I am guessing that you have brought in the recommended gadgets, such as grabbers, and loo seat raisers?
Are you using ready meals, or did you prepare food and freeze it before you went in for the op? I am by no means a fan of ready meals, they are just awful, but I have checked the Ocado site, and they do a lot of Waitrose products. So, I think I will make up a few casserole type dishes and supplement them with ready meals. I eat a lot of salads and green vegetables, and I can see that accessing quality frozen veg is going to be something of a challenge, although I suppose, I can substitute green veg with rocket, spinach, etc.
A lot of what I am able to do and access depends on what time of the year, I am finally given an op date.
By the way, did you have a general anaesthetic of an epidural, and what were your pain levels, post op?
Wishing you much luck with your recovery.
Best regards,
Susie
Thursday_Next susie74530
Posted
i have mainly bought ready meals. I have not wanted to stand too much whilst cooking. I have already stood tonight for longer than I was doing without discomfort. I do have all the aids like raised toilet seats, grabber etc. I have enjoyed the couple of short walks I have had today.
i do hope it all goes well for you Susie.
Joan
titleistpro susie74530
Posted
I had my surgery 4 weeks today (YEAH....!!) I had surgery on a Wednesday at 11AM and was home by Friday at 11AM, if you have someone you can rely on at home, I would leave the hospital as soon as permitted. With that being said, make sure you have the proper care, the house is prepared in advance to be able to mvoe freely with walker with no obstructions, have a small table / tray next to your bed with telephone, remote control, urinal, pain meds, a few bottled waters, reading material, etc. I needed to rely on Donna for 3 days upon my return, if you plan and have help, you should come home ASAP. Best of luck, keep us all posted on your progress.
susie74530 titleistpro
Posted
Completley on my own, with neighbours who are new to me. Those that have been around for a while, cannot be relied upon. Daughter in Bath, doesn't drive, and has multiple problems of her own. So, I shall be reliant on outside help, and what I am able to set up at home. Fortunately, I have an en suite and a larger bathroom across the hall.
I am and always have been self sufficient, and have headed up my own organisations in the US. However, this is major surgery, and how I recover from not only the anaesthesia or epidural is an unknown. I do heal very rapidly.
I have done a fair amount of research, both on the site, and on line, so I have a rough idea of what to expect.
My daughter, when and if she visits, will have to rely on her boyfriend to bring her here as she does not drive.
I shall prepare a variety of casserole type dishes to be divided up and frozen prior to the op. Main problem will be accessing fresh vegetables, although I believe that one can find reasonable frozen veg through Ocado. My diet relies mostly on veg and fish or seafood. I ahve nore or less come to terms with the fact that I may have to put up with a slightly longer stay in hospital than I would wish, unless my daughter is able to come through, in some. However, as she is an independent contractor, she does not earn when not working, and therein lies one of her issues.
My support system, is still mostly in San Francisco. Close relatives all deceased, sister alienated snce the death of my mother, so no help there, either.
As we age, the above is very often the case, unfortunately. However, I am determined to get my life back on track, but cannot do that until post op.
All the best,
Susie
CelsB susie74530
Posted
This discussion has been really helpful and informative for me. I will be coming home to an empty house after my op so a lot of my questions have been answered here. I have friends who will pop in, do shopping and give me help in the day but will have to get through the nights alone. I'm very relieved to hear that they won't kick you out of hospital until you can get in and out of bed alone. I was expecting to spend the first few night in my recliner chair which I bought specially for when I join thw hipster ranks. I do practise doing things without bending my hip more than 90 degrees, but because I can.
My consultation is on 9th December so I'll make sure that he knows I live alone. I hope that the O/T will come and assess my home before the op so everything will be in place for when I come home. When my fiend had her knee replacement the O/T visited whilst she was in hospital but of course in my case there will be no-oe here.
I am doing all the exercises the physio gave me and trying to keep my oleg strong.
Good luck Susie, let us know how it goes xxx