Hospital Hacks

I am back again with another health related blog post. However this one is a more general post aimed for anyone about to go into hospital. In my lifetime I have had two occasions where I have had to spend at least one night in hospital and here are some hacks I have of what to expect and what to pack. If you have to go into hospital I am sending you the best of luck and all my love. Hospitals are incredible, but they are also incredibly traumatic. Therefore, if you can make your stay as ‘homely’ as possible, it will improve your time there.

 

Day in the life of a hospital patient:

 

Operation day:

 

When you first arrive you’ll be taken to a little ward where you need to hand in your operation letter, so that they can check you in. I didn’t actually have my letter on me the second time, and they still checked me in so don’t worry if you do forget. After that you’ll be taken to a bed where you can get changed into your hospital gown, compression socks, and paper underwear (so glam). You will be asked by multiple nurses when you last ate and drank and questions about your general health. If you have any allergies, intolerances or medication and this is crucial that you tell them then so they can note it.

 

After you’ve changed you will be visited by the registrar or a doctor who will go through the risks of your surgery and get you to sign some consent forms. I will say that this is probably one of the most stressful parts of the day, but just try to focus that they are trying to make you better and it will be worth it. Then your surgeon will pop in quickly and run everything over with you, mark you with a pen (it’s a legal requirement apparently) and leave you with the anaesthetist. The anaesthetist will just go over some health questions with you and discuss what they intend to do and give you after for pain relief. My anaesthetists have always been lovely, and will make you feel at ease. Once the interview process is done you will have a wait until your surgery. The wait will depend on your operation time, whether your surgeon is performing on someone before you and how long it takes the team to set everything up. I only had to wait about twenty minutes for my thyroid surgery, but for my spinal fusion I was the second surgery of the day so I had to wait about two hours. I believe if you are really anxious they can give you what is called a pre-op, which is some medication to make you feel a bit sleepy. Normally, you would then be taken to a room for the general anaesthetic; due to Covid-19 I had to go straight to the operating room.

 

Once you wake up again, the first thing you’ll feel is confused and very drowsy. The first thing to remember is the surgery is done. After this, things will only improve. Depending on what surgery you have had, you will either stay in an ICU (intensive care unit), HDU (high dependency unit), or you may be taken to your ward for the rest of you time at hospital.

 

A day at hospital:

A typical day at hospital (or let me reiterate this is my experience on a NHS ward) starts about six am. If you are extremely limited to movement you will be given a wash, or sometimes they ask you if you wish to do it yourself. Breakfast is normally between seven and eight thirty. After breakfast, your consultant or a member of their team will come and see you and let you know about steps to discharge. If you spend the rest of the day at hospital, lunch tends to be between twelve and one thirty, with dinner between five and six thirty. In between these times the nurses on ward will check your blood pressure and temperature, and also provide you with any painkillers you need. They will continue doing this through the night, so just sleep whenever you can as I guarantee you your sleep will be disturbed! Once you are ready to go, you will be given some instructions and any medications you need before finally being discharged.

 

What do I pack?

 

Below I’ve made a list of essentials, and not-so essential items to make the hospital stay a bit more comfortable for you.

 

Essentials:

-       Hairbrush

-       Spare underwear

-       Leaving hospital outfit

o   Sometimes they will let you wear your own clothes, but if not they change your gown frequently.

-       Socks

-       Some form of entertainment:

o   Book

o   Laptop

o   Phone

o   Ipod or music player

-       Headphones

-       Moisturiser

-       Deodorant

-    Lip balm (your lips will be swollen and crusty after surgery and lip balm will become your best friend)

-       Hand cream and sanitiser (trust me your hands will get dry)

-       Hairbands (if you have long hair)

-       Retainers (if you need them)

 

Optional but nice additions:

-   Mirror (sometimes it’s easier to have a mini one especially if you’re limited with moving to the bathroom)

-      Shower products (they do provide them, but if you have a particularly long stay might be worth it)

-      Toothbrush (again provided but depends how fussy you are)

-       Body spray

-       Eye mask (not essential but it is very bright in hospital so if you want total time out I would recommend)

-       Snacks (you may not want them but always handy)

-       A little mascot/toy

 

My advice to anyone who needs surgery- whether it be during a pandemic or not is similar to what I was told on my acting course: trust the process. Firstly, trust your surgeon. I never doubted mine; many doctors who I saw said how good both were. My second surgeon even called me every week to check in which helped so much. I cannot thank either of them enough for their work.

 

The team that operate on you know exactly what they are doing, and their best interest is to look after you. They will know how stressed you are feeling, and will try their best to make you feel as comfortable as possible given the circumstances. When it comes to all the other tests they have to do, it can feel really overwhelming. Always try to relax the area on your body that they are testing, as it will make the process quicker and less painful for you. Also, if you feel really overwhelmed tell your team or nurses. Although they are in professional mode, they are also human. Thankfully mental health awareness has come a long way and now they will recognise when you’re struggling. The nurses want you in and out as quickly as possible too, so they are on your side!

 

I wish you the best of luck and a speedy recovery if you are reading this pre/post op. If you ever wish to get in touch I would be happy to assist with any questions.

 

Odette x

Links:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/odette.clark/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/OdetteRDClark