Surgery scheduled HEI

[neetze1]

Hello fellow An'ers,
My decision is finally made, I am having translab surgery at HEI on 3/20/13 by Dr's Luxford and Lekovic.  (I really hope there are only positive reviews of this team.)  My husband and I will be flying in(we live in NJ) on 3/18  staying at Seton for two weeks.  My two grown children will also be flying in and staying for the surgery and a few days post-op.  I have questions about transportation from LAX.  Are there any car rental agencies in the airport that don't require a shuttle ride? Will I be able to handle a shuttle ride after returning the car?   Could my children (who are arriving a day after me) take a cab from LAX or is it too far?  Any idea how much the cab ride would cost?

Does anyone have any suggestions on what I might be able to do or should do after my hospital stay?

I have learned so much from reading this site and I thank you all from the bottom of my heart for sharing all of your experiences for us all to learn from! I am looking forward to getting this over with!
Anita

[JerseyGirl2]

Anita,
This is deja vu all over again. I live in NJ (Monmouth County) and had my AN surgery at House back in January 2008. My husband and I stayed at Seton, and our adult daughter (in grad school at the time) flew out the day before my surgery and stayed for several days. You've made a great decision to go to House -- I was very pleased and would do it all again without a moment's hesitation.
As I recall, House is about 30 minutes from LAX (depending on traffic) -- the St. Vincent's parking lot is a great place to park and quite reasonably priced. We picked our daughter up at LAX, so I can't comment on taxi fare.

Everyone's recovery rate is quite individual. We did lots of driving and sightseeing in the area prior to my surgery, as well as afterwards. I was released from St. Vincent's on Sunday afternoon, rested up at Seton the next day, and my husband and drove to the taping of Jeopardy! at Sony Studios (about 25 minutes from Seton) on Tuesday afternoon. Walked around Hollywood the next day with a family friend and felt fine, although a bit tired. We spent Friday night at one of the LAX hotels since we had a very early Saturday morning flight back to Newark. If you're flying coach out to CA you may want to consider upgrading to first class for the return flight. We did that and were able to breeze through the first class security at LAX and get out to the departure gate about 10 minutes after arriving at the airport (we took a shuttle from the hotel). I felt fine on the return flight, but it was good to have the extra room and quieter, more comfortable surroundings in first class.

Best wishes as your surgery date approaches! I hope that your surgery will go well and that you'll be feeling fine!

Catherine (JerseyGirl 2)

[neetze1]

Hi Catherine,  Thanks for he info.  I hope I feel as good as you right after surgery! I did take your advice and that of others on this board and booked 1st class home.  Virgin Air looks like they have very nice lounge chairs in first class.  Hopefully I will sleep all the way home!  My family and coworkers cant believe I will be able to fly but I tell them that everyone here say I can!  I will consider your idea of staying at a LAX hotel the night before.  I wasn't sure if I will be able to do the shuttle after dropping off the car.  Maybe I can?  I guess I will have to decide after surgery.
I'm not sure if my hubby can pick up my kids because they are coming in on an early flight and I might be at my preop appointments.  What kind of tests will they be doing the day before?
Thanks
Anita

[kmr1969]

Anita,

I flew from Maryland to LA for surgery at HEI in November.  I don't know anything specific about your team of doctors, but I think you can rest assured that if they are working at House then they are top notch.

My wife and I flew Virgin Air coach both ways.  I think first class is a good idea for the return trip as those seats did look much more comfortable.

For transportation from LAX we took a cab (cost about $50) and was about a 30 minute ride.  In the way back to LAX we got a private car service that could help my wife with our bags.

Flying was not any more uncomfortable after surgery than before so don't worry about that.

Seton Hall was a great place to recover after surgery. Nothing fancy, but quiet and comfortable.

The day before surgery you will meet with your House team as well as the internist, Dr. Stefan.  You get a hearing test, but there is nothing dramatic about it.  They are just making sure that you are ready for surgery.  You should get a packet from House about 2-3 weeks before you go out there with a list of blood tests you need to do at home before you go there.

Best wishes for a successful surgery and speedy recovery.  There may be other places as good as House and St. Vincent's, but in my opinion there are none better.  You have made a good decision.

Ken

[CHD63]

Hi Anita .....

So glad you have made your decision and all set to fly to California.

I cannot really add anything to Catherine and Ken's posts except ditto.  Although I experienced the same thing Catherine did, with driving down to Newport News, CA for an overnight get away on days 5 and 6 post-op, I need to caution that not everyone has that rapid a recovery.

We stayed at Seton Hall the entire time, as well.  We also took a cab to LAX for $50 + a tip, which dropped us off right at our terminal and a wheelchair was readily available.  Be sure to use the wheelchair as soon as you can, because the moving people and noise will be the most stressful part of the boarding.  If you have a change of flights enroute, be sure to arrange for a wheelchair ahead of time.  This is not a time to be trying to run through an airport between flights.

Many thoughts and prayers.

Clarice

[cindyj]

One aspect of going to House/St. Vincent's, in addition to the experience and skill of the docs, is the comfort that whoever goes out there with you will feel...My husband and mother were so grateful to all the other AN families who were around out there (at Seton, the waiting room, the halls outside my hospital room, etc).  The place is overrun with ANers   

Look for the "wall of windows" as they roll you down for surgery...when you see it, know that many, many here have rolled down that same hall - you can take courage from it!

Take lots of walks and naps after surgery...especially walks!

Cindy

[kmr1969]

Anita,

One more suggestion to make things easier for you while at Seton House.  You can FedEx/UPS yourself a care package with your favorite non-perishable foods, pillow, blanket, etc. in it and just have that delievered directly to Seton Hall.  That way you won't have to shop for food while you are out there and you can save yourself some hassle at the airport, not to mention baggage fees.  We also FedEx'ed a package back home so we would have less baggage.  I thought the cafeteria at St. Vincents served pretty good food and was reasonably priced, but then again my taste buds were (and still are) not what they used to be before surgery.

I agree with Clarice - get a wheelchair at LAX.  I actually had pretty good balance by that point and had built up a fair amount of strength/endurance through LOTS of walks around St.Vincets and Seton Hall, but LAX is a big airport, plus being in a wheelchair got my wife and I through security much more quickly. 

If you have any questions, just post.  We are all happy to share our experience with you.

Ken

[neetze1]

Thanks for the great ideas.  Maybe I will fed ex a package.  My son needs gluten free food and it might be easier to send it so we know its there.
Ken, what did you do for the week after surgery without a car? Is there anything within walking distance? 
I have asked Virgin Air for a wheel chair.  I was concerned about how I would get from the car rental drop off to the airline check in.  Hopefully Hertz will drop me off.
Cindy, I will be sure to look for the "wall of windows."  Having others going through what we are will be comforting.  Has anyone else posted that they will be there the same time as me? (3/18 to 4/2).

Seton Hall is undergoing renovations.  I am told it will be finished when I get there and that it looks very nice. How nice of them to do that for me lol!   I will have to keep an eye on the weather.  Not sure what to pack, summer or winter  clothes. 

Oh, does Seton provide soap/shampoo or should I be sure to bring some with us?  Thanks!

[ncbj]

Just a couple of inputs from my side.

If a rented car isn't nescessary during your stay I would recommend you to take a limo from LAX. The price is appr. the same as the taxi (the $50 region) but much more comfortable. We used a limo-company recommended by St. Vincent. Extreme helpful drivers and what a difference in driving style compared to taxi-drivers !! After surgery you are quite sensitive to the driving style )

We stayed at Seton Hall the first week. The neighborhood isn't that attractive. You are advised not to go out after dark, and the nearest grocery store was a couple of miles away. We took a taxi to the grocery store pre surgery. But it was very convenient for my wife during my stay at St. Vincent.

The second week we spent at Santa Monica. My surgery was in august (2012) so the climate was much better than down town LA. Less humid and cooler. We stayed at a hotel almost on the beach so my training consisted very much of going down to Muscle Beach and enjoy the folklore, the Pacific etc. And for my wife it was quite convenient .. nice shopping facilities ! And she is not a driver, so everything being within walking distance was very convenient ... and no worries about walking outside in the evening. I needed to go to St. Vincent twice during that week due to inefficient planning of the follow-up (surgeon for stitches and physician for clearance to travel back to Europe ... and on two consecutive days) - but again no problem with the limo. Of course it depends on your financial resources. However, if possible I would encourage you to consider this opportunity.

Niels

 

[neetze1]

Thank you for your post Niels.  We decided on a car because we will be staying at Seton Hall for the two weeks. I am hoping to venture out a little bit during my recovery.  Since the neighborhood is not good, I wonder is it safe to walk the grounds during the day?
Does anyone have any suggestions for "day trips" or nearby things to do?  I am not familiar with the area and not sure how much I will be able to do.  I guess I better get to AAA to get some maps of the area!

[CHD63]

Although the area around Seton Hall is a bit "iffy" I never felt unsafe walking with my husband through the beautiful rose garden each day.  The hospital security is very attentive and I never once felt unprotected.  Obviously we never considered walking outside after dark, but the well lighted tunnel/hallway between Seton Hall and St. Vincent's was an efficient/safe way to go back and forth when needed.

My surgery was in May, 2011 so when I was wheeled by the "wall of windows" I had a lovely, calming view of the blooming wisteria (gorgeous purple flowers).

We guessed wrong on the weather.  We were there the first two weeks in May and wore our jackets outdoors the entire time. 
Check the Weather Channel for the 10-day forecast just before leaving for a better idea on temps.

On Day 9, some friends came to pick us up and it was a short drive to downtown LA, where there was much to see ..... Union Station, Staple Center, Disney Concert Hall, etc.  Also Griffith Park and Observatory is a short drive, but well worth the view (we did this before surgery).  If you are up for it, some of the game shows are nearby in Burbank.  Just some ideas ..... obviously there are many things to do in LA!!

If Seton Hall is finished with their renovations, amenities may be a bit different, but when we were there it was a very basic, very clean, and very quiet hotel accommodation.  I took my own soap and shampoo from home.  There is a small gift shop in the hospital and a small pharmacy in the House Clinic across the street that have a few "forgotten" items ..... such as a shower cap (that I did not even think to bring from home).

Many thoughts.  Clarice

[JerseyGirl2]

I agree with Clarice's comments about safety / security in the Seton Hall area.

We rented a car -- would have felt pretty stranded without one. As Clarice and others have said there is so much to see in the area. Even though I'd been to San Francisco and northern CA several times, this was my first trip to Los Angeles and we made the most of it. The Getty Art Museum is delightful; we enjoyed going to Simi Valley and the Reagan Library to see Air Force One. Attended an afternoon taping of the finals of the Teen Tournament on Jeopardy! (a short drive from Seton Hall), walked around Hollywood, drove / walked around UCLA and all the residential neighborhoods.

I was very fortunate in that I felt so well both before and after my surgery, and have always looked back on that trip as a fun vacation with AN surgery during the middle portion of the stay. I hope I'm not sounding too cavalier about the surgery -- it was lengthy and I was very tired afterwards, and must acknowledge that it was about six months before I could honestly say that I felt just about back to my regular self. Don't push yourself to do more than you feel up to doing, and when your body says "rest and take a nap" just do it!

Best wishes for a successful surgery!

Catherine (Jersey Girl 2)

[neetze1]

Thanks for the info.  I will be aware of my surroundings! I have been looking at the weather.  This week looked nice, next week colder.  I will have to wait until the last minute to pack!  I hope I will be up to seeing or doing something while I'm out there.  Don't know when, if ever, I will get there again.  Thanks for the ideas Clarice & Catherine!

[kmr1969]

Anita,

I felt pretty good the week after surgery, but I wasn't of the mindset to do any sightseeing.  My wife and I left our two sons behind in Maryland and I was 100% focused on getting back to them asap.  The week after I got out the hospital, I focused on lots of walks in the garden at Seton Hall and lots of naps.  But, I am a homebody.  You may be more adventurous and I know there was lots to see close by.  I like your optimism, but even though I am sure you will have a successful recovery, you may not feel like partying on the West Coast.

Hang in there and stay positive!

Ken

[neetze1]

Thanks Ken!  I am a bit of a homebody too but I hope I can take short rides at least. I hope the weather is good for walking too!
One other question, can anybody tell me about where the incision in my abdomen will be?  Will I be able to wear jeans or should I stick with sweats or joga type pants? Thanks!