Know before you go

[Don]

 I dont know how it is in the mainland but myself I have been a guest of all the major hospitals here at one time or another in the past 8 years? There are big differences trust me on this in fact I made my GP annotate my record not to send me to Straub as they have almost killed me twice and I do believe the 3rd time there would be the charm? Remember you are going in for Brain surgery and when you wake up there is no reason on Gods green earth for them to try to feed you lime jello and beef broth? I throw it on the floor another thing they dont tell you is that they will screw up your digestive system as Codene based pain drugs used constipate you beyond belief it isnt a pleasant subject granted but pretty spooky if you have never passed stone before? And if they give you a so called "Stool Softener" watch out always be near a stool to deposit said stools dont be shy in a pinch you can nick some surgical gloves to pull the extra tough ones out and they get serious after you clog the hopper in your room a few times? Make sure you have an advocate outside the hospital Straub is a 150 bed joint and the patient advocate goes home at 4 and leaves things up to the head nurse? The nursing staff was gambling all night at the nurses station next to my door? Next time I will just call 911 and let the cops sort it out so I can get some sleep, the strangest event was the day following my surgery they had kids day and little monsters wer running the halls all day? That night I awoke when something bumped my bed and the night orderly had driven the electric cart that was fixed up to look like a Choo Choo into my room to empty my urine? Im not making any of this up the difference between night and day in them joints is unreal KNOW before you go, Father daughter day on the ward?

[Yvette]

My goodness, where are you from? Hawaii? What an ordeal!

Yvette

[KathyLSU]

Besides your gross images, I can not imagine a hospital like what you described.  Are you sure it was a hospital? 
I had my AN surgery almost two years ago at St. Vincent's Hospital in Los Angeles with wonderful House Institute/Ear Clinic surgeons.  The employees were all wonderful, also, from my physical therapist to the nurses to the orderlies.  I and my husband could not have been more pleased with everything.  We took pictures of everyone and even took a picture of the parking lot attendant!  The guest home next door to the hospital was also great, where we stayed after release from the hospital.
My neurosurgeon called me last year when he received my one-year MRI that I had fed-exed to him, and we discussed that over the phone for several minutes. 
I really do wish your experience could have been at St. Vincent's!   

[nancyann]

Don:  I also had a 'nightmare'  of a postop with the nurses (the sad thing is, I work at this hospital):   The ICU nurse who removed my catheter?  she must have mistaken the removal for 'fly fishing', she twirled the catheter around her fingers & pulled 'up' & out very quickly (I'm a nurse, that is NOT how you remove a catheter) - I screamed at 'Angel', my ICU nurse, & he replied 'I thought you'd rather have a female nurse remove it" - I informed him ' as long as she knows what she's doing'.....

The next day I was taken to a 'regular' floor - the nurse starts speaking to me in Spanish, I tell her I don't speak Spanish, her reply?  'everyone speaks Spanish'....
only 1 nurse helped me take a walk,  I was left on my own to take my own showers (with very bad balance).   Thank God my mother came a couple of times to walk with me.  My bed was not changed the entire 3 days on the regular unit,   it was my mother who got me water, etc.  Food was left out of reach, then I was scolded for 'not eating'.    My bandage was a piece of tape stuck to my hair on the side of the incision.     I could not believe the nightmare.

Bedside nursing, I realize, is dead & buried....    they're too busy with paperwork to do anything but bring the meds.    One nurse brought everything all at once,   I told her I wasn't due for certain meds yet & she replied ' oh ches,  it can be 2  hours before or after the time' - I believe her giving me the decadron too soon caused me to have severe headaches when I got home.   One day she asked 'how are you feeling?"  I tell her 'I'm very tired', her reply?  'You think YOU'RE tired, I have a little girl I have to take care of before I come to work,  THAT'S TIRED.'

My attitude now?  You get out alive, you done good...     Sad, isn't it. 

[linny]

OMG   Definately find out before you go. I had both surgeries at OHSU, the first one  I was ok sort of , but after the second one my brain swelled and fluid so I had a shunt put in my head the worst part is I went nuts literally someone brought me a little stuffed animal and I couldnt see that good  they had it in a chair I thought it was a little chinese lady and I asked them why she was there. I tried to leave and fell out of the bed. So they strapped me in. I screamed at them all saying "I,m a grand-ma you wouldnt do this to your grand ma would you? )  I told one of the docters she was Ugly , (yes I did )  And I bit one of them  I thought they were out to kill me. It was just a horrifying experience  because part of my brain new  these things werent happening but yet I really thought they were. The docter never told me some people go psychotic after brain surgery. My poor son I made him stay with me at night so they wouldnt or couldnt kill me. After about a month of that in ICU. I went home with a walker  I could hardly stand up.   I just wish the  Docter would of  told me more about the post-surgery I could of been prepared to go nuts. Im ok now I think/

[Marlene]

I also went to the House Clinic ( St. Vincent's) and had an identical experience as was mentioned.  My recovery was minus complications I think because of people praying for me around the world.  Of course De LaCruz did a fantastic job also.  I might be in the wrong category, but now it's been 3 months & I've been starting to have fatigue I think because I went back to teaching water aerobics & have had to do it on deck which means leading marching, jogging, jacks etc. on deck (concrete).  Anyone know anything about that?  I'm calling the Dr. on Monday.