On Scheduled Surgeries

I love my mother-in-law. My husband and I can never divorce because I don't want to risk losing her. She's a hard-charging lioness when it comes to protecting her family, determined (OK, stubborn) when it comes to getting things done,  and a sweetie the rest of the time. For this post I'm gonna call her Sweetie.

I've had a few experiences with hospitals. I've always had adequate care - once my son had stellar care - in our hospital. But last summer, Sweetie's scheduled surgery ended up being a perfect storm of bad hospital policy, computer glitches, furniture failures . . . you name it, it went wrong. Thank goodness she survived it. Actually, thanks to a good surgeon and (very) loud family advocates, she survived it.

I have a list in my head for when I (or a family member or friend) have surgery:

1. Make sure someone who loves you is there. Every single minute. They can pee and go to the cafeteria for coffee but only if they RUN! I have a couple of theories. (a) Patients get better care in hospitals when a loved one or friend is visible and willing to go to bat for them. (b) Children get more attention in school when parents are visible and willing to go to bat for them.

2. Talk to your surgeon. If you take lifesaving medications ask if you can take them with you. If you'll need  pain medication ask if you can take some with you. Barring that, ask if you can have your surgeon's phone numbers. We had a horrible experience with an off-site computer pharmacist. He failed to give pharmaceutical "orders" before the computers went down. Sweetie was without pain medication for quite a while after a major surgery because the nurses could not (would not?) give pain medication without "orders". Sweetie's hospital room roomie was a type 1 diabetic all her life. Her panicked husband ended up driving home to get her insulin because there were no "orders". Thank goodness they lived fairly close by.

3. Make the Boy Scout motto your own. Be prepared. Take extra underclothing, a magazine, a book, Ipod, hard candies . . . whatever you think you'll need to be comfortable. Don't depend upon the hospital to provide it.

4. Check your modesty at the door. Someone is going to see your bum, or your mole, or your cottage cheese thighs. Get over it.  Concentrate on more important things, like getting well for one!

Sweetie has to undergo another surgery tomorrow. So you know where I, my Ipod, my book, my snacks, my Thermos, and my chamber pot (just kidding!) are gonna be.

Heal well, Sweetie. And God help those who don't help you.