hospital bed

[marie]

Did anyone feel the need for a hospital bed after surgery? I know someone that had the surgery and wished that she had one at home for a few days? I have not seen anything here to indicate this.
Thoughts or comments anyone. Thanks

Ross: Sorry not sure if I posted this in the right forum
Earline

 

[Dennis S]

In my case:

In my case:

I had read suggestions on the forum that a recliner was a welcome alternative to a normal bed for the first week or so after surgery. I sampled a few, and purchased one that was leather (easy to slide out of), and seemed easier than others to raise or lower.

I was very glad to have done so, and found it much more comfortable than my normal bed.

 

[Jackie]

I was glad to get to my own bed. I don't think hospital beds are comfortable. I sat in a recliner off and on during the day, but my bed at night. I practiced getting in and out at the hospital with the bed all the way down so it would be like home. Worked just fine.

 

[Susan BAV]

We have a firm (fixed leg and non-rocking) leather recliner that worked really well for me post-op, except that I did need a little help--a little push--to get the thing to go back the first couple of weeks.

It is also evidently pretty common to have sweats for a few weeks post-op, particularly night sweats, and I found the leather recliner much more comfortable than the plastic wrap liner stuff that was all over the hospital beds. At first I tried a flannel sheet over the recliner, but it slid right off. But if you're on a fabric recliner, you may want something like a sheet between you and the recliner fabric because of those sweats.

I was fairly comfortable to sleep in my bed, on my back with extra pillows for elevating, by two or three weeks post-op.

 

[hensylee]

I used my own bed. seems like a lot of trouble bringing in one of those for a few days, doesn't it? We aren't really down that much once we are home. Laz-y-boy chair worked for many - they recline nearly to a straight out position for sleeping or at anywhere from upright to lying down.

Actually, I was up next morning after getting home - making the coffee.

 

[Cooker]

For the most part I spent my days in the recliner but used my own bed at night. I too could not wait to get in my own bed........there is no place like home

 

[MikeHeim]

Everyone here pretty much has it nailed. I wish I would have had a recliner, but my bed with some pillows propping me up worked OK as well. One thing to consider - night sweats are common post-op, and you certainly wouldn't want to ruin a really nice recliner or nice set of sheets because of them.

 

[Magic8Ball]

I spent the first week at my parents in a bed propped up with pillows...then in my own home in a recliner or my bed as i saw fit...mostly the recliner for the second week...then into my own bed.

The only thing i noticed was that i 'heard' my valve more in my own bed as opposed to in the hospital bed...more of a dull echo through the matress which was not present on the hard rubber/foam matress in the hospital.

I actually asked the hospital staff why the bed was so hard in the ward and they said it was so that if they had to do CPR/Chest compressions to get you back from the edge those were not wasted by sinking into a soft matress.

Lazy boy was good but not that good for a 6ft4ins bloke, feet hung over the edge....

Regards

 

[marie]

Thanks

Thanks

Thanks for all of your input. What a great site.

 

[Jkm7]

I slept in our bed from the day I came home. At first, I used a number of pillows but within two to three weeks, I was down to just two that raised me only slightly higher than I was accustomed to sleeping prior to OHS.

I had not yet found this site when I had my surgery and it never occured to me to try using a leather recliner we have in our family room. It's a chair I never sit in and totally forget about. It's in brand new condition as it is used very rarely. Since coming to this site and reading about using recliners, I went and 'tested' it to see if it would have been useful for me and I think it would have been. Enough so that we won't be getting rid of it as I'm in the waiting room and may be happy to have it in the future.

I'm happy though that I was able to go to our bed directly home from the hospital. I learned quickly how to get out of it.

 

[marie]

My recliner is a Lazy boy however it's a crank. (the kind you have a handle on the side) I don't think that will work for me right?
Thanks Earline

 

[MikeHeim]

To my recollection, the recliners with the side lever that you are describing don't really require much force to operate, so I don't see why it shouldn't work.

 

[gadgetman]

Erline,

Mine has a side lever and I didn't experience too much trouble handling it when I got home. Usually the ones where you use your arms to push it back aren't much fun for those realigned chest muscles the first few weeks.

Of course, if you just want to have an excuse to go buy a NEW recliner, then by all means, THAT ONE WILL NEVER WORK, GET ANOTHER ONE!!!!

As to hospital beds, I felt my recliner was a tremendous improvement OVER the hospital bed I (and my insurance company) paid for during my stay. Never could find a comfortable spot. Of course, those hourly (felt like every 5 MINUTES) nurse visits for SOMETHING didn't help.

May God Bless,

Danny

 

[DeWayne]

My recliner is a Lazy boy however it's a crank. (the kind you have a handle on the side) I don't think that will work for me right?
Thanks Earline

I used a lazy boy recliner with the handle on the side. What I did was take 2 narrow piece of wood, put a bolt through the 2 to allow the extention to move the lever while thenew handle part I held stayed in the same position, then tape it to the handle to extend it. adjusted the angle so that I did not have to reach down to pull it. Worked beautifully.

 

[Bina]

DeWayne, that is brilliant!!
Maybe you can take a picture of it...this belongs on our pre-surgery check list.

 

[Curtsmum]

As Curtis is on the waiting list, i have been wondering about a recliner as i have noticed a few post about them. Anybody have any imput for a child is this something we should consider buying or will he be just as comftable on the couch poped up with pillows, he was only a baby when he had is first surgery, so iam not as prepared this time around.

 

[Lynlw]

As Curtis is on the waiting list, i have been wondering about a recliner as i have noticed a few post about them. Anybody have any imput for a child is this something we should consider buying or will he be just as comftable on the couch poped up with pillows, he was only a baby when he had is first surgery, so iam not as prepared this time around.

Hi Paula, I know everyone is different, but Justin had surgery when he was 10 and he preferred to sleep in his bed, he didn't have any problems.When he was 17 and 19 he liked the recliner better.When he was 10, he was able to do alot pretty quickly and felt pretty good by the time he got home, I actually had to keep an eye on him so he didn't over do. He played drums in the school christmas concert less than a week after he got home (with his doctor permission) Lyn

 

[Bryan B]

After all of the suggestions from people here my parents went out and bought a leather recliner before my surgery. I lasted 3 days before I just wanted to be in my bed. So lots of pillows later I was able to get reasonably comfortable sleeping propped on my back (I'm a side sleeper). After about 2 weeks I was sleeping on my right side with just a couple of pillows to keep me in that position. After 4 weeks I could pretty much sleep in any position. I definitely don't think a hospital bed would have helped. Four nights in one was enough for me.