Visitors after surgery

[Dar51]

My family is asking when they can visit after surgery. Who will be allowed in at the hospital? How soon after surgery will I be awake?

I know that these are questions for the surgeon but would like to hear about your experiences.

Thanks,

Darrla

 

[ottagal]

Hi Dar51,

Thank you for posting this question! I was wondering the same thing myself and look forward to everyone's replies.

 

[Danny]

Hi, Im kinda glad that im going to Texas for my surgery, just for the simple fact that i think it will be better not having alot of visitors coming by. Im not trying to be selfish, but i think you need time to rest after a surgery like this, and not have alot of people coming in and out. When im home and feeling better, id love to see friends and others, but while im there, id like a minimal amount of people.

 

[Danny]

By the way Dar, we are having surgery on the same day.... Ill say an extra prayer for you. We can compare notes..lol

 

[kfay]

My husband was allowed to see me as soon as they got me into ICU and settled ( I don't know exactly how long that was after I was brought out of surgery, but it seems like I remember him saying it was a couple of hours). Of course, I have no recollection of that visit at all. He was actually allowed to stay with me in the ICU as long as he wanted. He stayed that first night until about 1 or 2 in the morning. After that, he was pretty much by my side the whole time.

I also travelled a good distance for my surgery. We happened to have some good friends who lived in MN. and they came to visit on about day 6 post op. It was fine for them to be there, but more so for my husband than me. I really didn't feel like entertaining anyone and I looked like that truck that had hit me had gone back and forth several times. So, I'm in the camp of the less visitors, the better, but that is just my personal preference.

Kim

 

[Adrienne]

At the Montreal Heart Institute, the visiting hours in ICU are from 7:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. and only for close family members I think. My husband was there at that time just when I woke up for 5 minutes.

Once I was in a normal room (the next day) it was not strict at all. However, I don't recommend a lot of people visiting for long periods of time.

 

[Jkm7]

My husband was allowed into CICU as soon as I was settled and could come and go at will both of my surgeries.

I found visitors to be exhausting and only wanted to see a very few people..... Only those who had enough sense to stay for a brief visit and leave.

You will not have extra energy. You need your strength for walking, breathing and healing. Quick family visits with only those who mean the most to you might be something to consider.

Best Wishes.

 

[TenPly]

From what I understand, your family should be able to see you shortly after you're taken to the ICU. As for who can see you, that probably depends on the hospital. After my surgery at Loma Linda, only adults were allowed during the first 3 days or so.

Whether or not you'll be awake is another good question -- that kind of depends on the individual. Me, I woke up fairly quickly...only a couple hours after arriving in ICU, with the breathing tube still down my throat. Wasn't clear-headed enough to see anybody, but I felt my parents holding each of my hands (I just knew it was them). Second time I woke up late that same afternoon in a new room, with the breathing tube gone.

Hopefully, you'll be doing so well after your surgery, your family will be able to see you in no time at all.

 

[Freddie]

Well.....my S/O saw me as I was being wheeled from the OR to ICU (call it good timing I guess) it was 5:30pm. The surgeon said "here comes my team now, you should be able to see your spouse in 5 hours in ICU" I barely remember seeing anyone at 11:00pm, but I knew my S/O was there. The next morning I was moved to some kind of ward and my spouse was (apparently) right behind me.....following.

Beside my S/O, I didn't really see anyone until the 2nd day after surgery. I had problems even then to follow the conversations. Due wish I had a T.V. though and ear plugs.

Visiting hours were very lax. One would think there wasn't any.

 

[WilliamJE]

My family is asking when they can visit after surgery. Who will be allowed in at the hospital? How soon after surgery will I be awake?

I know that these are questions for the surgeon but would like to hear about your experiences.

Thanks,

Darrla

Every hospital has a different policy.

At JFK, my surgery was supposed to be at 10 a.m. but they had trouble tubing me and it didn't go off till about noon. I was out of the OR and brought to the ICU around 6 p.m. My wife got to see me briefly, the first thing I remember post-op was her saying goodbye to me. The ICU at JFK was tough about visiting hours. Leonita had to leave at 7:30.

I was tubed for the first 24 hours. Leonita wasn't back till 10 a.m. the next morning. The 2nd night I was in ICU I began my bout with pneumonia. My night nurse called Leonita at home and she came to the hospital at around 3 a.m. to stay with me while I was put on cpap for a while.

Beginning my 3rd or 4th day, Leonita brought me breakfast every day. My throat was bad after the tubing and all I could swallow was a little bit of eggs. My right hand suffered nerve damage from the way it was positioned during the operation, I needed help at first feeding myself. The nurse would have to ok Leonita coming in early to bring me breakfast.(She had to work at 9 a.m, she would come to the hosp. at 6:30. After feeding me, she would go to Catholic mass)

My surgery was the 13th and I didn't get out of ICU for good till the 22nd. For about 24 hours spread out between the 18th and 19th I was in the CVU was sent back down to ICU after some complication arose(Which I don't know what it is to this day. Arrhythmia I think)

As for visitors, all I had were my wife, sister-in-law, a priest, and a 2-3 friends from my church. That was all I could handle for 16 days of hospitalization.

The ICU could be strict, they can be flexible. When I was on the main floor, Leonita could come and go at any time. I walked out of the CVU after getting my discharge papers. No wheelchair ride for me after a volunteer came to my room without transportation.

 

[ALCapshaw2]

After my first OHS, I did NOT want to have to try to carry on a conversation with ANYONE for a day or two. Brief quiet visits by family /friends are welcome but anything beyond a few minutes, other that just sitting quietly together, I found to be VERY DRAINING of the Little Energy I had at that time.

IMO, Socializing in the Patient's Room soon after surgery is NOT Helpful (or desired by many patients). This is NOT Party Time!

 

[hall]

After my first OHS, I did NOT want to have to try to carry on a conversation with ANYONE for a day or two. Brief quiet visits by family /friends are welcome but anything beyond a few minutes, other that just sitting quietly together, I found to be VERY DRAINING of the Little Energy I had at that time.

IMO, Socializing in the Patient's Room soon after surgery is NOT Helpful (or desired by many patients). This is NOT Party Time!

Ditto! I told people NOT to come. I could not stay awake and visitors for me were not appreciated.

 

[zipper2]

My 1st surgery in 92 wow i coulda danced i was so doing well(avs)32yrs old
2nd surgery mitral 17 years later( humbug) to company age 47 just wanted hubby that was it
Kids and grandchild came next day i was scheduled for ablations
x2 and this caused me to miss any enjoyment of visits,plus i was sore
and when i hurt i'm not the best company but icu allowed 2 people in at
a time Rest period was 2-4 noone in if possible and i spent most my
time with 35lbs fluid in my legs due to bed shortage of my own room
i was icu (hostage) rule is you stay immobile in icu and swell more and i did
and wasnot great company for even me, think it was 7 days in icu just for
bedunit shortage, when in my own room i wanted the whole world to come see me i was much more into visits with people in my own room than icu

i blame it on age though that 1st surgery was easy 2nd time older

 

[Philip B]

Visitors?

Visitors?

As others have noted, the rules for visitors vary from hospital to hospital. My hospital followed a very regimented schedule for visitors when I was in the ICCU...one visitor for a very brief period of time every couple of hours.

The rules in the ICU were more relaxed. I had twenty-four visitors in my room on one occasion before the nursing staff noticed what was going on and chased everyone out. They figured-out that one after I barfed on my boss. The nurses also kept my high school robotics team out of my room when they showed up to visit after competing in an event at a nearby unversity.

I didn't mind having visitors, but again, that's an individual thing. You won't really know how much you can tolerate until you get there.

-Philip

 

[scotttnz]

Both my wife and farther visited me for quite long periods in the week after my surgery, and I was very happy to have their company because they both understood that I was in no condition to entertain them. They were quite happy to just be there. Talk if I felt like it, or read\whatever if I nodded off to sleep. The sort of visitors you want are ones you don't have to worry about offending by asking them to leave so you can get some rest. I'd advise keeping it to close family and friends only, at least for the first few days.

 

[Nancy]

You should have one very close person to be with you at all times or as much as they possibly can to observe what kind of care you are getting and to help you with minor things. Of course, they will have to be the quiet mouse in the corner and not get in the way.

The first few days, you will be so drugged up that you will barely be able to speak, so having a lot of people around isn't fair to you or them. You won't want to talk too much since having the vent tube in your throat can make your throat sore.

In addition, many people can bring many outside germs, and it is better to keep this to a minimum.

With all of my husband's surgeries, I found that visiting rules can vary, but I was always able to manage to be with Joe as much as possible even in the ICU, but I can be very insistent. He really didn't want many folks visiting.

When you get home, you will be exhausted for a few weeks, so may not want a lot of people around, but you will have to play it by ear.

One other thing. Many people will want a call from your significant other to update your progress all the time. This can be a huge burden on your SO, so I recommend a telephone tree arrangement for calls to update progress.

There was nothing I wanted to do less when I got home from the hospital than to have to call several people on the phone for a long conversation. I just wanted to go home and sleep.

 

[Superman]

My parents and siblings were all in the room when I woke up in ICU for my first surgery. Everyone was over 18 though - so I'm not sure if children would have been allowed. We also had a very close friend of the family - close enough that we told the hospital he was family and he was able to visit in ICU. I still remember my dad saying, "yup, he's awake". I also mumbled something that made my sister cry because I sounded so pathetic. I thought I was trying to lighten the mood - but apparently my condition at the time impacted my delivery.

I seem to recall enjoying visitors - but I was young yet and recovered fairly quickly. Not sure how I'll be for this coming deal. I'm planning on just limiting ICU to my wife and see how I feel after that. Being 19 years older should give me a different perspective.

 

[Superbob]

My wife and son (then in his early 30s) were in the ICU (I understand) shortly after I arrived there. My son in particular was shocked at all the grim-looking tubes. Might be a good idea to warn any loved ones what they'll see if they come early in the ICU time.

 

[cuoricino]

i agree with what most people have said so far: the fewer visitors the better.

i saw my mom, dad and boyfriend through slitted eyes in the ICU for about 3 minutes each (i think). i know my mom was the first visitor and she got my best, bravest, smile and hello. by the time my boyfriend was let in, i was pretty much asleep again.

when i got transferred to the semi-intensive room, i was allowed one visitor in at a time and the visiting hours were from 1pm-2pm, then from 6.30-7.30pm. on saturday and sunday i had a TON of visitors and by that time i was able to get up and walk short distances so i just tried to put on what resembled a smile and put a chair out in the hallway so i could visit with everyone at the same time. an hour proved to be a long time when i barely had the energy to carry on a conversation, so my guests always ended up conversing among themselves... which i was totally fine with.

by the time i got to a regular room, the visiting hours were the same, but more people were allowed in at a time and i enjoyed having my mom and boyfriend visit daily (my dad had already gone home by then). but i won't lie that i was still happy as a clam by the time they left so i could get back to RESTING.

visiting hours was something i was very concerned about pre-surgery, but in the end i was happy that they were very limited. the nurses and other patients were company enough to get you through whatever boredom you may suffer in the few hours you aren't exhausted.

sending out positive thoughts for your surgery!!!!!!!!!

ciao

 

[Adrienne]

Cuoricino, you've got good friends!!! I take it your friends are from Florence since you live there. I know Bologna is just an hour away by the Eurostar train, but still...!!! I wish I had friends like that!!!