Well, I have a bunch of weird questions, that it will probably help to just put out there to see if anyone answers. Doctors usually don't have the time for the piddly stuff.

I'm planning on that exploratory 2 hour surgery with a possible two day stay in the hospital. Today, for practical matters, I sat in a salon to get my long blonde hair bobbed.I figured eventually, I might have problems dealing with long hair care and might lose it so might as well try a new look. As I told the stylist, a bad hair day would be the least of my problems.

Since I have lost weight and have problems with chills and sweats, I bought myself a new bathrobe, and some warm pajamas that have snap tops so I can get into them easily. My question is... based on your experience, do the hospitals usually allow you to wear your own lounge wear and be comfortable? I can't bear the thought of shivering in one of those butt bearing gowns full time.

On another issue of the intolerance of cold and chills, they will get me more blankets if needed?

Boy am I anal retentive. I'm even concerned about being bored to death in the hospital and not having access to cable TV. Then again, I don't even know if I'll feel up to concentrating on anything. Whether or not I'll be able and willing to read or occupy my mind with something that I have the energy for. It seems like such a stupid question to ask the hospital.... call them up like they are a hotel and say "what sort of TV channels do you have there?"

Sometimes I think I might actually be getting my sense of humor back.

Jen

Jen,

Generally when I've gone into the hospital for a procedure, I've had to wear the standard issue gown for the surgery (or other procedure) but have been able to use my own pajamas once I got back to my hospital room. Also, the nurses have usually been careful to ask if I'm warm enough and to offer blankets just in case -- if they don't do that, by all means ask.

I remember being surprised that within a couple of days after my neck dissection and glossectomy I could talk reasonably well, even with a mouth full of stitches, so to pass the time I picked up the phone and talked to anyone I knew who would answer -- just a way to pass the time besides watching whatever was on the tube.

Hang onto that sense of humor -- as many people here will tell you, it's a great thing to have around when you're going through this experience.

Cathy

Jen, take thick, fuzzy, soft socks to wear in bed. That helps a lot. If it won't make you feel stupid, take a knit hat too, as so much heat is lost through your head. In the winter, I often wear a knit hat around the house, and forget it when I answer the door. I get some strange looks, but hey, I'm warm. Anyway, you can always get extra blankets by asking. Pack a good book, which will beat daytime tv hands down in most cases. Two days will pass very quickly. Good luck!

Good advice is usually given here. Man, I'm so glad I found this place. I planned on the warm socks and hope to at least get back some of my sense of humor. (of course, I'm probably going to be posting continuously)

Weird, but I was thinking about bringing my nice knit cotton blanket from home. Smells bother me lately, and the hospital smell depresses me. I thought it might be worthwile to take my favorite blanket with the smells of my house (anything other than the foreign sterile smell of the environment I'll be in) to keep me company and hopefully soothe me. Then again, this makes me think I really AM being a baby since I haven't been that attached to a specific blanket since I was three years old.

thanks again

I'd leave the blanket home. They will proabably lose it. But definitely get the kids to donate one of their stuffed bears to keep you company. Nothing is nicer to curl up to when you are feeling lousy and lonely tahn a nice stuffed animal. Besides, it is always an intersting conversation piece. My 9 year old niece sent me one of hers when I had my first neck dissection and this guy has been through three more surguries and keeping me company ever since. Bears also are very good at helping to support your arm after a neck dissection. You are allowed to be a baby for a while.

Take care,
Eileen

Hi
Buy an inexpensive pillow, keep in your house for a while and then take with you, AND of course your favorite perfume.
Warm PJ's and socks if you feel the cold, don't forget the nurses are ON YOUR SIDE (THEY ARE THE GOOD GUYS)it will be fine, I did 14 days and survived...
Sunshine... love and hugs
Helen

Jen,

I took a pillow from home with a nice, soft pillow case and after my neck dissection nothing ever felt as nice as my own pillow. I agree on the sock thing and good slippers with rubber soles cause they make you do laps around the halls. You will have TV (but you have to pay for it)but I had too much pain med to concentrate on reading and I'm a huge reader. My sister and I did flip though magazines. The time kind of floats by thanks to the meds. The nurses are great about the blankets. I stayed in the hospital gowns because it was easier for going to the bathroom etc while hooked up to IVs etc. If you have long sleeved PJ's with IVs it might be a pain. You just wear one gown with the openeing in the back and a second gown over it with the opening in the front and everything is covered!

Barb

Jen,

I am lucky because every hospital visit around this family elicits a coloring book and/or crossword puzzles from either my wife or her mother ! I didn't have surgery but managed to see the inside of a hospital room a few times through treatment. The roughest part was trying to stay in the lines when I colored because of the morphine, demerol, etc.

Ed

Jen,
The nurse at the recovery room said I looked cold (I was) and she brought me a warmed blanket. I asked about it later and was told that they had a heated shelf in the recovery room to keep the blankets warm. It was wonderful!

The haircut was a good idea - long hair gets matted during surgery, and you won't feel like combing through it afterwards.

I brought too many books and things to do, was way too tired and foggy to even watch much TV.

Leena

Sorry Helen but in the US they discourage perfume in hospitals and oncology units in general.

Jen-
I too asked for warmed blankets. They really felt great! You just have to ask for them. I spent 4 one week stays just for the chemo part of treatment in hospital. PJ tops don't work well with pic lines and IVs. Gowns and matching robes brightened up my stay and actually cheered up the radiation techs when they brought me down for the daily treatments with chemo attached. My kids put together a traveling box of games, books and magazines to keep me sane and give everyone something to play with when they came to visit. Also, bring along pictures of your family to hang on the wall. They give you inspiration!! Best wishes - Kris