Cheryl,
I too am sorry for your hospital care. I think all of us have a nightmare story or two about some aspect of our cancer experience. My has to do with two residents who did not know what to call the carotid artery on my neck, while they were trying to do a FN aspiration of a lymph node close by. There's more to that story, of course. This was earlier in my treatment and not at MD Anderson.

Anyway, it is good you can set yourself a goal for the day, like a shower, because that is how we make it through, by setting daily goals. It is great that you have a background in nursing as that will make it easier, but you still may find that you need either a second person there to reinforce you, if nothing else, or an advocate, such as the patient advocate someone mentioned earlier.

Have they indicated how long you may be in the hospital? I left the hospital following my surgery with the drain still in from my neck dissection, and without being able to eat anything but yogurt slowly and jello, although I could drink liquids. All with a certain amount of pain present of course. But getting away from the hospital was good for me because I recuperated better at home. I had to go to the docs to have my drain removed, but that was simple. But it sounds like you have some additional problems I did not have.

Wish I could help you more. This too shall pass.
Anne