Re: HOW LONG DO YOU STAY IN HOSPITAL?

[Guest guest]

As I recall the neurosurgeon who performed my surgery said 5-6 days was about

average BUT he made it really clear it most depended on the patients

CONDITION .

This post is really long ...took me awhile to express all the thoughts this

thread has stired up in my mind ...just hit delete if it's boring or not

helpful please ...I've got numb butt from the time it took to write it ..not

going to try and edit now :-)

The chat about " average stays " is a good topic to discuss ...but I think its

important to remember we don't all go in with the same variables that affect

this too . Age ..other medical conditions /and your own bodys response to

healing /medications ect can affect this quite a lot . ...A good chiari

specialist or neurosurgeon can only make informed GUESSES at how quickly you

may be ready to go home ...and EVALUATE your particular situation as you

recover . I've noticed during my 4 years on wacma that NOT all neurosurgeons

seem to plan this the same either ...some seem to discharge folks a bit soone

r in general .

I had a rough couple days first out of surgery ( NOTHING lifethreatening

/scarry or true serious complecations from a doctor /nursing perspective

....but NOT mannaging to be up walking much ...and lots of vommiting trying to

eat or drink for example . ) ...it slowed down the timelines for discharge

..The good care soon turned this around with medications ect ..but it was a

factor in how soon I was able to be up /around ect .

...This sort of extension is to be expected with some of us . It's not

something to be alarmed about ...instead in my humble opinion its a sign of

excelent care when they don't follow a preset " must discharge " plan but

instead LOOK at if your ready !

UCLA was an excelent experience as a patient ...the former nurse in me was

VERY impressed with the staff and care I recieved . I was fortunate and did

well with long term recovery ...BUT those factors like age / other medical

conditions ( for me ms and a bit slower ability to jump back to walking after

several days of bedrest ect ) ..were factors that led to that extra couple

days staying inpatient .

Factors like distance from home ..and how you'll get there ...suport at home

ect also inflance this ...I flew home via airlifeline to taxi on home alone

....and had some big social service hurdles to face for arranging help at home

( the county system wouldn't address this one ahead of time ) ..it ment too I

needed to be strong enough to cope with several HOURS of flights ect /and

mannage a couple days till help could be arranged better ...they DID consider

this in planing discharge too ...I stayed an extra day after these factors

were discussed > ..again something I'm greatful to UCLA staff for ...I

WOULDN " T have been ready a day sooner ! ( it was hard enough -thanks (GRINS )

..

For Connie ( and others headed for UCLA ) ...sorry you didn't discover the

cafeteria for that latte ...like you I made a beeline for Westwood's lattes

as my first priority with freedom ...but my cravings were satisfied with

what they had downstairs too (GRINS ) ...no need to pack the little expresso

machine for your room ..tehehe .You can ask visitors to run down there for

you ...a couple times nursing staff offered during their dinner breaks ect

too " -)

Some folks do so well they head home in 3-4 days ...but please don't feel

disapointed or like something has gone wrong in a major way if YOU take a few

more days to hit the point your able to care for yourself either ...a good

hospital staff will access this person by person ...NOT by a callender !

Some few folks drive quickly post op ...and resume working quickly too . I

think its really important to take this as YOUR body dictates . I'm convinced

a few factors greatly influance outcomes ...finding a chiari specialist or

neurosurgeon with a deep grasp ...and letting your own body /situation help

dictate how hard to push ...and finding great POST op care when the

neurosurgeons job is finnished and looks good .

We've posted /discussed post op care too ...that first few weeks home its soo

easy to overdue things as you feel better ...PLease go slow and easy

....respect the post op limmits and discuss the possible role /need of a

physiatrist ( rehab specialist physician ) with your neurosurgical team ...it

can help that post op healing /independance ect goal so very much and help

prevent setbacks .

Hope that this is helpful ...In general that 5-6 day window of

hospitalisation seems the norm ...but theres nothing to say it may be edited

or stretched a bit too ...this still falls within the " normal " range in my

opinion .

in Paradise

[Guest guest]

As I recall the neurosurgeon who performed my surgery said 5-6 days was about

average BUT he made it really clear it most depended on the patients

CONDITION .

This post is really long ...took me awhile to express all the thoughts this

thread has stired up in my mind ...just hit delete if it's boring or not

helpful please ...I've got numb butt from the time it took to write it ..not

going to try and edit now :-)

The chat about " average stays " is a good topic to discuss ...but I think its

important to remember we don't all go in with the same variables that affect

this too . Age ..other medical conditions /and your own bodys response to

healing /medications ect can affect this quite a lot . ...A good chiari

specialist or neurosurgeon can only make informed GUESSES at how quickly you

may be ready to go home ...and EVALUATE your particular situation as you

recover . I've noticed during my 4 years on wacma that NOT all neurosurgeons

seem to plan this the same either ...some seem to discharge folks a bit soone

r in general .

I had a rough couple days first out of surgery ( NOTHING lifethreatening

/scarry or true serious complecations from a doctor /nursing perspective

....but NOT mannaging to be up walking much ...and lots of vommiting trying to

eat or drink for example . ) ...it slowed down the timelines for discharge

..The good care soon turned this around with medications ect ..but it was a

factor in how soon I was able to be up /around ect .

...This sort of extension is to be expected with some of us . It's not

something to be alarmed about ...instead in my humble opinion its a sign of

excelent care when they don't follow a preset " must discharge " plan but

instead LOOK at if your ready !

UCLA was an excelent experience as a patient ...the former nurse in me was

VERY impressed with the staff and care I recieved . I was fortunate and did

well with long term recovery ...BUT those factors like age / other medical

conditions ( for me ms and a bit slower ability to jump back to walking after

several days of bedrest ect ) ..were factors that led to that extra couple

days staying inpatient .

Factors like distance from home ..and how you'll get there ...suport at home

ect also inflance this ...I flew home via airlifeline to taxi on home alone

....and had some big social service hurdles to face for arranging help at home

( the county system wouldn't address this one ahead of time ) ..it ment too I

needed to be strong enough to cope with several HOURS of flights ect /and

mannage a couple days till help could be arranged better ...they DID consider

this in planing discharge too ...I stayed an extra day after these factors

were discussed > ..again something I'm greatful to UCLA staff for ...I

WOULDN " T have been ready a day sooner ! ( it was hard enough -thanks (GRINS )

..

For Connie ( and others headed for UCLA ) ...sorry you didn't discover the

cafeteria for that latte ...like you I made a beeline for Westwood's lattes

as my first priority with freedom ...but my cravings were satisfied with

what they had downstairs too (GRINS ) ...no need to pack the little expresso

machine for your room ..tehehe .You can ask visitors to run down there for

you ...a couple times nursing staff offered during their dinner breaks ect

too " -)

Some folks do so well they head home in 3-4 days ...but please don't feel

disapointed or like something has gone wrong in a major way if YOU take a few

more days to hit the point your able to care for yourself either ...a good

hospital staff will access this person by person ...NOT by a callender !

Some few folks drive quickly post op ...and resume working quickly too . I

think its really important to take this as YOUR body dictates . I'm convinced

a few factors greatly influance outcomes ...finding a chiari specialist or

neurosurgeon with a deep grasp ...and letting your own body /situation help

dictate how hard to push ...and finding great POST op care when the

neurosurgeons job is finnished and looks good .

We've posted /discussed post op care too ...that first few weeks home its soo

easy to overdue things as you feel better ...PLease go slow and easy

....respect the post op limmits and discuss the possible role /need of a

physiatrist ( rehab specialist physician ) with your neurosurgical team ...it

can help that post op healing /independance ect goal so very much and help

prevent setbacks .

Hope that this is helpful ...In general that 5-6 day window of

hospitalisation seems the norm ...but theres nothing to say it may be edited

or stretched a bit too ...this still falls within the " normal " range in my

opinion .

in Paradise

[Guest guest]

As I recall the neurosurgeon who performed my surgery said 5-6 days was about

average BUT he made it really clear it most depended on the patients

CONDITION .

This post is really long ...took me awhile to express all the thoughts this

thread has stired up in my mind ...just hit delete if it's boring or not

helpful please ...I've got numb butt from the time it took to write it ..not

going to try and edit now :-)

The chat about " average stays " is a good topic to discuss ...but I think its

important to remember we don't all go in with the same variables that affect

this too . Age ..other medical conditions /and your own bodys response to

healing /medications ect can affect this quite a lot . ...A good chiari

specialist or neurosurgeon can only make informed GUESSES at how quickly you

may be ready to go home ...and EVALUATE your particular situation as you

recover . I've noticed during my 4 years on wacma that NOT all neurosurgeons

seem to plan this the same either ...some seem to discharge folks a bit soone

r in general .

I had a rough couple days first out of surgery ( NOTHING lifethreatening

/scarry or true serious complecations from a doctor /nursing perspective

....but NOT mannaging to be up walking much ...and lots of vommiting trying to

eat or drink for example . ) ...it slowed down the timelines for discharge

..The good care soon turned this around with medications ect ..but it was a

factor in how soon I was able to be up /around ect .

...This sort of extension is to be expected with some of us . It's not

something to be alarmed about ...instead in my humble opinion its a sign of

excelent care when they don't follow a preset " must discharge " plan but

instead LOOK at if your ready !

UCLA was an excelent experience as a patient ...the former nurse in me was

VERY impressed with the staff and care I recieved . I was fortunate and did

well with long term recovery ...BUT those factors like age / other medical

conditions ( for me ms and a bit slower ability to jump back to walking after

several days of bedrest ect ) ..were factors that led to that extra couple

days staying inpatient .

Factors like distance from home ..and how you'll get there ...suport at home

ect also inflance this ...I flew home via airlifeline to taxi on home alone

....and had some big social service hurdles to face for arranging help at home

( the county system wouldn't address this one ahead of time ) ..it ment too I

needed to be strong enough to cope with several HOURS of flights ect /and

mannage a couple days till help could be arranged better ...they DID consider

this in planing discharge too ...I stayed an extra day after these factors

were discussed > ..again something I'm greatful to UCLA staff for ...I

WOULDN " T have been ready a day sooner ! ( it was hard enough -thanks (GRINS )

..

For Connie ( and others headed for UCLA ) ...sorry you didn't discover the

cafeteria for that latte ...like you I made a beeline for Westwood's lattes

as my first priority with freedom ...but my cravings were satisfied with

what they had downstairs too (GRINS ) ...no need to pack the little expresso

machine for your room ..tehehe .You can ask visitors to run down there for

you ...a couple times nursing staff offered during their dinner breaks ect

too " -)

Some folks do so well they head home in 3-4 days ...but please don't feel

disapointed or like something has gone wrong in a major way if YOU take a few

more days to hit the point your able to care for yourself either ...a good

hospital staff will access this person by person ...NOT by a callender !

Some few folks drive quickly post op ...and resume working quickly too . I

think its really important to take this as YOUR body dictates . I'm convinced

a few factors greatly influance outcomes ...finding a chiari specialist or

neurosurgeon with a deep grasp ...and letting your own body /situation help

dictate how hard to push ...and finding great POST op care when the

neurosurgeons job is finnished and looks good .

We've posted /discussed post op care too ...that first few weeks home its soo

easy to overdue things as you feel better ...PLease go slow and easy

....respect the post op limmits and discuss the possible role /need of a

physiatrist ( rehab specialist physician ) with your neurosurgical team ...it

can help that post op healing /independance ect goal so very much and help

prevent setbacks .

Hope that this is helpful ...In general that 5-6 day window of

hospitalisation seems the norm ...but theres nothing to say it may be edited

or stretched a bit too ...this still falls within the " normal " range in my

opinion .

in Paradise

[Guest guest]

Our patients stay in the hospital about 4 days.

Marsha

Except for special people like me who hate the hospital coffee and go home

after 2 1/2 days! (Stopping in Westwood for a Cafe Mocha on the way home of

course!)

Connie

Re: HOW LONG DO YOU STAY IN HOSOITAL?

I just wanted to mention, this is not the norm!

Normally you stay in the hospital about five days.

With my first decompression back in 1987, they also did the shunting of my

syrinx in the cervical area. My surgery was 12 hours long, and I stayed in

the hospital for two weeks. Again this is not the norm at all.

My other Chiari surgeries have always been five days, except when Dr. Frim

took my plate out due to staph infection. So again, with no complications,

the norm is five days! Hugs Robin.. PS.. I just didn't want the new people

who will be having surgery soon, to get scared, and get the wrong idea! Hugs

Robin

[Guest guest]

Our patients stay in the hospital about 4 days.

Marsha

Except for special people like me who hate the hospital coffee and go home

after 2 1/2 days! (Stopping in Westwood for a Cafe Mocha on the way home of

course!)

Connie

Re: HOW LONG DO YOU STAY IN HOSOITAL?

I just wanted to mention, this is not the norm!

Normally you stay in the hospital about five days.

With my first decompression back in 1987, they also did the shunting of my

syrinx in the cervical area. My surgery was 12 hours long, and I stayed in

the hospital for two weeks. Again this is not the norm at all.

My other Chiari surgeries have always been five days, except when Dr. Frim

took my plate out due to staph infection. So again, with no complications,

the norm is five days! Hugs Robin.. PS.. I just didn't want the new people

who will be having surgery soon, to get scared, and get the wrong idea! Hugs

Robin

[Guest guest]

Our patients stay in the hospital about 4 days.

Marsha

Except for special people like me who hate the hospital coffee and go home

after 2 1/2 days! (Stopping in Westwood for a Cafe Mocha on the way home of

course!)

Connie

Re: HOW LONG DO YOU STAY IN HOSOITAL?

I just wanted to mention, this is not the norm!

Normally you stay in the hospital about five days.

With my first decompression back in 1987, they also did the shunting of my

syrinx in the cervical area. My surgery was 12 hours long, and I stayed in

the hospital for two weeks. Again this is not the norm at all.

My other Chiari surgeries have always been five days, except when Dr. Frim

took my plate out due to staph infection. So again, with no complications,

the norm is five days! Hugs Robin.. PS.. I just didn't want the new people

who will be having surgery soon, to get scared, and get the wrong idea! Hugs

Robin

[Guest guest]

Another way to look at this might be ...

Take what your doctor says as an estimate, but have a

mindset that makes it okay for yourself to stay

shorter or longer depending on how you respond to meds

and surgery and recovery. My stay was longer than

expected, but there were very good reasons for it, and

I am glad they did not discharge me too soon.

In fact, my discharge was based totally on my

readiness to leave, not on a preset expectation. Since

I was having post-op issues and had several hours of

travel to arrive home, I even had the option to stay

another day.

Instead, I chose to stay " in town " at the hotel one

day. I am glad I did, because the " real world " felt

funny to me when I first got out. The doctors,

nurses, PA's, physical therapist, and my family were

all more comfortable with me sticking around an extra

day, outside of the hospital, but close enough to get

help if we needed it.

In case you are wondering, I was at Northshore in NY,

with doctors Milhorat and Bolognese.

Hanna

__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

Another way to look at this might be ...

Take what your doctor says as an estimate, but have a

mindset that makes it okay for yourself to stay

shorter or longer depending on how you respond to meds

and surgery and recovery. My stay was longer than

expected, but there were very good reasons for it, and

I am glad they did not discharge me too soon.

In fact, my discharge was based totally on my

readiness to leave, not on a preset expectation. Since

I was having post-op issues and had several hours of

travel to arrive home, I even had the option to stay

another day.

Instead, I chose to stay " in town " at the hotel one

day. I am glad I did, because the " real world " felt

funny to me when I first got out. The doctors,

nurses, PA's, physical therapist, and my family were

all more comfortable with me sticking around an extra

day, outside of the hospital, but close enough to get

help if we needed it.

In case you are wondering, I was at Northshore in NY,

with doctors Milhorat and Bolognese.

Hanna

__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

Another way to look at this might be ...

Take what your doctor says as an estimate, but have a

mindset that makes it okay for yourself to stay

shorter or longer depending on how you respond to meds

and surgery and recovery. My stay was longer than

expected, but there were very good reasons for it, and

I am glad they did not discharge me too soon.

In fact, my discharge was based totally on my

readiness to leave, not on a preset expectation. Since

I was having post-op issues and had several hours of

travel to arrive home, I even had the option to stay

another day.

Instead, I chose to stay " in town " at the hotel one

day. I am glad I did, because the " real world " felt

funny to me when I first got out. The doctors,

nurses, PA's, physical therapist, and my family were

all more comfortable with me sticking around an extra

day, outside of the hospital, but close enough to get

help if we needed it.

In case you are wondering, I was at Northshore in NY,

with doctors Milhorat and Bolognese.

Hanna

__________________________________________________