Hi, guys;
I've been told by my surgeon that I may be discharged the same day of my surgery or kept in hospital a few days depending on how well I'm doing afterwards. My question is - were you discharged from hospital on the same day of your surgery or did you stay in hospital (and, if so, for how long after)?
I didn't go to a hospital, and I was discharged shortly after I came to.
It is quite unusual for people in the US to be overnight at all. I think most of the top surgeries done here (I could be wrong but, I don't think in this case I am) are done at same day surgery centers. I think the only time they tend to use a real hospital is if the person has some medical issue which may require treatment or special preparation. Dr Garramone single-handedly treats 500 a year and probably 99% are in the surgery center.
I was quite out of it the day of surgery, but I could maneuver around, shall we say. I think you still have a lot of anesthesia in you the day of surgery, but I did very well and I am way way older than you, afaik.
--Jay
Thanks for the responses, guys.
I wonder why the US is so keen on doing this kind of surgery as a day surgery? Here in Australia most guys I've spoken to stayed in hospital for 2 to 4 days after their surgeries. :-\ I wonder if it's to do with the US healthcare system usually meaning people pay more out of pocket for hospital stays?
blame the insurance companies, less money that they have to pay out and so they limit how long they will pay for a stay.
UK and Canada tend to be day surgeries too so I don't think it's insurance stuff. I've no idea why 2-4 days for a simple procedure, seems overkill, hospitals are super boring places. I had radical mastoid surgery, a major surgery where my skull was drilled into and I went home the next day! Lol.
Well I doubt you weren't in the Recovery Room awhile, Liam. They didn't let me out, even if I couldn't seem to sleep, which they were keen for me to do. But no I don't think that it's insurance this time. If it were an insurance thing, then Canada would not have same day surgery centers.
I think it lowers hospital costs. So I think that is one motivation. Hospital costs in the US are really spiraling up (though lowering a bit lately). The US probably is a bit more technologically driven and they can have small scale--high quality set ups like little ORs. But they can cut down on frills like rooms! It's all cordoned off by a bunch of curtains. You get very good care, but it is very efficient with maybe 3-4 nurses that really don't have to go room to room. They also don't need to worry about patient amenities-- like TV or meals.
I also think it's safer. Hospitals are dangerous places with all the infections. With an area like the mastoid, so easily infected, I suppose they wanted Jack out asap! And staying in bed is not necessarily good for you either. With nothing particularly to do with you after you wake up from anesthesia, there's no particular reason for you to stay there. You don't need any particular care after surgery really either. The wound care is non-existent (right after surgery) and you don't need any high end pain medications like pumps, etc. I agree 2-4 days sounds like over kill too, overnight seems like something more on the understandable range.
I'd guess that in Europe and Australia they have figured out some way of lowering costs some other way.
I was just as happy to be out actually.
BTW, top surgery is different but in most surgery US insurance companies usually pay most of the costs of boarding you. Usually you will get a bill from individuals-- like specialists who see you. I haven't been hospitalized since I was in my 30s, so not sure if this is still true. Top surgery is considered elective and/or the insurance companies discrimination against trans people.
--Jay
Yeah, anywhere medical is just a breeding ground for infections and I think it's also a result of better efficiency and getting people to be more active post surgery than old thinking that was more along the lines of days of bed rest. Now there's very, very few surgeries where they're not getting you up and walking within hours or coming round!
Quote from: Jack_M on November 16, 2013, 03:29:19 AM
Yeah, anywhere medical is just a breeding ground for infections and I think it's also a result of better efficiency and getting people to be more active post surgery than old thinking that was more along the lines of days of bed rest. Now there's very, very few surgeries where they're not getting you up and walking within hours or coming round!
If they keep you in the hospital make sure to get up and move around. Walk around and so on. Bed rest is really pretty much bad for you. I don't see overnight as a horrible idea here though. Anesthesia makes you feel pretty doppy. I walked around the same day, but where I stayed didn't want me to walk downstairs. Did I mention I was out of it. I'd try and get out the next day. There is absolutely zero to do in a hospital and the only place to sit is in a bed.
--Jay