Hi EveryoneSurgery Then and NowI thought it might be interesting to look back at what I actually needed when I had my surgery in February 1991 and compare it with what I would probably need if I were doing the same thing today. Things were very different then particularly when it came to information and communication.
BeforeI really never thought too much about the surgery in fact very little. I was working, having a good time and worked right up until my operation.
In or around May 1990 I had three surgery letters. At the time I knew about two of the letters that allowed me to go ahead with surgery but I did not actually see the letters themselves until sometime after 2010 when I received all three together. One letter was from my second psychiatrist after only three visits. Another was from my main psychiatrist and the third was from my endocrinologist, which surprised me.
Before this I thought I was not going to get approval for the surgery from my first psychiatrist and I was ready to move on. Once I had the approval my main concern was getting a surgery date. I would have had the operation the next day if I could have but two things stood in the way: getting a surgery date and getting all the money together.
I already had $5,000 but I still needed another $5,000. When my surgery date came around the loan for the remaining $5,000 had not yet come through and I was panicking. Fortunately I got the money in time. So if there is one rule to learn from this it is to have all your money ready beforehand.
There were also two possibilities to consider: having the operation here in Australia or having it overseas. Having surgery in Australia was feasible for me but having surgery overseas really was not. I had heard about people going overseas for surgery but information was very limited. These were pre-internet days so there was nothing like the amount of information available today.
Other than toiletries I brought virtually nothing with me to the hospital. It was an era before smartphones, laptops, tablets and of course the internet as we know it today.
HospitalWhat can I say? It was a five-day stay and I spent much of that time sleeping. I had a couple of visitors as well. To me it was a non-event after everything I had been through during the previous two years. I had reached the point where I finally had peace of mind.
For the first part of the stay I was mostly confined to bed. There were bed baths and the normal things such as brushing my teeth. Toward the end of my stay I was able to get out of bed, walk around and have a shower.
The catheter also had to be removed before I could go home. Once it was removed I had to be able to wee. If I could not wee I could not go home. That was basically my hospital stay. There were no electronic devices to keep me occupied and I do not remember needing much beyond the basics.
AfterThe ride home was interesting. As my friend Victoria, or Victoriassecret as she is known, has described it I complained every time we went over a bump. I think a donut pillow was mentioned somewhere but I never had one. An ordinary cushion was enough for me. I mainly used the cushion when I slept on my side at night. I placed it between my legs and that worked well enough.
When I went home I was given two things for dilation. One was some soft foam rubber that could be rolled up with a condom placed over it. I also believe I was given a smooth dildo. It was certainly nothing like what people may receive these days with five or six different sizes like Victoria got along with extensive instructions.
I cannot remember whether I had a nightie in hospital. I went into hospital wearing ordinary clothes and I went home wearing ordinary clothes. I cannot remember whether I wore exactly the same clothes home. When I arrived at the hospital in the morning I changed out of my day clothes so they were not being worn during my hospital stay. It is quite possible that I simply put the same clothes back on when I went home.
Summary ThenWhat did I actually need for my hospital stay in February 1991?
- Payment for the surgery, hospital fees, private health cover and anaesthetist fees. I virtually got nothing back from the $10,000.
- One toiletry bag.
- A change of clothes or the same ones?
- Possibly a nightie?
That was about it. I lived happily ever after.
Summary for Me If It Was TodayIf I were doing the same thing today I still do not think my list would be particularly long or change much.
- Payment for the surgery, hospital fees and any other medical fees including appropriate medical or travel insurance if required.
- The appropriate power plug or adaptor if I were overseas.
- A laptop and charger.
- A smartphone and charger which are almost a given these days.
- Mobile service or access to Wi-Fi particularly if the hospital did not provide free Wi-Fi.
- One toiletry bag.
- A nightie.
- A change of clothes.
ConclusionLooking back I do not think I would change very much. Everything I needed before would still be on my list today. The main difference between the two lists would be the electronic devices and the ability to stay connected.
What can I say? I never needed to take the kitchen sink with me when I went into hospital in February 1991 and I do not think I would need to take it with me in this day and age either.
Go figure!
Best Wishes AlwaysSarah BGlobal Moderator@VictoriasSecret
