Question for my surgery thats coming up

[Daehawk]

Ok after years of putting it off I have my kidney surgery scheduled for the week after next. But I have a question related to that.

For 31 years me and my wife were always side by side together. There for each other. When she had something done I held onto her purse and stuff and she held my wallet, keys, and anything else for me. I now am totally alone and wont have her to hold my keys and wallet for me and its been worrying me since I started this thing months back.

I have planned ahead and bought another keyring for just my house key that Ill take and another wallet which will have only my drivers license, medicare card, and a photo of us in it. But I know I change into a hospital gown before surgery and Im wondering what happens to my key and wallet. Im most worried about those IDs I have to have with me. They could be lost, stolen, or copied ...none of that is good.

Just another little worry without my wife. A silly one in some ways but not in others.

[Smoove_B]

Am I mis-remembering that your sister is local to you? Can't she assist in keeping your stuff?

[Unagi]

Can your sister come with you?

[Unagi]

I will also offer that I think you can put some trust and faith in their system for keeping your items safe.

[gilraen]

They will absolutely have somewhere for you to put your stuff, that's not even an issue. I had a procedure a couple of years ago - not quite a surgery but I was under heavy sedation and then stayed in the hospital overnight. I was at the hospital by myself (just didn't see the point of having anyone sitting around waiting for me). I brought my stuff in a backpack and just left the backpack where they told me to leave it (the prep room, probably, I can't remember now). And they brought it to my room after I was done with the procedure and admitted to the floor.

[dbt1949]

Is your will up to date?

[Daehawk]

Is your will up to date?

No....cant afford to do that yet. Wish I could.

Guess Ill just have to go with whatever. Yes my sister will help but doubt she will wait around.

[Jaymann]

Is your will up to date?

No....cant afford to do that yet. Wish I could.

Guess Ill just have to go with whatever. Yes my sister will help but doubt she will wait around.

You can just write something basic and have it notarized - better than nothing. When you get back go to Legalzoom, it's pretty cheap.

[Scuzz]

Your personal items are basically bagged up and kept with you in whatever bed/gurney you are in at the time. I just spent a day in the hospital for an angiogram and that is what they did with my stuff. I think that is pretty standard at any hospital now.

[Daehawk]

Got a call from the pre op person. After giving them the info I dont have to go for labs or anything. Did tell me I had a longer day ahead than I was told. I asked for a later time for I didn't have to be up in the dark. Was told surgery is 1pm and I have a 2 hour block for that. I was supposed to be there at 10am but turns out I have a 2nd procedure first where they put the neph tube in my back through to my kidney and thats at 10am now so I have to be there at 8am. That means leave at 7am which means but awake at 5:30am for a shower and shave and such. Long day indeed.

I did laugh when she asked if I was familiar with their medical area. Must have been there 500 times between me and my wife over the last 2 decades if not more..

Really wish Id done this years ago when my wife was here.

[naednek]

When I had my surgery for my 2nd snip snip, they had a locker for me to place my belongings in.

[Kraken]

I haven't been in a hospital since my dad died >25 years ago. I haven't been hospitalized since I had my appendix out almost 50 years ago. I have no clue how any of that works.

[Zarathud]

You can just write something basic and have it notarized - better than nothing. When you get back go to Legalzoom, it's pretty cheap.

Sometimes nothing is better.

Legalzoom Wills are deficient, as is just notarizing. He has (apparently) contact with a few lawyers who can refer someone to write up a $500 Will.

What he needs more is a health care power of attorney, so that the sister (or someone else) is authorized to make medical decisions.

[Xmann]

I'm a nursing director in a hospital and I can tell you I always recommend to only take with you what is necessary.

Personal belongings get lost on a daily basis and it's been that way at every hospital I've worked at.

As a director, I have to handle all lost items that go missing on my unit and let me tell you, it's a regular occurrence. I can also tell you getting reimbursed for lost items is not something you want to have to deal with. Our patient advocate spends a large amount of her time dealing with lost and missing items.

Take only what's necessary and preferably, have someone you trust hold onto as much as possible.

[Daehawk]

I plan to only take my house key and a cheap wallet I got for $8 to hold my drivers license, medical cards and a photograph. I most likely will just leave them with my sister after I check in unless Im told to hang onto something.

When my wife died they lost my ink pen she had given me and a personal home made Christmas card I wrote her while in the hospital there. Both were listed as items sent from her room to where she died but both were also not in the container when it arrived. Never did get them.

[Jaymon]

I'm not sure what the proper salutation is for surgery. Its probably not "break a leg", and I don't think "good luck" would work either, if there is luck involved in your surgery, then maybe you should get another opinion.

I wish for you a safe, successful, and uncomplicated surgery day.

[Daehawk]

I just wish my wife was with me. We planned it before she passed. My sister will take me. Not the same at all. Still missing my wife every day like crazy. But this is something that needs doing and we planned it out. The show must go on....even if I dont like it. But Im sick of hurting and cant do anything until its fixed.

[em2nought]

What he needs more is a health care power of attorney, so that the sister (or someone else) is authorized to make medical decisions.

Can't he just write "DNR" on his forehead in Sharpie?

[Jaymann]

Sure, but the staff might not care if he has Dolby Noise Reduction.

[em2nought]

Sure, but the staff might not care if he has Dolby Noise Reduction.

I don't want to see where they plug in the headphone jack.

[MHS]

From one kidney patient to another, best wishes for you that everything goes successfully. Save the neph-nephs! (Doesn't have quite the same ring as Save the TaTas, but we work with what we've got.)

[Daehawk]

Blood pressure is still up. Until around 2008 it was a little below normal to normal. After 2008 it rose above normal and I was put on blood pressure meds. I let them run out around 2012 due to money concerns. When checked at the doc it would always be a little high but not much. By 2015 or 2016 it was perfect again. I was not on BP meds or my thyroid meds.

Jump to this year when my wife died and Im in pain plus Ive not cooked in 4 months..Im the cook..or was.. Ive only ate microwave stuff and canned meats and fridge meat and crap and my BP is high. They wont do my surgery they said if I come down there and its high.

So last week I had to go to my doc and start thyroid and BP meds again. It was 167/109. I had to go back today to be sure its ok so I can go Tuesday for surgery next week. It was 142/98. So they told me to double my dose and come back Thursday. Going to do that but go Friday. If its not down enough I dont know what to do. Im in pain. Im mentally ready for surgery. Plus this is spring and still cool enough to go and my dog and me when I return be ok in the heat. If not and it gets delayed it may be Fall ..or not at all. Not sure. Buncha BS.

[em2nought]

Most microwave food is really loaded with salt. There are things you can eat that require hardly any more energy than popping something in the microwave. A can of Read's three been salad and then mix a can of unsalted dark red kidney beans in with that to cut the salt even further for instance. (assuming Walmart available) Cheap also. Get fancy and buy some turmeric to sprinkle into it yet, another BP reducer supposedly.

I just read something about putting ice cubes on the pressure point on the nape of your neck for twenty minutes a day or twice a day. Supposedly it leads to euphoria(I'm pretty sure you could use some), and can also lower blood pressure and several other benefits. This link doesn't mention blood pressure, but someplace else I saw does. This is something you could try right away since you need results pronto.

https://www.littlethings.com/ice-cube-on-neck-vas/1

Mentions thyroid too!

[Daehawk]

Ive tried to cut out most salt for a week now.

Today my BP was even higher than the first day I went.

4 days ago it was like 160/108......they started me on 10mg of bp stuff

2 days ago it was down a little to 140/98 or so.......they had me double that bp med to 20 mg a day

today it was 160/110.....they kept me on the 20mg and added 2 other ones...I think one is a water pill.

Some of this stuff my wife took even. Said if the medication wont lower it then its most likely a blockage. That would be nice. As is its looking like my surgery will be out. I go back Sat or so and see how it is. Surgery is supposed to be Tuesday. Im ready, doctor is ready, sister is ready, and weather will be perfect. But if I have to wait then it may be fall and if so I probably wont bother. Just so much shit. If I cant get it then f the medicine.

I think its high for many reasons. Ya I have ate like crap for months now. Im in pain constantly because of the hands and my fall plus I cold turkey'd pain management after 8 years. Im stressed badly each day due to bills, home, lawyer, doctor.

And most of all Im still tore up and sad every day multiple times because I miss my wife. I was hoping to do more for that after I healed from surgery. Im dealing with too much.

[The Meal]

Happy birthday, Dae. Good luck with things.

[Daehawk]

Thanks. But honestly I dont care a thing about this bday. Hate it really. Without D here to be with me its just nothing to me. Wish I didn't have them now.

On the other side my BP was down some today on 3 meds. 139/92

[MHS]

How’d the surgery go? Clearly you lived through it since you’ve been active each day but I was hoping for an update! Hope it all went well.

[Drazzil]

Thanks. But honestly I dont care a thing about this bday. Hate it really. Without D here to be with me its just nothing to me. Wish I didn't have them now.

On the other side my BP was down some today on 3 meds. 139/92

So did you manage to get out to talk to someone like I and a lot of other OO'ers said would be helpful?

[stimpy]

How’d the surgery go? Clearly you lived through it since you’ve been active each day but I was hoping for an update! Hope it all went well.

I will wager 4 walnuts that he didn't go......

[Drazzil]

How’d the surgery go? Clearly you lived through it since you’ve been active each day but I was hoping for an update! Hope it all went well.

I will wager 4 walnuts that he didn't go......

His last post was here, but he has been consistently logging on since yesterday... So yeah. Prolly. As a long time non-follower of good advice gotten here I can totally get the extreme depression sort of making even the smallest of necessary things feel impossible.

The easiest thing in the world is to complain about your life's problems. Following good advice to improve things is hard as hell. I should know.

[Daehawk]

How’d the surgery go? Clearly you lived through it since you’ve been active each day but I was hoping for an update! Hope it all went well.

Haven't had anything to post and just haven't had it in me to post anything like the old days. I didn't see this thread updated until tonight. I just come look around and leave usually.

Surgery went fine. Had a couple post op niggles / complications. Nothing major. They claim all is well and I have no stones but I still get a feeling like something is there at times. Post op xrays supposedly are clear. So heres to hoping.

No not gotten counseling if thats what you mean. Its on my list of crap to put up with in my near future along with more doctor stuff and court dates and such. Little each week.

Been sick at my stomach tonight and dont know why. No other problems health wise I can tell. Will take my statin and a upset tummy pill that may knock me out. Ive been off and on sick all evening so wanted to wait to take anything until I knew it wasn't food poisoning. Would be a bad idea to not toss up food poisoning and have it pass through..ugh.

Thanks for caring all. MHS Im glad your stats are all good again. Who knew kidneys could be so bothersome as time goes on.

[Drazzil]

How’d the surgery go? Clearly you lived through it since you’ve been active each day but I was hoping for an update! Hope it all went well.

Haven't had anything to post and just haven't had it in me to post anything like the old days. I didn't see this thread updated until tonight. I just come look around and leave usually.

Surgery went fine. Had a couple post op niggles / complications. Nothing major. They claim all is well and I have no stones but I still get a feeling like something is there at times. Post op xrays supposedly are clear. So heres to hoping.

No not gotten counseling if thats what you mean. Its on my list of crap to put up with in my near future along with more doctor stuff and court dates and such. Little each week.

Been sick at my stomach tonight and dont know why. No other problems health wise I can tell. Will take my statin and a upset tummy pill that may knock me out. Ive been off and on sick all evening so wanted to wait to take anything until I knew it wasn't food poisoning. Would be a bad idea to not toss up food poisoning and have it pass through..ugh.

Thanks for caring all. MHS Im glad your stats are all good again. Who knew kidneys could be so bothersome as time goes on.

Glad you're doing well. Please talk to someone about your issues asap. Lots of people are pulling for you.

[MHS]

Glad to hear it mostly went well. Now just focus on healing...physically and emotionally.

[stimpy]

Who wants to claim my walnuts?