Travelling immediately post-op

[Twiggie]

Hi Twiggy, As everyone says you'll need support getting home and the tube will be too tricky. I'm sure the hospital will be able to arrange transport for you-why not give them a ring to discuss. there must be other people who have allsorts of surgery that don't have anyone to drive them home.
Will your lad be home to help you out for the first week or two? I know we mothers don't like to ask our kids to look after us but we have similar age boys and they're young men now and can help out a bit.
I know you're like me from another post and don't intend telling anyone what kind of surgery we've had but we are all going to need a bit of help after the op. Do you have older kids who could help out?
Take care x

Yep, my son will be at home to help out (ha!) once I get home, although saying that he's at college 4 days a week and at his dad's most weekends so doesn't spend much time here in reality. He's capable of cooking his own meals though and I'll only be on soups and liquids anyway so not a problem.

Any housework etc will just have to wait until I feel able to tackle it, it's not as though anyone ever comes round so don't mind a bit of dust and cat fur gathering

I'm sure I'll be fine once I'm home, it's just the getting home that will be tricky. It's almost 2 hour drive so taxi is going to be approx £200 but that might be cheaper than booking a few nights at a hotel, even at Travelodge prices!

 

[Twiggie]

In all seriousness its traumatic using the tube n train when you're fit and healthy never mind post surgery! For the cost of 2 nights in a hotel surely you could just pay for a taxi home?

You are not going to help your recovery one bit by being a superhero. Please think again!

Thanks hun, trust me, it's not a case of being a superhero... it's just that I don't really have any alternative options. I'm absolutely fine using tubes/trains normally, that's how I get back and forth to the hospital for my appts anyway. I can manage the journey almost blindfold now I've been so many times lol

When I set out to have WLS it was my intention to have a band but my consultant has since persuaded me to have the bypass so I hadn't really considered the implications of travelling after major surgery until now.

Where there's a will, there's a way and I'm a very determined lady so will no doubt work something out

 

[hopelesscase]

Personally i think it depends on yr fitness pre op and also yr pain tolorance. I was up, showered and dressed 24hrs after my op and ready to go. I had a half hr journey home in the car and slept most of the way. my son had a works do so i was by myself once my sister dropped me off. The following day i went to a soft play session with my sister and kids and was the coffee fetcher. On the sunday i pushed the swifter round the laminate floors and by day 5 i was on a training with work.
I was fit and active befor my op and think this helped with my recovery. I know silver surfer travelled from manchester to london by train and i think by himself.
Is there anyway you could do taxi from the hospital to the train station and book assistance where the porter will meet you so avaiding the tube. and then taxi at your home end again the porters if pre booked will assist with yr bags.
HTH
carole

 

[Twiggie]

Hi Twiggie maybe email Lorna and speak to her, maybe transport can be arranged as u def wont be able to manage to get home urself on the tube and train, even if u spent 2 nights in a hotel ur going to be exhausted ad most prob not even able to walk up and down the tube and train station let alone carry your bags which could end up with you causing urself a serious injury so early post op.
You live so far away i hope there will be some way the Whittington can help you to get home xxx

Thanks hun, I really can't see the hospital being able to offer any help and to be honest I'd have a cheek even asking

I'm way out of their area and shouldn't even be having WLS there so they would say transport is my problem, and probably rightly so. Maybe if I lived in the inner London area there'd be a slight possibility but I think even then it's doubtful due to it being classed as elective surgery.

Even if I'd gone to the L&D (my designated hospital) I'd have faced the same problem, and even worse, I wouldn't be able to get there for general appts anyway so in some ways being at the Whittington is actually easier for me.

 

[Twiggie]

Personally i think it depends on yr fitness pre op and also yr pain tolorance. I was up, showered and dressed 24hrs after my op and ready to go. I had a half hr journey home in the car and slept most of the way. my son had a works do so i was by myself once my sister dropped me off. The following day i went to a soft play session with my sister and kids and was the coffee fetcher. On the sunday i pushed the swifter round the laminate floors and by day 5 i was on a training with work.
I was fit and active befor my op and think this helped with my recovery. I know silver surfer travelled from manchester to london by train and i think by himself.
Is there anyway you could do taxi from the hospital to the train station and book assistance where the porter will meet you so avaiding the tube. and then taxi at your home end again the porters if pre booked will assist with yr bags.
HTH
carole

I'll come back to this as I'm just being dragged out the door by my son as he has a hair appt booked at 4pm and only just told me and I'm not yet dressed lol

You've given me hope as yes, I am pretty fit ... was cycling 10+miles last summer and walking 5 miles daily on treadmill etc.

Back in a while..........

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Back now.... shame I can only read the site but not reply to it from my phone!

I have quite a high pain threshold and by nature I'm used to just getting on with things without making a fuss as basically I've had to do that most of my life. I had a bad accident a few years ago and following major surgery to pin & plate my ankle back together I was up and about the next day wheeling myself around hospital corridors in a wheelchair lol

I also had to cope at home on my own with that despite being immobilised for 6mths. So, like you, I'm expecting to be up and about on my feet within hours of surgery. I'm not one for laying around doing nothing (unless in the depths of depression where I don't have any choice of course!) so will want to be active just as soon as I can.

Obviously I will listen to my body and won't push myself beyond what I can comfortably manage. I could certainly arrange a taxi both to and from train station at either end, and I've just spoken to my son and he would be happy to get the train down and meet me at the hospital if necessary to carry bags etc. It's a direct connection so no changing trains or anything and the express train is just over an hour's journey.

I know everyone's experience and ability is different as we're all at different starting points on our journey, but I do appreciate everyone's advice and post-op experiences, thanks guys xxxx

 

[cazbandy]

Twiggie,

My aunt is a nurse and she advises that you seriously reconsider your decision.

You could do some serious damage to yourself if you attempt this. Firstly, you will still be affected by the anaesthetic, which will leave you sleepier than normal. Secondly you will still be in a lot of discomfort and you will at risk of damaging the wounds or hernia risk if you lift bags.

Finally as mentioned before, it is some hospitals policies for patient safety not to discharge if there is no one to care at the home end for 24 hours. Everyone can arrange this with enough notice.

They may keep you in hospital longer if they feel that you will not get the right care.

Please reassess your plans, you are going through so much already, be a shame if it went wrong due to not thinking about yourself.

This is a very serious issue and you need to think long and hard about it.

 

[teen]

Please get help I could walk up right for weeks never mind carry bags and get on a tube

 

[Sambucca]

I was wondering if there was anyone from here that lives near you, or near the hospital that could arrange to pick you up from hospital if you paid their petrol money?? If I lived nearer to you I would be willing to help.

 

[CHUCKY]

are you having open or key hole?
if open no way you will be going on a train!

 

[candie]

are you having open or key hole?
if open no way you will be going on a train!

Even if it's keyhole she will be very very weak and wazzy, and in no fit state to negotiate trains , tubes etc.Obviously it's her choice what she does, but I doubt the hospital will discharge someone wanting to travel by public transport alone.They made sure I had someone to escort me out of the ward

 

[emergingbutterfly]

I think the journey with the bags etc on the underground and train will defintely be too much for you. I travelled on the underground and bus last week (3 weeks post op) and felt very weak. Please try and get someone to help you, or other wise see if you can book a cheap travel lodge for a few days.

 

[phatmomma]

I think Sam had a good idea, if you could find someone you could give petrol expenses too and maybe a bit of a backhander to make it worth their while that would do the trick for you. Any other way just seems plain stupid to me, sorry if this offends but your having major surgery here xx

 

[yorkiegal]

I really don't think you should feel guilty about asking for hospital transport. I'm sure your surgeon would much rather they take you home rather than have you risk doing yourself some injury by struggling alone.
Yes it's elective surgery, but so are knee replacements, hip replacements, etc etc. You're electing to have a surgery which will make you fitter and healthier in the future. Don't ever feel guilty about that.

The only downside to the patient transports is that you usually have to sit in the waiting room for hours along with all the other people who are going home with them. I'm sure some of the buses are going further out of the area, especially these days when we are allowed to choose which hospital to have treatment at.

 

[Twiggie]

I think Sam had a good idea, if you could find someone you could give petrol expenses too and maybe a bit of a backhander to make it worth their while that would do the trick for you. Any other way just seems plain stupid to me, sorry if this offends but your having major surgery here xx

No, it doesn't offend me at all. I'm quite happy to listen to everyone's opinions

Anyhow, I've more or less come to the conclusion that if I'm too unwell to manage an hour on the train then it will have to be a taxi home. There is no other alternative really. On reflection, I don't think staying in a hotel will be a great idea as I'd prefer to be in the comfort of my own home post-surgery, plus my cat would become stressed if I'm away more than a day or two

Nice idea about trying to get a lift from someone but a) it's approx 200 mile round trip, and b) I really wouldn't feel comfortable being a passenger in the car of someone I don't know, especially if I'm not feeling at my best

 

[yorkiegal]

this is the number for patient transport at the Whittington:
020 7288 5294/5. Give them a call and ask for advice. Apparantly it is your doctor who gives permission for you to use those services, so it might be worth mentioning it to him next time you have an appointment.

 

[Twiggie]

this is the number for patient transport at the Whittington:
020 7288 5294/5. Give them a call and ask for advice. Apparantly it is your doctor who gives permission for you to use those services, so it might be worth mentioning it to him next time you have an appointment.

Thanks for taking the time to find the number for me but I really don't think they will do a 200 mile round trip just for one patient xx

I will speak to my Consultant on Monday though and ask whether he has any suggestions or would maybe allow me an extra night's stay in the hospital. Can't hurt to ask I guess

 

[yorkiegal]

oops. didn't realise it was that far away lol.
Do they have a patient and relatives hotel at the hospital? I know it's not common but my parents were able to stay at the one at St James for free when bad weather made it difficult to get in for his radiotherapy.

 

[Meggie]

Hey hun............just a quick message as I'm knackered!! I'm going to be quite honest and say that I REALLY don't recommend the train/tube option and/or carrying your own bags. I could barely carry myself out of the hospital, let alone carry my big huge bag aswell!!! I decided I couldn't even be bothered getting dressed so left the hospital in a dressing gown and pyjamas, then jumped into a cab. I looked like an escaped mental patient.

Please, if you can find someone to come and get you or afford a cab back then do it!!!

 

[dottychic]

I always look like an escaped mental paitent lol x

 

[Twiggie]

Hey hun............just a quick message as I'm knackered!! I'm going to be quite honest and say that I REALLY don't recommend the train/tube option and/or carrying your own bags. I could barely carry myself out of the hospital, let alone carry my big huge bag aswell!!! I decided I couldn't even be bothered getting dressed so left the hospital in a dressing gown and pyjamas, then jumped into a cab. I looked like an escaped mental patient.

Please, if you can find someone to come and get you or afford a cab back then do it!!!

Thanks hun, good to have you back on the loser's side!!

I've actually decided since my trip down this last weekend that no way could I manage it post-op, and especially not on my own!! I don't know why I ever thought I could!! When I got home I weighed my bags and I'd been lugging an extra 10Kg around with me, and that was just basic overnight stuff!!

I know the journey was made worse by delays & engineering works etc but I was really struggling by the end of the evening. Cathy even offered me a bed in the hospital as I looked so knackered by the time I got there lol ....I decided to go to the hotel anyway for the extra comfort ... and a kettle & TV!! :8855:

I have two options open to me....

a) book a taxi home, door-to-door. Will have to shop around for prices, probably look at some of the airport run taxi firms.

b) have my son come down to meet me when I'm discharged, then get a cab to KX and travel back in 1st class carriage (more room/privacy) and taxi from station home.

Hope you're taking good care of yourself and resting lots... :flowers: