Medical Upcoming surgery and hospital admission support

[Maisie]

Hi MyPTSD,

I’m wondering if this amazing community can assist me. At the start of September I’m going to hospital for a major operation/surgery on my leg.
With the support of my psychiatrist and my psychologist we are producing a sensitive care plan to go on my file.
Right now my anxiety is sky high, my depression is at an all time low and my cptsd is telling me all sorts of tales.
On the sensitive care plan I already have things like

1. Only female nursing staff
2. Nursing staff asking before touching me
3. Who ever enters my room, letting me know what their role is
4. Only sorting catheter when I’m already asleep

What else can I add to this list / suggestions that might make my stay less stressful?

 

[parrotthepolly]

The four points sound like enough to make you feel safe.

I'm afraid to suggest anything else because it'll put new worries in your mind and the surgeons will take over from here.

 

[Movingforward10]

4. Only sorting catheter when I’m already asleep

Well done for putting together a safety plan for yourself. This one ^^ what if you wake up whilst this is being done? I'm just wondering about consent for this if you're asleep and how you feel in control of you're asleep? Obviously ignore if this works for you, just can imagine I would freak out if someone was doing something internal to me and it woke me up.

 

[Muttly]

. Who ever enters my room, letting me know what their role is

I wonder if for this one, you might add that they should tell you what they are going to do before they do it?

The only other thing I can think of, I am not sure how to word. Basically a reminder that just because you were ok with something previously, doesn't mean you will be ok next time. They should check in with you first.


I was hospitalized once for a surgery. I super stressed before it happened but it went way better than I expected.

 

[Midnightmoon]

What else can I add to this list / suggestions that might make my stay less stressful?

I've spent a lot of time in hospital, I really love your ideas to care plan.

Stuff that also helped me:

Where I was on the ward. So a side room, where it was private and I wasn't as triggered, and when that wasn't possible a bed at the end of a bay so I had at at least a wall one side of me rather than being in the middle

Extended visiting hours, more flexibly for carers... Some people even had private carers with them so they could have showers etc when they wanted rather than waiting for staff.

Being able to have a flask so I could have a hot drink when I wanted at night. I find a hot drink helps calm/ ground me especially in the early hours of the morning, and there isn't the facility to have one at night unless you have a really nice nurse/ HCA.

Taking a fan, earphones and something nice to smell (I had orange essence on cotton pads

Being given medication promptly. I was allowed to self administer (I know that isn't typical but you never know!) me having control of my med admin gave me some body autonomy with my lines and ports. Some staff were very very anti this but I had a fantastic OT that pushed heavily to let me.

 

[Maisie]

Thanks so much for all your help with these suggestions.
I made it through my hospital stay. I ended up needing to stay for 4 nights and 5 days following my surgery. Mostly it was all okay.
Unfortunately the bit that wasn’t okay needed to happen twice and with 2 different nurses with 2 very different approaches. I don’t want to go into too much detail but it was extremely triggering.
My mind has worked overtime x 1000 since this experience and I really wondered why I had been so reactive. Then BOOM I was reminded of horrendous memories about part of my trauma. A memory I have carried inside my head and body for over 40+ years.
Yesterday through tears, shaking, shortness of breath and the highest level of anxiety I’ve ever had I discussed this with my psychologist, she was incredibly supportive and caring.
What concerns me now is, what else is stored on the inside that is yet to reach the surface. Yesterday/ the memory is so horrific I’m scared what else might be coming

 

[Muttly]

I am glad you made it through your surgery and hospital stay. I'm sorry you had the triggering experience. I hope you keep being able to talk about it.

What concerns me now is, what else is stored on the inside that is yet to reach the surface

yep. I hate that feeling.

 

[Maisie]

Thanks @Muttly - I’ve had to reach out to my gp/psychologist and psychiatrist in the hope that someone can see me this week.
I’m the patient that is always high functioning no matter what is going on, but that feels as if it’s crumbling