Trauma, noise, pain, privacy in Hospital for major Op?

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I have to go in for an operation in two weeks which will be painful, I won't be able to move much, and noises drive me crazy. My bladder doesn't hold much and no doubt they'll have me on a drip. I'll have multiple drains in. When hubby was in he had IV beeps all around him even at night. People barge in even when curtains are pulled. Visitors, nurses, TV's, social anxiety, oh how I remember having my babies, but that had it's rewards and this will be the opposite.
I tend to allienate the nurses with my abruptness though I don't mean to. I don't have meltdowns, shutdowns are more likely.
Any suggestions?

I've had lots of operations and I suspect that you'll do just fine. The bladder stuff won't be a problem because they will insert a catheter into the bladder and all the urine goes down the tube and into a little bag. You'll need to do this quickly but look into noise canceling headphones which can be used in all sorts of places including hospitals.

As there will be some pain after the operation you'll be on painkillers. These will make you drowsy and so sleep will be easier. On admission to hospital speak to the doctors about your AS and they might give you something to make your stay a bit easier. IV beeps and other noises can be turned off, just ask.

Finally, I know that this will take a bit of effort on your part but please be nice to the nurses.

Vanilla_Slice

I always try to be nice and use all the right words but it must be my body language or voice or something. I'll have to make a point of introducing myself to each nurse but then I have to read their name label as I'm face blind. My sister is a nurse and tells me the catheter will come out fairly early due to infection risk. When hubby was in hospital we did ask about turning the beeps off but they said it was neccesary. Still, your words are reassuring and I'll remind myself that others have done it so I must make the effort.
I have avoided going into grief about this whole thing so far as I don't feel ill but once I have the operation I think denial that I have cancer will end and the truth will hit like a ton of bricks. Maybe they will all be extra nice to me knowing I've had a double mastectomy. I know many women have done this before me and I'm planning to keep that in mind. Also I have some spiritual material on my MP3 player that I'm taking with me. I've never tried noise cancelling phones so I'll see if I can buy some. If I'm up to it I'll be watching some of my favourite comedy series on DVD that I love but never saw many of them. Being miserable won't help me or those around me so I'm working hard to smooth the way ahead by planning everything out.
Thanks for responding as it really helps to know someone else has got through hospital traumas.

OK, take care and get well soon.

Vanilla_Slice

You have some nice preparation plans.
I have an idea for one more: make a placard that says, Dear Nurses and other Personnel, Please forgive me if I do not recognize you. I have face blindness. I also find mechanical noise overwhelming. And I am grieving. I may not be as nice to you as you deserve. I'm sorry.

Great idea. Thanks.
Sheila

When I was small, I remember having several operations on my eyes.It was more of a day surgery thing.I wasn't in overnight, and I was groggy from the anesthetic most of the time, so the noises and such didnt bother me.What bothered me the most was that the effect of the anesthetic caused me to be sick and throw up a fair bit after the surgery while in recovery.I didnt eat or drink anything 12 hours prior to surgery

When I was in the hospital, I kept the TV on non-stop. Sometimes the doctors would come in to check on me, and they'd turn it off, and I'd be a bit miffed...but I'd turn it right back on as soon as they were gone.

I don't know, for me, it was kind of weird being in the hospital...I felt a lot more helpless, and a lot more submissive...I was like "Oh, another IV, okay, go for it."

At one point, I'm not sure exactly what brought it on, but one of the nurses put a sign on my door that said that nurses weren't allowed to bother me at night, until 6 AM. And I got used to the IV drip noises pretty quick, they were just more white noise, like having my fish tank going or a fan in the window.

Tory, I wasn't sick at all with previous surgery so that shouldn't be an issue.

Sabbra, you're lucky if you had a room to yourself. I'd have to pay for TV and I'm not sure there's enough on to keep me interested. but the DVD's on the DVD player and the MP3 player should do much the same thing.

I bought noise cancelling headphones as suggested thanks Vanilla_slice.

Yes, I had a room to myself. No idea if using the TV cost me extra, but yeah, there was hardly ever anything good on. I just liked to have background noise going, especially for sleeping.