I recently had knee surgery for a torn meniscus in my left kneecap. It wasn't due to a sudden injury, but just wear and tear from many years of high-impact aerobics and of skiing. I hate to be admitted to a hospital because once that nurse puts on the hospital bracelet, I feel like I've lost all control. And, I really hate that helpless feeling during recovery, so what I've found works for me is to have my support team in place prior to "surgery day". As a single Boomer Babe, it's really critical that I know who I can count on for the big day. So, have you thought about it ----- who's the first person you'd call in a medical emergency. Who can you count on to be with you at the hospital, whose judgement do you trust enough to give a medical power of attorney to and who has the time that they can stay with you for 2 or 3 days during recovery?
Give yourself some peace of mind by creating a list of at least 3 to 4 people who can help out in case your primary caregiver should have to cancel out at the last minute. Also, if given the choice of being operated on in the hospital or at a privately owned medical operating center, usually the center is the better choice since there's less chance of getting an infection.
.....and let's face it, sometimes there can be a problem with your hospital stay, so prior to being admitted, review the excellent article in the AARP bulletin on protecting yourself from hospital errors. Check out their tips list on page 14:
