How did you care for your own caregiver during your breast reconstruction? Sound a bit strange when everyone is supposed to be caring for you? Whether you choose to have autologous (using your own tissue) or implant-based breast reconstruction, you will need caregivers to help with the following at the very least.
- Taking you to hospital and staying in communication with the surgical team until you are back in your room to recover.
- Driving you home, fixing meals, driving, and performing general household responsibilities.
Patients voice concerns about their own caregivers for their breast reconstruction surgery. I want to share some tips from my own DIEP flap breast reconstruction surgery. I will also share suggestions discussed on The Journey Facebook group. These gals have some helpful hints based on their own experience.
Should a Caregiver Remain at the Hospital All Day for Your DIEP Flap?
Spending long hours waiting in hospital during surgery is difficult for caregivers. With this in mind since I traveled over 800 miles for my DIEP flap, awareness of my husband’s needs became paramount to me. I booked a vacation rental close to the hospital. I wanted him to be able to come and go easily until I was released from hospital to go back to the rental and complete my two-week recovery before flying home. Additionally, he brought his laptop with him, so he could continue to do work the week he was with me. Having a quiet spot at the vacation rental to do his work was ideal.
How Does the Surgical Team Communicate with the Caregiver?
Most surgical teams at major hospitals have a system to communicate the patient’s progress during breast reconstruction. The surgery can last several hours depending on the complexity of the case. I had my DIEP flap procedure in early December. The morning of my surgery, the nurse who prepped me said one of the most comforting statements I heard before being put to sleep. She told my husband to keep his phone near by with the volume up to hear any calls from her. She would give them a detailed progress report and where Dr. C was in completing my surgery. Then she smiled and said, “Leave the hospital. Go Christmas shopping. You don’t need to stay here all day. We’ll tell you when it’s time to talk to the surgeon.”
They did an amazing job keeping him in the loop the day of surgery. When I was back in my room for recovery, I insisted he only come up when I felt like having company. He did not sleep in the room with me. I know patients who do this by requesting a recliner for their caregiver. I wanted him to have a good night sleep away from the hospital environment to keep his stamina up. It worked well for us.
Tips from Patients About Their Own Caregivers
Here are some thoughts from other patients and how they dealt with their own caregivers during hospital stay:
- My caregiver didn’t sleep or stay in my room with me. There are too many interruptions during the night checking vitals. I knew my caregiver wouldn’t get good sleep.
- You don’t always feel like chatting. There is no need then, to have your caregiver there 24/7.
- I felt much better having my caregiver at home to take care of the children and other responsibilities there.
- Having less visitors in my room during my hospital recovery helped me rest and recovery quicker I’m sure.
- A nurse navigator reminded us all, family members need to save their strength and energy for your return home. Let the hospital staff care for you while you’re there. Family can come up for brief visits.
- One suggested Face timing friends, family, and your caregiver from your hospital room ONLY when you had the energy. This allows them to see you quickly without the trip up to hospital.
- We don’t often take into consideration our caregivers are frightened, too. Having them at hospital may intensify the anxiety making you both stressed.
I think the biggest message from myself and all these wonderful Journey members, talk about this with your caregiver before your surgery. Let them know it is OK to not be there the entire day of surgery or for your hospital stay.
Additionally, for your own peace of mind, bring this conversation up at your initial consult with your plastic surgeon. Ask them how they deal with caregivers the day of surgery. I suggest you also take a look at a video interview I had with my own plastic surgeon and one of my caregivers. Do you have any other suggestions? I’d love to hear how you dealt with your own caregiver during your surgery.