While in the hospital, you may experience challenges and side-effects related to your surroundings and the anaesthetic and pain medication you were given.
You might be sensitive to light and sound, and there are lots of different noises in a hospital. There will also be other children and teens in the rooms around you who may be crying or walking around making noise.
To help reduce your sensitivity to light or sound, you can:
- Use ear plugs.
- Use a sleeping mask to cover your eyes.
- Use an iPod or CD Walkman with soothing music. Relaxation CDs with the sounds of ocean waves or rain can help.
- There may be other patients your age who have also had scoliosis surgery. If you are feeling up to it, go for a walk down the hall and make a new friend.
You may have temperature changes because of the pain medication you are taking. These changes might make you shiver one minute and sweat the next.
If you experience temperature changes, you can:
- Cover up with a favourite blanket from home.
- Change your pillow case and pajamas if they get damp.
- Have some ice chips or a hot drink. Check with your nurse first.
Your face, fingers, or feet may swell up due to all the fluids that are fed into you through an intravenous ( IV) line during your surgery.
In case you do experience swelling due to fluid build-up, make sure that you:
- Do not wear any rings or watches that may trap fluid.
- Try moving your feet to improve your circulation. Ankle pumping or ankle circles can help.
- Drink frequently to keep fluids moving through your system, once you are allowed to drink fluids.
- Take frequent walks to improve your circulation, as soon as you are able.
You may feel groggy or irritable due the anaesthetic you had and the pain medication you are taking.
If you feel groggy or irritable from your pain medication, make sure to:
- Tell your nurse specifically what is bothering you so that they can help.
- If you are itchy from the pain medication, tell the nurse and they can give you medication to help relieve the itch.
- If friends or family members are there, have them screen your incoming phone calls. Tell people when it’s a good time to call or come for a visit.
- Nurses and doctors will be coming in to monitor you on a regular basis. This may seem really irritating when you are trying to sleep or rest. Try to answer their questions the best you can. It is important that they monitor you on a regular basis.
You may get a bladder infection from the catheter tube that was inserted into your urinary tract to drain your urine.
- The catheter is removed within two to three days of your surgery to prevent infection.
- Once you are allowed to drink fluids, drink frequently to keep fluids moving through your system. This will decrease your chance of getting an infection.
Many patients have constipation following surgery. This is because of the surgery and the pain medication you are taking. It is important for you to have a bowel movement before you go home from the hospital.
To help with that first bowel movement, you can:
- Drink fluids.
- Try to start eating again as soon as you are allowed.
- Get up and move around. This will help you to pass gas and help get your bowels working normally again.
- Ask the nurse for a laxative.