Admission day is scheduled 2-7 days before surgery. This time is used for pre-op tests and time to settle in and relax �if possible. The admissions office is just inside the front doors to the left. Frau Koelbel will have several forms for you to fill out and they�re all in German. She will attempt to translate the legal jargon but we all know it�s not the same as reading it yourself- I hope the hospital will one day have an English version of these forms. Frau Koelbel will ask if you would like to be billed for a rechargeable 5 euro card required to access the room phone (0.05 per connection, even to use your own long distance phone card). This card is also used to listen to the TV. So, if you don�t understand German anyway, then save your money and only watch the TV. Do not put the card into the phone slot unless you are using the phone. You will next be directed to the first floor surgical unit (C-1). While there, a respiratory therapist will come up to teach you how to use the breathing exercise machine. This will need to be used for about 5 minutes every hour after the surgery. C-1 is used more like a rehabilitation unit while the ICU is typical of our stateside surgical floor. A couple of the nurses employed on C-1 speak English, as do a couple of the floor doctors. Of course it�s just luck of the draw if they are working when you arrive. In your room you will find a private lock box for small personal items (such as small amounts of money and the phone card when you leave the room), you keep the key. While on this floor both before surgery and once out of ICU, you will wear your own street clothes during the day. Towels are provided to foreigners regardless of private or non-private room. Others are expected to bring their own towel and washcloth from home. Laundry service is provided to patients. Just place your dirty clothes in a labled bag and give it to the nurse. Turn around for this is usually 24 hours. Pre-op tests will begin immediately. If you had a recent cat scan before arriving in Germany then you may not need another one. They will however do a chest x-ray, EKG, blood work, pulmonary function tests and perhaps an exercise stress test at the hospital regardless. These tests usually require two days and are at no additional charge; they are included in the hospital fee. BTW, modesty is at a minimum in Germany and you won�t find those special x-ray gowns as in the states, so be prepared to �expose� yourself (pun intended) for the x-ray, stress test and EKG. The night before surgery you will have a light soup and then an enema. Yes, the old fashioned pre-op enema. It�s given again on about day five.
Surgery day begins bright and early at 6:00 am, with a shower, a surgical gown and then a pill to relax you. They�ll wheel you down to the holding room and that�s all you�ll remember.
After surgery you will be in the intensive unit. This is standard procedure and doesn�t mean something went wrong. Have your caregiver check in with the ICU after the number of hours Dr. Rolle thinks surgery will take. My husband had waited in a waiting room hoping Dr. Rolle would come to him and announce the surgery was over, but no, that is not how they do it there. In the ICU, staff is trained in the management of your chest tubes, IV pain meds, and epidural. You will require close monitoring these early days. You will be very drowsy the first day and breathing will be labored. I had a nasal canula for oxygen but still felt like I couldn�t get enough air those first few days. I had six infusion pumps running drugs/fluids into my IV lines. The staff in the ICU speak English so you are able to communicate easily. Your stay in ICU will be until your chest tubes are removed on about day four. The nurses will have you up to stand/walk day two. It�s very important to communicate your pain issues to the nurses. Pain is very difficult to manage once it gets bad. It�s better to have the meds adjusted as soon as you notice they aren�t lasting long enough. Your caregiver will have limited hours of visitation while you�re in the ICU and they are not able to spend the night with you. Arrangements will need to have been made for them to stay at a pension for these days if they had been rooming with you.
You will arrive back to C-1 without IV�s or chest tubes. You will remain on this floor about another 9-10 days. You are now on your way to recovery. Daily stretch class in physical therapy may be ordered and your hourly breathing exercise on the machine in the hall continues. You may walk outside; the grounds have many paths and benches to rest at. Be sure to arrive back to your room for the scheduled meal/pill times.
The day you are discharged you will be asked to go to the billing office in administration to pay your balance if you had not paid in full at admission (I hope you have your euros). You will then be sent home with a few of the meds you are taking as well as a prescription to have filled. You can go to a local pharmacy (apoteke) to have the prescription filled. You will see one of these about every few miles. I used the one on Hauptstrasse at the bus stop area/train tracks. The pharmacist spoke English very well and was very helpful with other questions I had.
If youare having a second lung operated four weeks after the first, you may stay in the hospital pension which require advance reservations through Frau Meissner in administration.