ds1 is having minor op late August. We don't do hospitals. What do I need to know?

[roisin]

DS1 is 9. He's having a very large birth birthmark on his back/bum removed. This will be the first of 2 or 3 ops to remove it.

It will be a GA, may be an outpatient job, but more likely have to stay in one night. (We live c.1.5 hrs from the hospital and apparently they don't like them to travel so far straight after a GA.)

Surgeon said "2 weeks recovery - no running around, etc." Do you think he'll be OK to go to school after a week or so, if I ask them to keep him in at playtimes, and no PE?

Neither dh nor I nor either of the boys have been in hospital at all. What do I need to know?!

Your best bet would be to write down a list of questions,get the phone number of the ward/unit and ring them up and ask if you can speak to one of the nursing staff about any worries/concerns and what you should expect.:0

They said the recovery thing with DS when he had an op on an undescended testicle. In the end he bounced back really quickly from being carried (heavy 6yo and had to be cradled due to location of wound so barely fit through doors) to playing football in only a few days so I felt like a bit of a fraud with teacher and CM regarding restricting his activities.

One good thing with DS though was that they gave him a spinal injection while he was still under that didn't wear off until after he got home which made the journey easier for him.

thanks

Thanks.
School starts again 6 days after his op. I hope he'll be able to start without too much delay, because he has a 'new to the school' teacher and I know it's a bad time to miss. But if he has to, it can't be helped, can it?

Basically you need a similar range of things to that you tok with you to hospital to have him (assuming you had a hospital delivery). So change for the phone/mobile, snacks as the food is grim, spare t-shirt just in case he is sick on you, plenty of things to do to keep you occupied......

Regarding school I think you should just very much wait on events. He might be fine, he might still be sore and better at home.

Somebody else suggested you ring the ward - that is an excellent idea - don't be embarassed about it - lots and lots of parents ring and all with valid and important queries.