To those who have gone before me and travelled for surgery...

[RTZdad]

I am heading to the Cleveland Clinic for surgery on 4/4/12. We are taking a train out there to Chicago and driving to Cleveland. My plan as it stands now, is to drive back to Chicago a few days after being released and taking the train back home to Denver. The train ride would last 18 hours and we have booked a sleeping room. Am I crazy? I have put in a call to the wonderful nurse who has been assisting me in Cleveland to obtain some advice on how long they recommend that I should stick around after my release. I am also curious to see what she thinks of my return itinerary. If my return idea gets poo-poo'd, I would fly home with my sister instead. For those who have taken a trip for their surgery, please let me know:

1. How long did you stay in town after you were released?
2. Did you travel via car on your way home?
3. What, if any, were your travel recommendations from your doctor after your release?
4. Am I insane to even be considering taking the train home?

Thank you in advance for any advice. I have truly appreciated all of the interaction that I have received from the wonderful people on this site. It is truly a blessing to have this tool to serve as a guide on what to expect.

Have a great day!

Tom

 

[Sarah_Louise]

Can't help as i'm not from the US, but good luck for the op,
Will be thinking of you
love Sarah xxx

 

[onset]

Hope my answers help you.

1. How long did you stay in town after you were released? I was asked to stay local for 4 days after discharge.
2. Did you travel via car on your way home? No, we flew both ways.
3. What, if any, were your travel recommendations from your doctor after your release? I really didn't ask.
4. Am I insane to even be considering taking the train home? In my opinion yes, what happens if you get sick on the train. That soon after surgery you are at risk for infections and blood clots - if they develop you'll need immediate treatment.

 

[Lionheart]

1. How long did you stay in town after you were released?

I stayed about 3 days after release from the hospital before flying home.

2. Did you travel via car on your way home?

We traveled from the hospital to where we stayed and then from there to the airport. They require you to sit in the back seat in order to avoid an airbag harming your healing sternum, so be sure to rent a mid to large-sized sedan. Ours was a mid-to small-sized convertible and it was miserable folding myself into the back seat of that little thing.

3. What, if any, were your travel recommendations from your doctor after your release?

See back seat requirement above. Have assistance when navigating from through the airport because it will wear you down if you try to walk too far.

4. Am I insane to even be considering taking the train home?

I wanted to be home fast and the day-long trip home by non-stop flight really wiped me out. I'm glad we took the plane home because I was ready to be back and start my recovery there. The train sounds interesting but I imagine that will be several days of bouncing around on a noisy shaky train and that doesn't seem conducive to restful recovery.
John

 

[Ovie]

I went in for surgery on a Thursday, was released on Monday, ending up staying in a hotel till Friday, not under doctors orders though.

I had a 5 hour drive home and was told to get out of the car about every hour and walk around for 5-10 minutes to avoid clotting.

I can't stress enough, you'll be sore, and I know everybody is different but I think you'll find you'll be able to do more than you expect, even without pushing yourself, but for your trip home, please make sure you're just not sitting for long periods of time, even on the train, get up and walk every hour, and when drivi g stop for a walk...you'll be exhausted, and sore I'm sure..but stick to that and I think you'll be ok. However I imagine your doctor will give more specific directions after telling him/her your itenerary. Good luck!

 

[Jkm7]

The exhaustion factor cannot be over emphasized. It was tired on a whole different level than I ever imagined before. My first surgery more so than my second but there is no 'reserve tank'. When you get burned out, you are finished and must rest. Your body will permit nothing else.

If you MUST take the train, then you must. But if you have any other option, please consider it.

IMO

 

[Lynlw]

My other question is how long is the car ride from cleveland to Chicago? 5-6 hours? That in itself is a pretty long trip soon after OHS, that if that was the whole trip people are pretty wiped out just from that. So would you try to get right on a train or stay in chicago a night or 2?And as Ovie said you will need to stop frequestly and walk around for the car ride. I know its easy to walk around on the train, well pretty easy, when it is smooth, but my concern n the train would be as i said before do you know what the policy is for medical emergencies, especially ones in the middle of no where? Since many of the post op complications the sooner you can get to a hospital the better

 

[JeffF]

Tom, That is a lot of travel time: a 6 hour drive from Cleveland to Chicago and then get on an 18 hour train ride? If I were you I would fly straight back from Cleveland to Denver in a little over 3 hours. My hospital was only an hour away and I could not imagine doing what you are planning on doing.

Just my 2 cents. Good luck with whatever you decide.

Jeff

 

[RTZdad]

I went in for surgery on a Thursday, was released on Monday, ending up staying in a hotel till Friday, not under doctors orders though.

I had a 5 hour drive home and was told to get out of the car about every hour and walk around for 5-10 minutes to avoid clotting.

I can't stress enough, you'll be sore, and I know everybody is different but I think you'll find you'll be able to do more than you expect, even without pushing yourself, but for your trip home, please make sure you're just not sitting for long periods of time, even on the train, get up and walk every hour, and when drivi g stop for a walk...you'll be exhausted, and sore I'm sure..but stick to that and I think you'll be ok. However I imagine your doctor will give more specific directions after telling him/her your itenerary. Good luck!

Thanks for sharing Ovie. I think the car ride will probably be the hardest part. I will definitely remember to get out and move around.

 

[RTZdad]

Tom, That is a lot of travel time: a 6 hour drive from Cleveland to Chicago and then get on an 18 hour train ride? If I were you I would fly straight back from Cleveland to Denver in a little over 3 hours. My hospital was only an hour away and I could not imagine doing what you are planning on doing.

Just my 2 cents. Good luck with whatever you decide.

Jeff

Thanks Jeff. I agree that it probably makes more sense to just fly home. I am still considering it. I should be able to gauge the impact of my potential return via train on the trip out there. Depending on how I feel, I may hang out for a bit prior to heading back home. Luckily there isn't any reason to rush back.

Tom

 

[RTZdad]

My other question is how long is the car ride from cleveland to Chicago? 5-6 hours? That in itself is a pretty long trip soon after OHS, that if that was the whole trip people are pretty wiped out just from that. So would you try to get right on a train or stay in chicago a night or 2?And as Ovie said you will need to stop frequestly and walk around for the car ride. I know its easy to walk around on the train, well pretty easy, when it is smooth, but my concern n the train would be as i said before do you know what the policy is for medical emergencies, especially ones in the middle of no where? Since many of the post op complications the sooner you can get to a hospital the better

I would stay in Chicago prior to getting on the train. I don't see how I could manage to do both on the same day. Riding the train out there will give me an idea on how bumpy the ride can be. A friend of mine is a huge train fan, and has mentioned that it can be really bumpy sometimes when you hit the changes (especially if you are standing at the time). Flying home is certainly still an option, and sticking around in Cleveland for a spell is too. Getting stuck in the boondocks without medical care close is a concern. Perhaps I will call Amtrak and see what type of assistance could be provided in case of an emergency. As always, thanks for your post. You're awesome!

Tom

 

[RTZdad]

The exhaustion factor cannot be over emphasized. It was tired on a whole different level than I ever imagined before. My first surgery more so than my second but there is no 'reserve tank'. When you get burned out, you are finished and must rest. Your body will permit nothing else.

If you MUST take the train, then you must. But if you have any other option, please consider it.

IMO

Did you travel far for your procedure(s)? My itinerary is pretty aggressive I suppose. A lot of it will depend upon how I feel once I get out. There is a chance that I won't want anything to do with a long trip if I feel like crap. Thanks for sharing.

Tom

 

[RTZdad]

Hope my answers help you.

1. How long did you stay in town after you were released? I was asked to stay local for 4 days after discharge.
2. Did you travel via car on your way home? No, we flew both ways.
3. What, if any, were your travel recommendations from your doctor after your release? I really didn't ask.
4. Am I insane to even be considering taking the train home? In my opinion yes, what happens if you get sick on the train. That soon after surgery you are at risk for infections and blood clots - if they develop you'll need immediate treatment.

Thanks for sharing your experience. How far did you go for your surgery?

Tom

 

[RTZdad]

I stayed about 3 days after release from the hospital before flying home.


We traveled from the hospital to where we stayed and then from there to the airport. They require you to sit in the back seat in order to avoid an airbag harming your healing sternum, so be sure to rent a mid to large-sized sedan. Ours was a mid-to small-sized convertible and it was miserable folding myself into the back seat of that little thing.


See back seat requirement above. Have assistance when navigating from through the airport because it will wear you down if you try to walk too far.


I wanted to be home fast and the day-long trip home by non-stop flight really wiped me out. I'm glad we took the plane home because I was ready to be back and start my recovery there. The train sounds interesting but I imagine that will be several days of bouncing around on a noisy shaky train and that doesn't seem conducive to restful recovery.
John

Getting home fast might be my greatest desire. I suppose it all depends upon how I feel after the surgery. We'll be in an SUV or minivan during the car portion of the journey, so I should be comfortable enough. Back of a convertible, yikes! I figure that traveling on the train won't be too bad in lieu of flying back. I should be able to rest/walk around as much as I need to. Although it's a long ride, at least it's really only an overnight trip. I would be home the following afternoon. Should I fly, I will make sure to call ahead to make sure that I get assistance to the gate, etc. Thanks John.

Tom

 

[Lynlw]

Count me into the group that would fly if possible, but you already know that, mainly because of the chance of running into a post op problem and ending up at a small hospital in the middle of nowhere. Its rare but I remeber when a member from another group travling far, (by plain with a couple lay overs) was admit half way home and was far from both her doctors, but also family for a week or so, luckily she was in a larger heart hospital, but who knows where you could end up in the middle of the trin ride if you have a post op emergency.
Another thing I would mention is the first few day/week home, most people can not sleep on a flat bed, without several pillows to prop themselves up so many people find it easier/less painful to sleep in a recliner. I know you would have a sleeper car, but I image the beds are small and not the most comfortable, but I would also make sure if there isnt a bathroom in the car, that your room is close to one, It can be hard just walking thru a train and not getting bumoed and banged around, so that close to surgery I'd be nervous, but my main concern would be all the germs if everyone is sharing the bathroom.

Of course the odds are high you could have a very easy trip and not run into any problems, but Since my family tends to do things the tougher way, so I always think of what could happen in the worse case

 

[njean]

I've always flown to Houston for my OHS. Last one in '06, I had the surgery on 3/29, released from the hospital on the 4/11, stayed 1 day and 1/2 in a motel in the Medical Center and then flew home. I could never have imagine what it would have felt like to have to drive home (about 12 to 13 hrs. driving time!). It would have been pretty scary to say the least.

Most patients are pretty weak and vunerable right after their release so if you can make your way home in a much shorter time, that's the way to go.

Wishing you the best of luck!

 

[Lionheart]

Tom,
Norma Jean hit it on the head when she said that many patients are "weak and vulnerable right after their release".
I don't like to recommend or discourage a course of action because it's not my place, but thinking about my recovery during the trip home and first few days at home, I was beat and vulnerable and I imagine that I would have been miserable sitting or trying to rest during 18 hours on a bumpy train. Flying home in several hours was exhausting but arriving home was a joy. I just wanted peace and quiet and rest without distraction (like noise or travel).

So against my better judgement to give strong advice, I would advise flying instead of an 18 hour train trip. That is unless there is some underlying reason to avoid air travel.
John

 

[Dgreenbee]

The day after I was out of the hospital I took a 500 mile bus ride home. No problem. I was not too sore and not too fatigued. It was just fine.

 

[Debbrn]

I had my 4th OHS (pulmonary valve replacement) on a thursday and was discharged on a tuesday. I had to stay longer secondary to oxygen requirement at night. (I have 60% lung capacity). I stayed in a hotel with my sister until the next wednesday. We did not have a car so we had to walk everywhere. I was very tired for a couple of days, but I had walked 12,000 steps in a day on relatively flat service by friday. I stayed in town for another week with a couple that I knew. I had to fly home by myself so I checked all my baggage and had the airline assist me with a wheelchair. I also stayed in town longer because I decided that if I did not trust the local hospital to handle the surgery, then I did not trust them to handle the possible complications.

Debbie

 

[Ovie]

Just another 2 cents. Airports are insane, I think I'd collapse after just checking in. I've done Trains, granted my longest ride was only 9 hours and it wasn't post op, but it's much more relaxing, if you're in no rush to get home, why not enjoy the scenery. Also, it may sound foolish, but if something were to happen I think I'd rather be on the ground than 25,000 ft in the air, waiting for Clarence to land or find somewhere to land for that matter. I know it goes both ways, but I feel like you could get a chopper to your location and have medical professionals there sooner as opposed to flying. Granted this is all circumstantial and is only my opinion. I think when you inform your cardio and surgeon, they're either going to say YIKES, or say that's fine, but give you instructions as before mentioned walking, among other things.

You'll know what's best for you after surgery, things can always be rearranged if you're not feeling up to previous obligations. Hope everything gets situated for you.