Would you reschedule your surgery due to coronovirus?

Nilidar · March 01, 2020, 05:34:58 PM

I have surgery scheduled for 3/18 currently and am considering rescheduling to sometime later due to the virus. I live in the Seattle area where we recently had the first death from the virus. The hospital where I'm scheduled to have my surgery is also housing two active cases of the virus. Is it an overreaction to reschedule? My current thought is to push out until May, I'm wondering what others thoughts are. I'm in a fair amount of pain atm, but its more in my back than my hip right now. I think thats mostly coming from how I'm walking to compensate for the bad hip.

jimbone · March 02, 2020, 02:20:21 AM

About a week before my surgery at Swedish in Seattle I was coming down with a head cold and having a hard time shaking it. I consulted with my surgeons office and was told I'd have to be quite ill to consider cancelling. From what I'm reading most of the current flu cases in the WA area are centered around a long term nursing facility and the only really dangerous or fatal cases involved either much older people of one's having underlying health problems. Regarding infection from hospital stays in general, the surgeon told me the sooner I have you out of there the safer it will be. OR at 7 AM and discharge that afternoon. I certainly understand your concern but there already exits infection risks equal to the current flu virus and the hospitals protocols are pretty stringent. Maybe you should call your surgeon and ask their opinion. Best of luck.

blinky · March 02, 2020, 09:23:04 AM

Do you have any risk factors? If no, I'd keep the appointment, but be prepared for changes, like the hospital itself canceling elective surgeries or you having your surgery then finding yourself in quarantine at home when you are released because of some risk of exposure. Do you live alone or with a spouse or SO? Stock up on food in case you get stuck at home for two weeks.

(I sound worried, but I am not. H and I are kind of old, sixty-ish, but otherwise fall in no risk groups. We live in a community with some evacuees and think it is just a matter of time before the virus leaks out so we are being prudent but not crazy. You know, hand washing and avoiding sick people. We had flu shots back in October so this is normal for us. H had a friend get quarantined after a trip abroad, so now we have two weeks worth of food on hand. We are still traveling and leading our normal lives.)

Nilidar · March 02, 2020, 11:44:18 AM

My main risk factors are mostly due to work. I work with several people who have recently been quarantined due to exposure from coming back from China. Otherwise, I'm a relatively healthy 46 male. My wife will help take care of me post surgery, so thats covered.

Nilidar · March 02, 2020, 12:58:31 PM

Turned out to be a moot point. My surgeon just recommended I reschedule to May as a precaution, so I'm doing that based on his advice. I guess I have more time to try and lose some weight and get in better shape ;)