hospital stay over shabbos

amother

Wed, Mar 26 2014, 6:18 pm

I'll have go to through a surgery and this particular procedure is done only on Friday mornings at our local hospital. I spoke with the doctor and she said she usually require patients to stay overnight and discharged the following day. I explained to her about Shabbos but she is unlikely to let me leave the hospital Friday late afternoon.

What do I need to bring or are there things I need to be aware of? It will be the first time I'm going to be on my own at a hospital. Do they let you light candles in your room? I think I may have to be in a monitoring device of some sort.

Also because Shabbos ends late in daylight savings time I don't think I can check out until Sunday morning. That means I'll have to have the insurance company agree to pay for an extra night as I can't check out Shabbos midday. Did anyone have difficulty getting approval for what is technically an extra night stay because of Shabbos observances?

I'm soooo dreading it even though I know it's necessary procedure.

heightsmom

Wed, Mar 26 2014, 6:36 pm

I hope all goes well. You may NOT light any candles in your room. It is a fire hazard. Speak to the hospital and ask what is their procedure for Shabbos discharge. Many hospitals let you stay in the room until Shabbos is over. Many friends have done this when they delivered on Thursdays. They are not charged for the extra day.

morah

Wed, Mar 26 2014, 6:38 pm

I had one of my babies on a Friday night. They usually don't let you light in the room, but you can make a Bracha on an electric candelabra. Many hospital bikur cholim rooms have them. Or your dh can light where he's staying an be motzi you. Are you in NY? If so, reach out to the Satmar bikur cholim, they're amazing.
Dunno about the insurance thing. Where is your dh staying? Can you walk (or be wheeled) there if you have to leave on Shabbos?

bubbebia

Wed, Mar 26 2014, 6:39 pm

You will not be allowed to light candles in the hospital. With oxygen in use you could blow the whole place to kingdom come. Is there a bikur cholim group affiliated with the hospital? They will have the electric candles that you will be permitted to use. You do need to deal with the electric bed issue. You probably should set it to a comfortable sleeping position and either use lots of pillows of sit in the chair. You'll want to bring the usual things like pjs, robe, slippers, underwear, toiletries, siddur/chumash, a small bottle of grape juice and a couple of challah rolls. Also, you might want some other reading material too. It's going to be a long day. If you have an active bikur cholim at the hospital or in your community, contact them ahead of time and arrange for Shabbos meals. When you are admitted to the floor you will also want to talk to the nursing staff about Shabbos and what you can and cannot do. If they are really nice, they'll come in frequently to ask if you need anything, want your bed fixed, etc. If not, think ahead. Hope everything goes well for you. Refuah shelaima.

mommyhood

Wed, Mar 26 2014, 6:57 pm

amother wrote:

When you're supposed to be discharged on Shabbos the hospital usually prepares the discharge papers for you on Shabbos and lets you stay until you're allowed to leave.
If the hospital has a chaplain call to see if they can get electric candlesticks for you.
Bring lots of books, kiddush, challah and food if they don't provide it or your Rav says it's an issue to eat food heated on Shabbos.

morah

Wed, Mar 26 2014, 7:09 pm

You should definitely talk to your Rav. If you will be considered a choleh sheyesh bo sakana, there may be certain leniencies, like being allowed to buzz for a nurse. And someone mentioned heating food. So definitely call the Rav and make sure to give him the proper details.

bookworm10

Wed, Mar 26 2014, 7:23 pm

I was in the hospital twice over Shabbos when I had each of my babies.

Of course, that was for a different matter, so I actually found it quite pleasant.

You will not be allowed to light in the hospital. Most hospitals that have a Bikur cholim room and are affiliated with Jews have electric candles you can light. You can also make sure there is enough light in your room and that can be your "lighting" according to many poskim. Speaking of Bikur Cholim rooms- if there is one in the hospital you will be in- it will be equipped with Shabbos food, havdalah, a hot water urn, etc. If you are able to get up and around that might be a nice place to check out.

Make sure to bring food. 1 day after surgery you are most likely allowed to buzz for a nurse, but of course AYLOR. I was allowed to based on my circumstances.

Bring books, magazines, and rest. You hopefully will get much needed sleep and feel better and recuperate.

manhattanmom

Wed, Mar 26 2014, 9:08 pm

Where do you live?
Any of the NYC hospitals and lots of other cities have some great bikur cholim resources--in terms of materials, food, electric tea-lights.

I've spent some shabbosim and a yom tov (at the very last minute--as in NO time to plan to be there over yom tov, admitted through the ER.) And although I was with one child and was upset about the whole situation and that I was away from the rest of the family there were some helpful things--like a bikur cholim room--although my 3 year old refused to let me leave his bedside for the most part...other people were able to get things for us. And many of the nurses understood what we could and couldn't do on yom tov.

Once, we were discharged on a shabbos morning--being in NYC, nurses prepared all the discharge papers and we told them we will sign at 5:12...which we did, and we were out!

Ruchel

Thu, Mar 27 2014, 12:31 pm

Unless they are really used to frum Jews they may not have kosher plates (the plane type you know) or "get" shabbes at all. They may say you are sick, health goes first, etc. BTDT.

I say bring food unless you are sure they provide meals.
Eat cold unless you trust them to warm it wrapped/double wrapped (ask your rav on this).
On shabbes, avoid what you can and do the rest in a "weird" way.
If they want you out on shabbes... I would pretend to feel very badly.
Light the electric lights. Or maybe you can hide "inside flame" oil cups (like the Hanuka stuff) in the bathroom but then I'm not sure halachically it's ok. I didn't light. If your dh is not at the hospital he lights for you.

The OOT hospital I went had nothing, zero, for Jews. I gave birth on Tuesday and BH BH they let me out before shabbes.
The Paris one had kosher plates (beware, some stuff can be open, or they can bring you a salad with meat "it's just a salad", or put a CY kosher yoghourt on your plate with the glatt kosher meal, check everything!!!). Spent shabbes there (shabbes birth).

If you want to see a rabbi you can ask, they may not have ones. In some countries I hear it can be a reform rabbi :/

If dh not there, take tons of reading material and stuff because it's a lonely time... Heart

Beyla

Thu, Mar 27 2014, 1:17 pm

When I was in the hospital for shabbos I put my shabbos candles on the "balcony" outside the room. It was great cause the weather was good and it stayed there till the end of shabbos. The nurse liked the solution.

I hope everything will be smoothly op! Refuse sheleima and have a gut shabbos!