Korean Job Discussion Forums

[MollyBloom]

It's my first time getting a minor surgery in SoKo, and I have to stay overnight. The nurses just told me slippers and a toothbrush, but since I am sharing a room with 4 other people, I think earplugs, a night mask, and pajamas.

Any other tips on what to bring?

[moosehead]

you plan on more than once?

maybe bring someone who can speak K?

[MollyBloom]

[Joe666]

I would be concerned about the sterility of your enviroment/surgery room. If said enviroment is in any way a reflection of how they view hygiene in other areas of this society, I would bring my will and a pure platinum crucifix for good measures!

Hope all goes well! Stay clean!

[MollyBloom]

I'm pretty confident that the OR will be clean. The doctor (fluent in English) studied at Seoul Nat. Univ and also in the US for many years. I watched his nurses actually wipe down the bench I had to lay down on ! I have to say that was a first! But, I will bring said platinum crucifix anyway

ugh..I can't wait to see who my roommates are...

[Cohiba]

Your will.

[samd]

Bring your whole extended family, a humidifier, a fan, a CD player, three boxes of juice, a bag of assorted breads and pastries, some massive jars of insam juice or other mystery brown stuff, and enough banchan to fill up the fridge (just put the other people's food on the floor, or crush it beneath your tupperware.

[CentralCali]

I spent a month in the hospital last year. The hospital operating room was sterile, my hospital room was cleaned daily and cleaned well, and the staff were very professional. And this was at a small hospital in Busan. I lucked out and was assigned a private room at no extra cost.

You should also take your own flatware (spoon, chopsticks, fork, knife). Otherwise, you'll be purchasing them at the hospital (no fork or knife, though). Also take some canned fruit juice and some of that "hwai-beo" (Fiber) drink. I discovered very quickly that the hospital food was light on fiber and fruit.

[MollyBloom]

[jbpatlanta]

[bluelake]

My only time in a Korean hospital was fifteen years ago. It all started out with measles that my son's schoolmates gave me (it was how I found out I wasn't vaccinated as a child). I went to the doctor's for the diagnosis and exposure to the air there gave me a secondary infection of pneumonia (measles wipes out your immune system, so you are susceptible to everything--I would have been better off never visiting the doctor). On top of that, I had a tertiary bout of pleurisy, which felt like someone shoved a knife into my back with every breath; that is what finally sent me to the hospital. I couldn't breath and I pretty much was just writhing on the ground in pain.

I spent five days in the hospital. I was in too much pain to walk to the restroom most of the time I was there, so I usually crawled. The nurses, as the old stereotype goes, woke me up (for what little there was) to give me a sleeping pill (which didn't work). What I ate was not only hospital food, it was Korean hospital food. They used the cheapest quality food possible, which deflated my already non-existent appetite.

The then-new director of my university department sent a note to my hospital room that I either show up for work the next day or they start docking my pay. I sent a note back that I would gladly go to work if he miraculously took all my pain away. He sent me a fruit basket...

Friends and family visited all hours of the day and night, as they didn't want me to be alone. I often awoke from my pain/drug-induced stupor to see someone new sitting in a chair staring at me. As it is considered impolite to lay down in others' presence in Korea, I had to prop myself up often, all the time wishing just to be alone...

People would bring cases and cases of juice bought downstairs at the hospital convenience store; I could have opened up a store of my own by the time I went home.

The TV was coin-operated.

All in all, it's something I'd prefer not to have to repeat.

In your case, MB, being an overnight deal shouldn't be as bad as mine. Good luck!

[tzechuk]

I've only ever been in the hospital once - in my whole entire life (touch wood) - and that was to give birth to my daughter. They provided me a gown, but I brought my own.. I don't care if it's a hospital or whatever, I was determined to wear my own. They didn't force me to put theirs on, thank goodness.

Depending on whether you're allowed to bathe after the surgery, I would bring toiletries, too.

[Sleepy in Seoul]

A nice sharp knife and a mallet (just in case the anaesthetic doesn't work).

[cubanlord]

I had surgery mid-Jan. of this year. I stayed in the hospital for 4 days. I had a private room, so, It was like a mini apartment that had shower, kitchenette, etc. My wife brought the basics and we were okay.

Overnight? I'd say just a change of clothes and what someone else said (toilet stuff)

[MollyBloom]