I will not have anybody physically there in the waiting room. I feel comfortable with that...but does anyone know if they will they go ahead with the procedure if nobody is there? My emergency contact will be on standby and reachable by phone….is that enough? This just occurred to me as I’m packing my bag. I didn’t think to ask in the pre-op class. I know folks that go to Mexico go it alone often, but I’m doing it here in the U.S.

Great Question

For myself, I went to the hospital all by myself. I didn't want my family sitting around stress while I was in surgery.

I took a car service to the hospital and told my family to come up to the hospital around 4:00PM. They arrived earlier and were stressed because of a "complication" that my surgeon said he encountered during the surgery. He wanted them to give him permission to do a bypass.

While in the hospital, by day 4 I was done, I had disconnected my IV. Told the surgeon to begin me on liquids and when I was able to demonstrate to them all that I could get 3.5 ounces of liquid down in an hour (I was able to do it in a 1/2 hour) I signed myself out. I had no one to take me home (they were all attending a funeral). Even with the complication, I was able to strut out of the hospital (in high heels). The wheelchair was used to transport my bag. No one really recongized me (Sick patient vs. a vibrant woman).

Went home, sat up for an hour and then went to sleep in my own bed (on my stomach) LOL. Checking in and out (in NYC) alone is possible.