Visit DH's grandpa in hospital??

mrskruse07 · August 2009

DH's grandpa has been in the hospital the past week and DH wants to go visit him. He was in the ICU, but is now in a regular room. This may be stupid but is there any risk to me and the baby going to visit the hospital? His grandpa is sick from complications from his lung cancer. Thoughts?

nlvaden · August 2009

Go visit him!

jmrussell03 · August 2009

Is he on chemo? That would be the only risk. I am a nurse and work in a hospital 40 hours a week. As long as he has not been on chemo ( or has a roommate with recent chemo) you will be fine.

Barneso · August 2009

Wow. No.

My doctor is at a large hospital and when I walk from his medical office to the lab to get blood work done (at most appointments, it seems!), I have to walk past the hospital pharmacy, etc...

Haven't gotten sick from it yet.

You're fine...

nlvaden · August 2009

Besides-the kid is going to be born in one right? AND spend the night in one? The baby is more protected in your body against getting something than outside of it.

Todd&Laura · August 2009

Go visit him. DH's father died of lung cancer within one month of arriving in the hospital. You may not have the opportunity to see him again and it will mean the world to him if you go. Please go. There is nothing to worry about. Won't you be delivering in a hospital? Use hand sanitizer, wash your hands, and just be careful. T&P for your DH's grandpa. Lung cancer is a terrible illness.

JustJanie · August 2009

I also work full time in a hospital. In addition to the chemo warning, I would ask if he has any contact isolation precautions - or any reason you would need to wear a gown, gloves, or mask in his room. My midwife prohibited me from seeing patients who are under contact isolation because these infections can be harmful to the baby.

mrskruse07 · August 2009

Thanks to the nurses for your advice! And yes, I'm delivering in a hospital, but I plan to do it on the maternity floor not next to sick patients.

CKLee1107 · August 2009

I totally didn't know the chemo issue although it makes sense it never would have crossed my mind to not go....Apparently this was a great question to ask.....I better check what treatments my DH's grandpa is going through right now for some tumors to make sure of everything....Thanks!

GL w/ your DH's gpa

BellaAmor215 · August 2009

i am very cautious too about things like that... it was a good question... dh's grandma is always in and out of the hospital and actually i visited her in the hospital a few weeks ago and didnt even think about it until i already left... but its def. good to know!!

jknallen · August 2009

I don't get the chemo issue. I've never heard that nad was wondering why you can't be around people recieving chemo while you are pregnant. If someone could please explain I would greatly appreciate it. My FIL has been on chemo for a year now and has been off since I've gotten pregnant but will be starting back up again in the next few weeks and my Mom was just diagnosed with breast cancer and is going to be starting chemo in a few weeks and I would like to hope that I don't have to stay away from either of them while I'm pregnant or have a new baby at home with me that they would of course love to see. TIA!

jmrussell03 · August 2009

It was a great question! Alot of people don't think of things like that. You should go see him. It will probably mean alot to him.Just please, wash your hands.

LovinTim912 · August 2009

My grandma has been in the CCU for just about a month now, and I go to see her at least twice a week. ?When I go, I make sure to wash my hands constantly (especially after touching her), and if they suction her or anything like that, I leave the room. ?If I am feeling sick in any way, I don't go that day. ?And so far *knock on wood* I have been ok.

elliotandnicole · August 2009

When my DH's grandma was going through chemo, his sister was preg and she wouldn't be around her, because she was a nurse and said it could hurt the baby. I don't know for how long this would be an issue, or how strong of an issue it is, but I would look into that further before deciding if I were you.

cjo · August 2009

I work in a hospital in the ICU. The only things that would beharmful to you would to be around someone with H1N1, TB, VRE, Shingles. I might be forgetting something but those are what I can think of on the top of my head. Just WASH YOUR HANDS and use common sense. You will regrett not visiting him.

cjo · August 2009

CKLee1107:

I totally didn't know the chemo issue although it makes sense it never would have crossed my mind to not go....Apparently this was a great question to ask.....I better check what treatments my DH's grandpa is going through right now for some tumors to make sure of everything....Thanks!

GL w/ your DH's gpa

Chemo is ONLY and issue if you were to come into contact with the actual medication or the patient's urine. I give chemo precaution drugs to my heart transplant patients and double chemo glove it and it's fine.

cerad5 · August 2009

I sure hope it's not a problem to be in a hospital while pregnant, because I have spent the last 25 weeks working as a pediatric RN in one. Agree with previous poster. You can be around someone on chemo, it doesn't leave their body and float around in the air and kill your cells. You simply shouldn't touch their medicine or any body fluid. My hospital has some restrictions on patients I can take care of, which is any patient with CMV, H1N1, shingles or the chicken pox. Otherwise I wear the proper barriers and wash my hands like crazy. People overreact about the spread of disease all the time, wash your hands and you will be fine!!

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