Katy Posted January 17 Share Posted January 17 Kate Middleton just had a successful “planned abdominal surgery” and will remain in the hospital for up to two weeks. I know the US has a churn and burn hospital system, but I genuinely cannot think of any abdominal surgery in the US that would require two weeks in the hospital. Cancer treatments that knock out the immune system, possibly for months. But if that was a factor she wouldn’t have been out in public recently. It seems extraordinarily long. Anyone have thoughts about what might be going on? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scholastica Posted January 17 Share Posted January 17 Hysterectomy? I don’t know if they do fewer “drive-by” surgeries in the UK and actually care for patients until they can care for themselves. Here we send the patient home and let family members do what used to be done in hospitals. They even tell you that you need a person with you for X number of days post-op. I hope whatever it is, she gets the care she needs. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heartstrings Posted January 17 Share Posted January 17 I’m sure she’s getting special treatment being a Royal. 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prairiewindmomma Posted January 17 Share Posted January 17 (edited) 6 minutes ago, Katy said: Kate Middleton just had a successful “planned abdominal surgery” and will remain in the hospital for up to two weeks. I know the US has a churn and burn hospital system, but I genuinely cannot think of any abdominal surgery in the US that would require two weeks in the hospital. Cancer treatments that knock out the immune system, possibly for months. But if that was a factor she wouldn’t have been out in public recently. It seems extraordinarily long. Anyone have thoughts about what might be going on? I’ve been wondering too. The newspiece I heard said doctors are advising she not return to duties until after Easter. Edited January 17 by prairiewindmomma 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted January 17 Share Posted January 17 (edited) In the official statement they said it was not cancer related. They also said the procedure was planned and successful. Whatever it is must be major to keep her in the hospital for two weeks and recovering at home for several months. https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-68009259 Edited January 17 by Lady Florida. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prairiewindmomma Posted January 17 Share Posted January 17 The only times I have seen similar schedules here with friends were all colon revision related. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katy Posted January 17 Author Share Posted January 17 I was browsing Reddit on the topic and it was pointed out that it couldn’t have been planned for long because William only today canceled his appointments for the next few weeks. At her age and otherwise good health, probable options I can think of are a burst appendix and subsequent sepsis. Or maybe something with her digestive tract that started with three rounds of HG in pregnancy. On the other hand, perhaps it’s really minor and this is all a smokescreen to distract from the King’s prostate problems. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prairiewindmomma Posted January 17 Share Posted January 17 Burst appendix does not equal planned, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katy Posted January 17 Author Share Posted January 17 1 minute ago, prairiewindmomma said: Burst appendix does not equal planned, though. It usually takes ten minutes to plan, but it is planned. These are the same people who put out a press release mentioning being concerned for the Queens health after she died. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prairiewindmomma Posted January 17 Share Posted January 17 Just now, Katy said: It usually takes ten minutes to plan, but it is planned. These are the same people who put out a press release mentioning being concerned for the Queens health after she died. Quite true. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Tiggywinkle Again Posted January 17 Share Posted January 17 “Planned” just means “not emergency.” Meaning she didn’t go in through the ER and get emergency surgery an hour later. Plus Prince William didn’t cancel his engagements until really last minute. I suspect it’s GI related and she needs significant inpatient monitoring and feeding until she’s eating again. 8 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pawz4me Posted January 17 Share Posted January 17 20 minutes ago, Mrs Tiggywinkle Again said: “Planned” just means “not emergency.” Meaning she didn’t go in through the ER and get emergency surgery an hour later. This. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
denarii Posted January 17 Share Posted January 17 My mother had 4 weeks in hospital and a week of out patient monitoring after an emergency abdominal surgery but that time overlapped with a planned spinal surgery so I'm not sure what the recovery time for either alone would have been. 🤔 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted January 17 Share Posted January 17 1 hour ago, Heartstrings said: I’m sure she’s getting special treatment being a Royal. She is paying out of pocket at a private hospital, not using the NHS. I could get that treatment too if I had the money. 12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kassia Posted January 17 Share Posted January 17 1 hour ago, prairiewindmomma said: The only times I have seen similar schedules here with friends were all colon revision related. I've had two colon resections and both were one week hospital stays. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kbutton Posted January 17 Share Posted January 17 1 hour ago, Mrs Tiggywinkle Again said: I suspect it’s GI related and she needs significant inpatient monitoring and feeding until she’s eating again. Knowing someone who just went through this, I would agree. Also, they keep a pretty rigorous schedule—there may be more “time off” because of the job itself. Time back to work and life is quite dependent on what you do day in and day out or how much traveling you do. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drama Llama Posted January 17 Share Posted January 17 (edited) 3 hours ago, prairiewindmomma said: The only times I have seen similar schedules here with friends were all colon revision related. I am seeing speculation about Crohn's. Apparently the London Clinic doesn't treat gyn problems, so it's not a hysterectomy. Edited January 17 by Drama Llama It looks like my source for that is wrong. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drama Llama Posted January 17 Share Posted January 17 15 minutes ago, kbutton said: Knowing someone who just went through this, I would agree. Also, they keep a pretty rigorous schedule—there may be more “time off” because of the job itself. Time back to work and life is quite dependent on what you do day in and day out or how much traveling you do. And how much you need that paycheck. I don't think we'll see a Go Fund Me for this situation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted January 17 Share Posted January 17 For curiosity - her name isn't Princess Catherine, just as there wasn't a Princess Diana. They are/were both First Name, Princess of Wales. Only people born royal are Princess First Name 11 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
forevermore Posted January 17 Share Posted January 17 I'm a Oncology NP, other than malignancy surgery most likely due to diverticular disease refractory to non-surgical treatment requiring bowel resection and reversible colostomy. If compllicated by perforation or fistula would require a more lengthy hospitalization to prevent infection/sepsis. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kbutton Posted January 17 Share Posted January 17 11 minutes ago, Drama Llama said: And how much you need that paycheck. I don't think we'll see a Go Fund Me for this situation. I can’t tell if you’re mocking me. It goes both ways—people go back to work before they should because they have to, but that doesn’t mean people who take an appropriate time off are being coddled. Not everyone who has job protections for illness/recovery has a cushy job either—my dad was a mailman whose route was entirely on foot. He always took the time he was entitled to/light duty assignments thanks to union protections. If she was put back into the meat grinder too quickly, people here would be criticizing that too. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heartstrings Posted January 17 Share Posted January 17 57 minutes ago, Laura Corin said: She is paying out of pocket at a private hospital, not using the NHS. I could get that treatment too if I had the money. <Faints in American at the thought of a 2 week hospital bill without insurance> (Or with insurance for that matter). 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heartstrings Posted January 17 Share Posted January 17 I’m not saying her getting special treatment is bad. I’m just sure they’re being extra cautious. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted January 17 Share Posted January 17 9 minutes ago, Heartstrings said: <Faints in American at the thought of a 2 week hospital bill without insurance> (Or with insurance for that matter). I guess she could have insurance, but I don't know how that works for completely private treatment. I've only heard of insurance to supplement the NHS. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted January 17 Share Posted January 17 2 hours ago, Katy said: Kate Middleton just had a successful “planned abdominal surgery” and will remain in the hospital for up to two weeks. I know the US has a churn and burn hospital system, but I genuinely cannot think of any abdominal surgery in the US that would require two weeks in the hospital. Cancer treatments that knock out the immune system, possibly for months. But if that was a factor she wouldn’t have been out in public recently. It seems extraordinarily long. Anyone have thoughts about what might be going on? She hasn't been in public since Christmas. Cyst . . One thought I had was a hiatal hernia. She had hyperemesis in all three pregnancies, and that could potentially mess up the sphincter at the top of her stomach. My son had a pinched nerve in childhood that caused bouts of constant vomiting (we're talking a 1/4tsp of water would come back up) - and he ended up with one. He was completely off for two weeks, and was working remote during recovery for the next four weeks. He got a cold < two weeks after he had the surgery to repair it. The coughing dislodged everything - so now he has to do it all over again. He wouldn't have been considered "recovered" until at a minimum six to eight weeks post surgery. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drama Llama Posted January 17 Share Posted January 17 10 minutes ago, kbutton said: I can’t tell if you’re mocking me. It goes both ways—people go back to work before they should because they have to, but that doesn’t mean people who take an appropriate time off are being coddled. Not everyone who has job protections for illness/recovery has a cushy job either—my dad was a mailman whose route was entirely on foot. He always took the time he was entitled to/light duty assignments thanks to union protections. If she was put back into the meat grinder too quickly, people here would be criticizing that too. No! I was kinda mocking Princess Kate, and making a commentary that many people, probably including perhaps your friend, go back to work, whether it's work like taking care of their kids or a paid job, earlier than they should for financial reasons, whether that's because they can't afford to be off or they can't afford someone to do what they'd do at home, or they worry they'll be fired. Princess Kate will not have those issues, so she may take more time off than a typical person in the same situation. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kbutton Posted January 17 Share Posted January 17 1 minute ago, Drama Llama said: No! I was kinda mocking Princess Kate, and making a commentary that many people, probably including perhaps your friend, go back to work, whether it's work like taking care of their kids or a paid job, earlier than they should for financial reasons, whether that's because they can't afford to be off or they can't afford someone to do what they'd do at home, or they worry they'll be fired. Princess Kate will not have those issues, so she may take more time off than a typical person in the same situation. Thanks for clarifying. The Go Fund Me comment made me wonder a bit. 🙂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drama Llama Posted January 17 Share Posted January 17 Just now, kbutton said: Thanks for clarifying. The Go Fund Me comment made me wonder a bit. 🙂 Oh, I was just trying to express myself in a silly way. I should note that we needed Go Fund Me at one point, so I am definitely not judging people who use one, unless they have the Wales's income. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pinball Posted January 17 Share Posted January 17 Secret complications of a secret prostatectomy… oh wait, no, that’s someone else… 😀 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alysee Posted January 17 Share Posted January 17 I assumed it was a tummy tuck of sorts for diastis rectus. She's had 3 pregnancies. Call me cynical but I assumed it wasn't anything actually serious. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WildflowerMom Posted January 17 Share Posted January 17 Dh was in the hospital for one week for each of his resections due to crohns and then out of work for one month for each of them. My guess would be some sort of major resection, plus extra recovery time in the hospital and at home. I hope she does ok and recovers well. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
forevermore Posted January 17 Share Posted January 17 Diverticular Disease requiring bowel resection, colostomy and supportive nutrition to rest the bowel. If complication of fistula/perforation could require longer convalescese to prevent sepsis. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
forevermore Posted January 17 Share Posted January 17 Diverticular Disease requiring bowel resection, colostomy and supportive nutrition to rest the bowel. If complication of fistula/perforation could require longer convalescese to prevent sepsis. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beth S Posted January 17 Share Posted January 17 (edited) 25 years ago, my dd had a ruptured appendix, & was in the hospital for 5 days of IV antibiotics. I'm also having difficulty coming up with a non-cancerous treatment that requires such a long in-hospital stay. (Especially because she's young-ish & seems to generally be healthy.) I won't be surprised (and maybe this will still happen) if she just goes home early & has home health at KP. 😉 (Like recovery from childbirth.) I am confident that the World will eventually learn the nature of her surgery. Edited January 17 by Beth S 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted January 17 Share Posted January 17 2 hours ago, gardenmom5 said: She hasn't been in public since Christmas. Cyst . . One thought I had was a hiatal hernia. She had hyperemesis in all three pregnancies, and that could potentially mess up the sphincter at the top of her stomach. My son had a pinched nerve in childhood that caused bouts of constant vomiting (we're talking a 1/4tsp of water would come back up) - and he ended up with one. He was completely off for two weeks, and was working remote during recovery for the next four weeks. He got a cold < two weeks after he had the surgery to repair it. The coughing dislodged everything - so now he has to do it all over again. He wouldn't have been considered "recovered" until at a minimum six to eight weeks post surgery. I had a hiatal hernia repair and gastric sleeve surgery - was in the hospital 4 days due to complications -the swelling from the hiatal hernia repair basically closed off my esophagus so I couldn't drink. It took me hours to sip 1 ounce of water. So they kept me in in order to keep me on IV fluids. But I can't imagine 2 weeks. 1 hour ago, alysee said: I assumed it was a tummy tuck of sorts for diastis rectus. She's had 3 pregnancies. Call me cynical but I assumed it wasn't anything actually serious. My sister had this done - and it WAS pretty major and invasive and although she wasn't in the hospital very long she needed constant care at home for quite a while due to having multiple surgical drains and the pain level. I could see someone who has the ability to stay in the hospital until the drains are out doing so, given that she'd get excellent food/care/etc and not have to worry about the kids accidentally jumping on her belly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Tiggywinkle Again Posted January 17 Share Posted January 17 I thought tummy tuck at first, but reportedly Prince William cancelled all of his engagements yesterday, which doesn’t really make it sound like an elective procedure. I also think if that was coming up she’d have her office not schedule anything during that time vs cancelling things. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prairiewindmomma Posted January 17 Share Posted January 17 One of my friends who had a colon re-working had a resection that went to a colostomy bag, waited for some infection to go down, and then had a second procedure to rehook back up a shortened length of colon. It was about two weeks in hospital, and a long recovery because of how they had to go about things. Honestly, we are sent home way too often. I think we'd have better recoveries if we had better wound care, better controlled access to pain meds, some rehab PT, and the like. I mean, a c-section meant two weeks in the hospital a generation ago. In my generation, I remember the move from 10 days to 4 days of insurance coverage. 15 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harriet Vane Posted January 18 Share Posted January 18 15 minutes ago, prairiewindmomma said: Honestly, we are sent home way too often. I think we'd have better recoveries if we had better wound care, better controlled access to pain meds, some rehab PT, and the like. I mean, a c-section meant two weeks in the hospital a generation ago. In my generation, I remember the move from 10 days to 4 days of insurance coverage. Emphatic agreement with this. That said, I don't envy Kate her lack of privacy. I love drooling over her clothes and jewelry, but I think it's really tough being so very much in the public view all the time. I hope she recovers well and people respect her recovery and her privacy. 16 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted January 18 Share Posted January 18 2 hours ago, Mrs Tiggywinkle Again said: I thought tummy tuck at first, but reportedly Prince William cancelled all of his engagements yesterday, which doesn’t really make it sound like an elective procedure. I also think if that was coming up she’d have her office not schedule anything during that time vs cancelling things. good point. 47 minutes ago, prairiewindmomma said: One of my friends who had a colon re-working had a resection that went to a colostomy bag, waited for some infection to go down, and then had a second procedure to rehook back up a shortened length of colon. It was about two weeks in hospital, and a long recovery because of how they had to go about things. Honestly, we are sent home way too often. I think we'd have better recoveries if we had better wound care, better controlled access to pain meds, some rehab PT, and the like. I mean, a c-section meant two weeks in the hospital a generation ago. In my generation, I remember the move from 10 days to 4 days of insurance coverage. The problem is that not only is there a financial issue, but with hospital acquired infections they feel the sooner you are out of there the safer you are. And...they aren't wrong. I posted about my 4 day stay with my hiatal hernia that had complications - they actually were supposed to keep me even longer, until i could get more fluids down, but there was an outbreak of c-diff or something on the floor and they ended up discharging me as long as I promised to return if I got too dehydrated. They didn't SAY that was why - but all of a sudden a bunch of rooms had quarantine signs up on them, there was a not good smell, and it was a GI ward...and they went from "at least another day or two" to the doctor saying, "just promise to drink as much as you can and call me if you can't". 2 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catz Posted January 18 Share Posted January 18 (edited) 7 hours ago, Mrs Tiggywinkle Again said: I suspect it’s GI related and she needs significant inpatient monitoring and feeding until she’s eating again. This would be my guess. Possible slow reboot of GI tract required? In the US, she might have been sent to a rehab if some intermediate care and therapies were required and maybe this would pull all that to one facility. The idea that she might want a tummy tuck is hilarious to me. LOLOL. I can hardly believe she had all 3 of those kids. Hope her recovery goes smoothly! Edited January 18 by catz 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katy Posted January 18 Author Share Posted January 18 47 minutes ago, catz said: The idea that she might want a tummy tuck is hilarious to me. LOLOL. I can hardly believe she had all 3 of those kids. Hope her recovery goes smoothly! I agree. It wasn’t that many months since she was photographed in a bikini and I remember thinking she looked better than that mom that bragged about being back in shape and body shamed anyone who doesn’t look like her. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mum Posted January 18 Share Posted January 18 There's private insurance separate from NHS. The UK hustles people out just as quickly as the US. I have first hand experience of both of the above. For her to need to stay IN hospital 10-14 days is something - especially when the doctors know she will get first rate care at home and won't have to lift a finger for anything. To me, 10-14 days in hospital means she needs actual hospital care that can't be given at home. I mean she could hire a whole nursing staff at home and not feel it financially. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted January 18 Share Posted January 18 1 hour ago, mum said: I mean she could hire a whole nursing staff at home and not feel it financially. Interviewing and security checks would take time though, whereas that would have happened already with the hospital staff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hannah Posted January 18 Share Posted January 18 (edited) 36 minutes ago, Rosie_0801 said: Interviewing and security checks would take time though, whereas that would have happened already with the hospital staff. Just before his release from Victor Verster prison, Nelson Mandela was treated in a State Hospital. My boyfriend's father at the time was his attending surgeon. They had a complete security protocol in place for how he would be brought into the facility, which routes would be taken, guards stationed at doors, vetted personnel, etc. All staff had to stay in the unit until his treatment was complete. Back in the day there were no cellphones, but all telephones were unplugged. He left very late at night, to be taken back to prison, and still told his guards to wait so that he could greet each and every one of the staff and thank them for working late and missing time with their families! Edited January 18 by Hannah further clarity 9 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TechWife Posted January 18 Share Posted January 18 10 hours ago, Laura Corin said: I guess she could have insurance, but I don't know how that works for completely private treatment. I've only heard of insurance to supplement the NHS. I know people who have gone to Great Britain for 1-2 year assignments with dh’s company. They have private insurance and no NHS. They say the private/non-NHS physician offices and hospitals are really fancy compared to the US. I honestly don’t know if they have a copay. Here in the states they would. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TechWife Posted January 18 Share Posted January 18 8 hours ago, Mrs Tiggywinkle Again said: I thought tummy tuck at first, but reportedly Prince William cancelled all of his engagements yesterday, which doesn’t really make it sound like an elective procedure. I also think if that was coming up she’d have her office not schedule anything during that time vs cancelling things. In medical parlance, “elective” means planned. This is true even for life saving surgeries, like a heart bypass. If the surgery is scheduled in advance, even the same day, it’s elective. They are “electing” when they will do it. I think there’s an “urgent” classification that falls between emergency and elective, IIRC. Emergency is next in the OR followed by urgent then scheduled. This is why at some small & med size hospitals that don’t have many OR’s often have their schedules run late. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TechWife Posted January 18 Share Posted January 18 6 hours ago, prairiewindmomma said: Honestly, we are sent home way too often. I think we'd have better recoveries if we had better wound care, better controlled access to pain meds, some rehab PT, and the like. I mean, a c-section meant two weeks in the hospital a generation ago. In my generation, I remember the move from 10 days to 4 days of insurance coverage. I agree. Even if we could have home health for a couple of weeks it would be helpful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom_to3 Posted January 18 Share Posted January 18 I feel tremendously sorry for the Princess that she has to worry about what people think - on top of all the worry about the surgery and her 3 young kids at home! At least she will know that she gets the best care possible. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted January 18 Share Posted January 18 With her family coming, and William clearing his schedule - it doesn't sound minor. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted January 18 Share Posted January 18 (edited) 8 hours ago, Mom_to3 said: I feel tremendously sorry for the Princess that she has to worry about what people think - on top of all the worry about the surgery and her 3 young kids at home! At least she will know that she gets the best care possible. and between William, her mother, and the nanny - her children will be well cared for. That will reduce one source of stress on her. Edited January 18 by gardenmom5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.