Anyone here have advice for someone getting their first surgery?

[Twiztid Truckie]

Well, 8-5-05 will be my first surgery in my 24 years of life on earth. I really dont know what to expect, and am a little nervous. Anyone have some advice on how to calm the nerves (other than alcohol and whatnots). Ill be going in on the 5th, and will be in surgery for an estimated 4 hours (plus any time in waiting area). Im not sure how to pronounce this but my surgery is to remove a (philomatic sist?) on my back from the tailbone up about 12". My doctor so knidly said hes never seen one so large before. That made my day ofcourse! LOL! Ill most likely be out for 1-2 months from work. As I wont be able to lift, sleep on my back, stand or sit for long periods of time. and Ill also have a massive amount of internal and external stitching. I guess i should move my main system closer to the bed :) Anyway, thanks for listening, and if you have any useful advice for me, feel free to share it :) Thanks alot as i really just need to let this out, and hear from others who have had surgeries.

Brian:)

[Shish]

Just don`t worry too much.
Modern aneasthetic is a breeze and you just go out like a light and wake up later choking for a drink with a mouth like the inside of a bird cage.
Had 2 lots of surgery on my back/spine. One to remove a disk and then glue the joints together and one to remove a cracked tailbone.
The one on my kneecaps and knee joints was the best though as they were doing right and left knees on separate lists so my left got done at 0730am then they wheeled me outside under a light anaesthetic till they finished all the lefts then I went back in around 1130am to complete and woke up having missed the lunch trolley. I made the nurse go get me a burger from the Little Chef as the kitchen was closed due to it being day surgery only.

Mostly it`s just been micro surgery where you just end up with a couple or three small holes closed with a couple stitches. I always specify stitches as I hate those staples. Next one (prolly around Xmas) is the big one for me though cos I`m going to get filleted so they can get around the back/inside of the spine to remove a piece of broken off bone and do another disk which is pushing into the spine instead of the normal popping out.

I`ve just had 3 months in there but managed with all mod cons including a laptop with net access as I have very good health insurance and I know most of the staff so I can get away with murder....good fun apart from being tied to the bed so you can`t chase the nurses.
Next one is a bit more risky and I`ll end up in a full body cast for 3 months and a chair for at least 6 if not for life. Not worried though, used to all the crap now and there are loads of people worse off than me or you. If you want to see courage, go visit a child cancer unit or the burns unit and then see how lucky you really are.

Just remember though as a last thought....if something goes badly wrong, you likely won`t be complaining about it, just enjoying the best sleep you ever had :Pokes: :sleepy:

[Bok]

Well, I had sinus surgery 6 weeks ago or so and was pretty nervous for that. If the doctor ain't worried I wouldn't be too worried basically.

They know what they are doing nowadays. Don't get me wrong you'll be in some discomfort. I was in surgery for about 3 hours and woke up feeling like absolute crap. Took a couple of days before I started feeling right, but you WILL feel right.

Oh and forget about any inhibitions too, when you need to go, well, you have to go.....;)

Good luck

Bok

[Merlin45]

Its nothing to worry about.

I have had 2 surgeries on my left foot.

Both times, you get your vitals taken, put on a nice fashanable robe that never covers your a$$. You get wheeled into the OR room, get put on a flat table. IV's are connected if not already done. Then they inject the knockout drugs into the IV and you go out in a min or 2. You wake up later not knowing how long you were out.

Both of mine lasted for 4 to 6 hours, but only seemed like a few mins.......


The worst part of the whole thing is the sickness after waking up. Queezie feeling in your gut, but thats just a side effect of the drug. Which only lasts for up to 30mins then its over with.



Just dont try to drive after its over if you have outpaintent surgery...... Get someone to drive for you......


As of moving the system closer, naaaaaaa, just quickly get a laptop and install wireless network with remote access to your other systems.......

[Fozzie]

one op on my eyes, apendix out and one for setting broken arms.

All of them were very professionally done and aftercare whilst intrusive if you are a very private type was professional too.

Just remember they do hundreds of ops a year and the training to be a surgeon is tough so the guy/girl with the knife and the one on the gas are to be trusted.

Also remember you'll have some funny stories to tell around the party circuit for the rest of your life too.

Like:

When you have acute appendicitis the doctor (who in my case was a very attractive oriental young lady) has to do a rectal examination.

Worse was to come when I was in the ward after the surgery a doctor came round with 5 or 6 student doctors a mix of male and female.

The aussie doctor in charge goes.

"now Mr Fozzie has anyone examined you up the bottom?"

Apart form dying of excrutiating embarrassment all i managed to say was.

"yes thank you."

A time when I wanted the earth to swallow me up as a few of the med. students a had good snigger.

:blush:

Surgery is no worries Brian.

[Helix_Von_Smelix]

best advice is to do CPDN:D

one less thing to worry about:cheers:

Best of luck:blush:

[LichtJF]

Eat a big breakfast!!

Since most hospitals don't want you to eat after midnite, its a sure way to guarantee a delay.


Or just relax and learn how to sleep, and use a keyboard andmouse while laying on your belly.

[Chinasaur]

Things to do while in the surgical theatre:

1. Do NOT attempt to BORG the Heart/Lung monitor. This is needed for rather more important things.

2. Do NOT wake up during surgery.

3. Do NOT GROPE the nurses prior to anesthaetization. They are friends with the Anesthaetist and he might give you slightly "less" than you need to get even for his friends.

4. DO tell the Doctor what is SUPPOSED to be operated on. YOU are the consumer. He is the Service provider.

5. In a joking way..find a way to ask the surgeon if he is sober. This should be self-explanatory.

6. DO tell the Surgeon that if you do NOT make it..you will come back and infest the carbeuration system of EVERY CAR HE OWNS TILL HE DIES just to get even :)

7. After you get your painkillers, and they happen to pull the covers off your "lower extremities"... find a way to smile and waggle your eyebrows at the nurses. Nurses dig this sort of behaviour.

8. Remind the Surgeon how much you are worth for repeat business..appeal to his greed to do a good job.

9. DO grope the nurses AFTER you are anaesthitized..they find this cute AFTER you have the drugs onboard..not before.

10. Relax, act scared, and enjoy the nurses petting you and talking baby talk to you..it's the best part..specially if they have to reach over you ;)

Best of luck mate!!!!

[Merlin45]

No one memtioned the BEST part...








SPONGE BATHS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If done by the opposite sex...............

[LichtJF]

Still ha snightmares about his first spnge bath and the male nurse who gave it. Leave spongebaths aout of this please.

[Guilherme]

I think you shouldn't worry. I had a surgery in 1989, to put a platinum pin in my left elbow (the pin was used to make the fracture recovery easier, it was removed 1 month later). I was 10 years old, I remember leaving my bedroom in the hospital, to the surgery room. I remember the doctor talking to me, I received a mask and after that, I only remember waking up again, in my bedroom. I felt no discomfort after the surgery, the painkillers worked fine. The only problem is that I was thirsty and I couldn't drink water right after the surgery (because of possible side efects of the anesthesics, if i drank water), but it wasn't a big deal.

I wish you good recovery from the surgery. Everything will be fine.

[Twiztid Truckie]

Im back from surgery. All went fine. Back to sleepy I go.

Thanks Guys!

Brian:)

[Bok]

Good to hear!

Bok

[Twiztid Truckie]

Having a hard time trying to sleep right now so maybe ill hang out for little.

:)

[PY 222]

Originally posted by Twiztid Truckie
Having a hard time trying to sleep right now so maybe ill hang out for little.

:)

WOOT... welcome back mate.

Are you on medication right now? If not... have yourself a cold one. :cheers:

[Twiztid Truckie]

No medications, or booze for me fellas. I am a "wholesome" person, and that means only nutritional, and non- manmade things for my consumption. Has kept me in excellent shape so far. But thanks for the welcoming again. Feels good to be back. Guess Ill be hanging around for a few weeks till I can go back to work.

Brian:)

[LAURENU2]

Originally posted by Twiztid Truckie
Im back from surgery. All went fine. Back to sleepy I go.

Thanks Guys!

Brian:)

Good tp hear your back Now reast and get better fast And get off them drugs as soon as you can

[Moogie]

Glad to see you back and doing well! Hope your recovery goes smoothly.

[LAURENU2]

The hardest part about it is all the time you need to recover from the surgery
You lose track of what day it is . You go crazy looking for things to do,
And your guts get all out of timings you are use to:dump: :sleepy: :dump: