My Up Coming Surgery
Moms View Message Board: General Discussion: Archive December 2006:
My Up Coming Surgery
Yeessh, I'm stressed out. For those of you who don't remember or didn't seem my post awhile back, I'm going in next week for a breast reduction.
It's scheduled for December 14. I wanted it to be as close to the holidays as possible as DH is off between Christmas and New Years and I won't be able to lift my kids for a few weeks. Not to mention that they both manage to kick me in the b**bs at least once a day while I'm changing diapers. Matthew looked at me the other day and said "What's that? It's big!" Referring to my chest. Geez they start early.
The doctor's office called on Monday to say that my surgery had to be cancelled as they had a serious Melanoma (sp?) case, a women in her 40s whose husband just died a few months ago. So they were bumping me which meant I couldn't have it done until the spring. Of course I agreed, that poor women my heart goes out to her and her family. So I cancelled my appointment to have my blood work done, which was scheduled for today. I was relieved. I'm really scared I've never had surgery before and had not been in hospital until I had my children. Anyway they called back today and found some OR time so now it's back on.
I'm afraid of being put under, I can't stand the thought of being on a respirator and having a tube down my throat, I'm afraid I won't wake up and I'm afraid of the pain. There I said it. I put it out there. I'm scared ----less! It's not a totally necessary surgery and it could mess up my life. I don't want to have regrets. What if something happens?
The secretary tried to reassure me today and said that a lot of women experience very little pain afterwards and that 2 days later they are sitting at their desks working away. She said "You'll be fine". The surgeon said it's more dangerous to commute every day on the highway then it is to have surgery; he did say that all surgeries have risks.
I don't know why I'm writing this I guess I just need to put it out to the sisters. Thanks for reading if you got this far!
Oh, Heaventree, your fears are normal. I won't tell you don't worry, because that's an exercise in futility. I will tell you that your surgeon is right. Yes, there are always risks associated with surgery, and you are certainly aware of them. But if you have a good surgeon and a good hospital team, the risks are really very, very minimal.
Do you know that you are going to be on a respirator, or have a tube down your throat? I've had several surgeries, and was never (to my knowledge) on a respirator at any time. Nor did I ever have a tube down my throat - I'd know, because there is some soreness. Or are you talking about a really little tube, like the one my Ear/Nose/Throat doctor puts down my throat to look at my vocal cords a couple of times a year?
At any rate, I think having breast reduction surgery is a good reason to have surgery. My mom had very large breasts, and I still remember the deep red marks on her shoulders when she got ready for bed every night. And, as she got older and her breast sagged, they sagged down really far, and that was not a pretty sight and was also very uncomfortable for her.
I can only tell you that I have had several surgeries - the first to remove an ovarian cyst and ovary in about 1958, a hysterectomy around 1970, removal of a growth in my neck, and most recently wrist surgery in 1994. My mom had a hysterectomy in about 1960, arthroscopic surgery and three knee replacement surgeries (in the same knee), hip surgery to remove the bursa, and a couple more that I don't remember. Each surgery for each of us went well, and medical technology and training has improved exponentially since then. I'll be waiting for you to post that you're home from the hospital, a bit sore, and glad you had it done.
I will urge you to follow the doctor's instructions very, very carefully - especially about not lifting. Is there someone who can be with you during the day when your dh isn't there, to do all the lifting for you? You'll even find some twinges and pulls if you try to fasten your bra, or maybe even brush your hair, for at least the first few days, but you will heal much better and faster if you ask for help every time you need it - none of this "I don't want to be a burden" stuff, please.
I've been through 2 c-sections and a foot surgery. Although, I have never had a general anesthesia, they did sedate me, after Emily was born, with the second c-section. I wasn't even aware they had done it, until much later.
It's normal to be scared. I think I would be, too. With the c-sections, I didn't have to wait long, because it was done the day my water broke, with both of them. They weren't planned.
Ditto on the taking it easy afterwards. You'll probably feel tired and stuff. With my foot surgery, it just felt so much better, when I was laying down, with it elevated, so I wasn't up very much. My kids were older, though. Sarah was about 8 and Emily would have been 5.
Heaventree, your fears are totally normal. I have been under general anesthesia twice in the past five years for surgery on my trachea. Yes, you will be intubated, but you won't be on a respirator. The tube is largely to maintain an open airway while you are under general anesthesia. You will have no idea that it is there except your throat may be a little sore afterwards. However, you will be preoccupied with soreness elsewhere and probably won't notice it.
I normally don't get upset by surgery, but I did have a little freak out with my first tracheal surgery because (1)A mistake on the airway can be fatal and (2)The area for surgery was 9 mm below my vocal cords and I was very fearful of my vocal cords being damaged and losing my voice permanently. I had a great doctor whom I trusted though and everything was fine (except I peed on myself in recovery because I had an IV so long and was still drugged up  )
Express your fears to your doctor and anesthesiologist and they can help allay them. The anesthesiologist will probably give you something to relax you before you go down to the OR anyway. Yes, things do go wrong in surgery sometimes, but that happens MUCH less often than not. They have to give you the worst case scenario for liability purposes, but millions of people have surgery every day with no problems. You can do it!!
Thank you all so much. I thought I would be on a respirator as that is what someone told me. She said "Did you know that you don't breathe on your own when you're under?" Another person just gave me a wonderful horror story about waking up during her c-section. She said she could feel the incision, that her eyes were taped shut and that she had tube down her throat. She said your first impulse is to try and breathe but you can't because you have a tube in your throat and she thought she was dying. She said she felt helpless and that there was nothing she could do, she could hear her baby crying.
WHY do people feel they need to share their horror stories with you?! You wouldn't believe what some people told me when I was pregnant the first time! How they almost died, etc.
I'm scared but much less so, THANK YOU!
Ginny, I plan to follow my doctor's instructions to the letter. One of my biggest fears is infection so don't worry I've got that covered. My MIL will be here next Wednesday, DH is taking Thursday (day of my surgery) and Friday off, he will be home all weekend and my MIL will be here for the following week, then DH will be off for almost 2 weeks. So I will have a full 3 weeks recovery before lifting the kids. We did have to explain to my MIL that she could not leave me alone with the kids while she was here. She thought that DH would take her Christmas shopping. I spoke to her and aske DH to follow up with her on that point again.
The surgeon is required by law to inform you of everything that COULD go wrong, but in 99.7% of the cases, don't go wrong. He's just covering his bases.
I don't know how big your boobs are, but the older you get the harder it will be to carry them around, so in a sense, this is necessary. And it's good.
A respirator is for people whose lungs are not working on their own. You will be asleep, and you know that you do breathe in your sleep, just very very slowly.
Like Dawn, I had a c-section when I had my son. It was an emergency, as his heart rate had dropped and they didn't know why, so they got him out asap. When I woke up, he was 6 hours old. The doctor told me everything went perfectly, and my boy was fine. I had a dry throat and had a bit of trouble talking, but that went away within a day.
It is so great that you have a MIL willing to come and take care of the kids for you. You are a lucky lady to have such caring family.
One other thing to remember is to have a sense of humor. It is the key to getting through tough times. Crack a joke whenever possible. My dh would, and it usually works on me.
I've had a c-section and I had some Breast Tissue removed from my armpits...that's a whole other story. LOL
When I had the Breast Tissue removed I was put under and I was so scared. I remeber the doctor telling me to think of my son and asked me a question about him. Next thing you know I was waking up and don't remember a thing except thinking about DS before I was out.
Heaven,
I don't know why people tell their horror stories...my C section went fine. I've never heard of anyone's eyes being taped shut.
However, if they are telling you the story, they survived it didn't they?
I recommend this book "Calm My Anxious Heart". My best friend recommended it as she worries a lot. Her worries caused her C section to go awry, but after reading that book, her second C section was a breeze. It's a Christian book, so I don't know about your religious affiliation but it helped her change the way she looked at things.
I'm buying this book for my present worries about sleep, etc that I posted in the home security post.
Above all, I'm so proud of you for doing this! Technology is good nowadays and everything is less invasive.
And, maybe you could freeze some food so those taking care of you have less worries and can concentrate on you and the kidlets!
I've had around 14 surgries in my lifetime. I can assure you that it is normal to be nervous. I've learned not to think about my upcoming surgeries or I'd worry myself crazy. It's just something that you never get used to; but I've never had any problems other than a little nausea in the recovery room from the anesthesia.
Hugs for you, Heaven. It has always confused me why people must share those horror stories. Ditto about hearing them while I was pregnant. Like you, I have never had any surgery. Believe it or not, one of the worst horror stories for me came from the nurse who was teaching the childbirth classes I attended. She spent an entire half hour telling us EVERY detail involved with the epidural. Passed around the needle, the works. One of the dad's became ill half way through. I started to cry and had to leave. I was terrified! I left convinced I couldn't handle the epidural. I didn't go back to the classes. Instead I talked with my doctor who calmed my fears. I'm so glad. As is turned out, it was a piece of cake! My dh said some people just enjoy lots of drama.
You're in my thoughts and prayers. Good for you for taking care of yourself.:-)
Thanks again to everyone above and for all the lovely emails.
I just hope I'll be feeling well enough to be here on Secret Santa night for the chat!
((((HUGS)))) I had to be put under once and I felt like you.I was so happy when I woke up,I was saying hello to everyone.My throat hurt for a day after surgery.I just gargled with salt water and it seemed to help.
One of my online friends had a reduction done two years ago and she LOVES her new body. She even sent before and after shots. Such a big difference. I think you will be so glad you had it done, once you get through the first couple of weeks of course. But the best things in life always come with a little bit of pain involved, don't they?.. You will do great... You will be in all of our thoughts for sure...
Just wanted you to know you're in my thoughts, Heaven! How are you doing with the anxiety?
Sending hugs!
Thanks SO much Nicki for asking and thinking of me. My anxiety was hightened today as I found last minute that I have to have pre-op blood work done. No one told me, or should I say it was a miscommunication between the surgeon's office and myself, but it's all sorted out, I'll have it done tomorrow.
I'm trying not to think too much about it.
I'm hoping to be back online for the Secret Santa chat!
I'll be keeping you in my thoughts this week. {{{Hugs}}}
{{{HUGS}}} Will be keeping you in my prayers on Thursday! I hope you can make it to the chat!
Thinking of you.
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