what are you scared of?

[ChouDoufu]

i just checked my calendar, and somehow i'm only about three weeks away
from major surgery. i've only had dental surgery and tonsils removed in the
past, haven't spent a night in hospital since i was eight.

running out of time, too much to prepare. passport with visa should be
ems'd early next week, bought tickets (except for the final return leg),
still need train tix. will go to the medical school next week to arrange
for daily help. fortunately, my recovery period is during spring break,
so plenty of nursing students needing a part time job. gotta find someone
with a freezer to store my precious cheese.

too busy to be scared, in fact i'm looking forward to getting this over and
done with, being able to start marathon training again. strangely, no
fear of dying on the table, or complications afterwards.

what am i afraid of?

1. that after all this worry, they'll run some tests and tell me i don't need
surgery after all, that i can treat my condition with medications, which will
just put me in a holding pattern until it eventually worsens enough.

2. waking up with a ventilator tube in my throat. i have a highly-refined
gag reflex. must remember to warn the nurses about this.

3. my greatest fear.......bedpans.

 

[Mary]

i just checked my calendar, and somehow i'm only about three weeks away
from major surgery. i've only had dental surgery and tonsils removed in the
past, haven't spent a night in hospital since i was eight.

running out of time, too much to prepare. passport with visa should be
ems'd early next week, bought tickets (except for the final return leg),
still need train tix. will go to the medical school next week to arrange
for daily help. fortunately, my recovery period is during spring break,
so plenty of nursing students needing a part time job. gotta find someone
with a freezer to store my precious cheese.

too busy to be scared, in fact i'm looking forward to getting this over and
done with, being able to start marathon training again. strangely, no
fear of dying on the table, or complications afterwards.

what am i afraid of?

1. that after all this worry, they'll run some tests and tell me i don't need
surgery after all, that i can treat my condition with medications, which will
just put me in a holding pattern until it eventually worsens enough.

2. waking up with a ventilator tube in my throat. i have a highly-refined
gag reflex. must remember to warn the nurses about this.

3. my greatest fear.......bedpans.

You might find the removal of the foley catheter something else to fear if you're concerned with bedpans.

 

[ChouDoufu]

4. my newest greatest fear....the foley.

and thank you so much for the nightmares!!!

 

[Bina]

My dear ChouChou, I was scared of EVERYTHING.
I'm one of those people who likes to control anything to do with my personal self and my body, so giving up control was freaky to say the least.
In ICU I did wake up briefly with the vent, gagged for only a few seconds, brain was foggy, but I think a nurse came over and upped my drugs and I passed out. YAY.
I never saw a bedpan, and I don't really remember the pee cath being removed.
First time taking a dump was a bit worrisome....enjoy some stool softeners if you can.
Thankfully I had some great looking residents to distract me, and hey, even a couple of gay night nurses looked good
You are young and strong, all will be fine!

 

[Adrienne]

I think you'll find that the fact that you will have the Foley catheter for a couple of days will be something to be thankful for because you will not need a bed pan!! By the time they take the catheter out, you will be getting up and going to the toilet yourself.

 

[lb151]

You will find no matter what other folks say,you are still going to have your fears. You will also find out,when the time gets here,you are not going to care. I remember waking in ICU with THAT tube in my throat. The nurse told me when I could stay awake longer than I had been,she would remove it. I remember thinking this thing is going to kill me,,,but I dont recall the discomfort of it at all. I do recall thinking,,oh my gosh,,I made it!! The things you are worried about now, will not be important later,when you actually have to deal with it. Take one hour at a time,,stay in the moment.
God bless

 

[Ross]

You might find the removal of the foley catheter something else to fear if you're concerned with bedpans.

It's not that bad. Being awake when they put it in sucks though! Don't worry, you shouldn't be awake for it, but I've had it done a couple times wide awake.

You probably won't know a thing about the tube. Most people don't. If you do find yourself awake with it in, do not fight it. Try to breath with it and not against it and things will go much smoother.

Bed pan? Son they're going to make you get up and go to the toilet or get you a bed side commode.

 

[skeptic49]

I'm not thrilled about the prospect of waking up with the vent tube. Hopefullly, they knock you out if they're not ready to remove it and you start to freak.

The foley and other "delicate" stuff doesn't bother me. I've had cystoscopy a few times and other wonderfully invasive stuff in various orifices so I don't think they can surprise me in that category.

Try not to worry too much about this stuff. It'll all work out.

Jim

 

[ponygirlmom]

If you read the threads about the vent tube, you will find that most people don't remember it at all, or barely remember it being removed. Really and truly, the chances are that you won't remember it, or you will just have a vague memory of it coming out.

You also don't have to worry about a bedpan! First of all, you absolutely will not have to poop for the first 48 hours. The medications they use during surgery and anesthesia totally slow down you bowels. After a few days the nurses will be anxiously waiting for you to show some signs of bowel motility, and by that time they will also being encouraging you to get out of bed as much as you can, so when it does come time for the potty, you will definitely be using a real toilet, not a bedpan.

As for peeing, when you leave surgery you will have a catheter. This is good because they will be giving you diuretics to get rid of all those fluids they pump into you during surgery. I'm not sure how they decide when to get rid of the catheter, but by the time they do you will definitely be able to walk to the potty. Remember, after surgery they will want you to get out of bed the next day, even if it's just for a really short walk across the room or to sit in a chair for a sponge bath.

I can't help you with the "surgery cancellation" fear. I've never heard of this happening to anyone!

 

[Ross]

I'm sitting here laughing my $ss off over that pic of the bag strapped to your leg. Unless they plan on emptying it every 30 minutes, you'll have a much larger one hanging on your bedside.

 

[stilldreamin]

Thank you so much for posting your fears.... I'm afraid of those things also! Biggest fear at the moment since I don't have a date set is that they'll decide not to do the surgery right away...
But tubes and bedpans are not my favourite things either.. glad i'm not alone. Also happy to hear that most don't remember the tube. I hope we're amongst that group!

 

[Bina]

The big black chest drain tube did not thrill me, but it's only there for 2-3 days.
Later on I realized that it must have been so much worse for my hubby to sit there all day looking at the bag full of crud and the wires, etc. He was a wreck

 

[Cooker]

No fears my friend ?. None of it is as bad as you are imagining ?. I never had to use a bed pan, they had me up and moving the next day ? and speaking of ?moving?, with all the drugs you will most likely not need to ?move? before you are able to wall to the toilet on your own ? I was under when they inserted the catheter and when the took it out, no pain ?. The tube and pacer wire removal was not anything like I thought it would be, piece of cake ?. I did wake up with the vent in, tied down and fighting like a mountain gorilla ? and was advised by my DW to send flowers and a car of apology for the more than colorful expletives that flowed as soon as I was able to rasp out some words?

You will do well, Godspeed.

 

[njean]

Don't start freaking out my friend! You will do just fine! It's really surprising how much the human body can endure & you will get through it!

We all did!

Godspeed!

 

[Freddie]

No need to fret over things one cannot change.

You'll be just fine.

 

[hall]

I also woke up w/the vent in. I remember the nurse talking to me and then I was out again. I remember when they told me to cough and cough that thing out. No problems. That's all I remember is them telling me, I don't remember doing it but I sure must have. It honestly is not as bad as any of it sounds. I understand your fears. You will be ok. Cooker..........glad to hear I was not the only one a little cranky! LOL. Best of luck to you.

 

[CThrock]

Believe me we all had our fears. Just the unknown of how it was going to come out was a fear with me. Try not to dwell on it to much because it does'nt help at all. Just dwell on how your going to feel after and believe me that's what counts... Good Luck and sweet dreams!!!!

 

[WayneGM]

I don't remember the vent tube at all. By the time I was fully awake it was gone. I did wake up to the foley tube which was weird. However, the meds were great. Even when they removed the foley tube, I didn't feel a thing. I hate doctor's needles of any kind. I even prefer getting drilled by the dentist without freezing just to avoid the needle (although my current dentist won't drill without freezing). Yet, all those tubes, IVs, catheters, etc I experienced during OHS were a non-event as with the meds I didn't feel a thing.

 

[netmiff]

I rmember "waking up" enough to try and get my hand to the vent - never made it ! They kep me under for 2 full days, with the vent tube, and I don't remember it coming out. By that time, chest tubes and everything else were out too, the Foley not, but I couldn't care less.

When I check into a hospital, I leave an imaginary bag at the front door, it contains my dignity and modesty; I pick it back up when I leave! That helps me gt throught it, and knowing that I am not the first person to be seen naked and /or fighting with a breeating tube.

 

[kfay]

You won't be too worried about all of your fears when your actually living them....you will be too drugged! I wasnt' worried about the vent this time because it was the second time around and I knew what to expect. I did wake up with it in but I just visualized a tv show where they show someone with one and tried to "breath" with the noise of the machine. It helped me. I opted to keep the foley in for almost a week because I had to keep my chest tubes in for a long time and it was just too difficult to try and get all of that to the bathroom. Everyone is right about not having to go number 2 for a while. They gave me a laxative on day 4 I think, I went to show them that I could, and then I refused any more laxatives after that. I wasn't eating enough to cause any problems.

I can't begin to tell you what a relief you will feel when it is all over.

Kim