on anesthetists and being "special"

[pamela]

Well, yesterday I spent a long afternoon in pre-op teaching and lab workups for my (what I hoped) imminent ACL reconstruction surgery. Then I went off to see the anesthetist and he was unable to see himself managing my operation. It seems with my shiny new pig valve I've been transported into the realm of a difficult case, requiring higher monitoring.

I was disappointed but he shone a light into my gloom when he told me there was a new anesthesiology specialist in town who'd be starting work on October fifteenth. So, I guess I'll likely be having surgery, just not next week.

It boggles my mind how I could go through eleven surgeries (yes, call me Baroness Munchausen if that makes the number easier to deal with) without adverse effect prior to my BAV diagnosis and now, once the dangerous condition has been corrected, I'm relegated to the corridors of "specialist anesthesia."

Has anyone else faced this bias and paranoia from their surgical teams before?

 

[Ross]

Now whatever gave you the idea that we would? I think we all deep down inside did/do. It's another one of those things that we cannot control and being as such, drives us nuts.

Just 11? My you are my competitor aren't you.

 

[pamela]

Now whatever gave you the idea that we would? I think we all deep down inside did/do. It's another one of those things that we cannot control and being as such, drives us nuts.

Just 11? My you are my competitor aren't you.

This will be surgery 14. Do I win?

 

[Lynlw]

When Justin broke his arm, very badly you could tell just looking at it it was broken since his forarm was not straight, he needed surgery. The ER called the ortho doc but when they got to the part about his heart, the surgeon wouldn't even come in because he said they couldn't/wouldn't touch him in the OR and to splint it send him home and tell us to go to a hospital that specializes in CHD.(which I do apreciate them admittinginstead of screwing up) So we ended up taking him to Delaware where his ped card was. He actually ended up having 2 rods placed, and 3 days inpatient, which wasn't too bad,the PIA was he had the cast and rods or 3 months and had to go to the ortho a couple times a month which was an hour away, (the origonal ortho was 4 blocks from our house). Then to add insult to injury,our insurance has a thing where if you are admitted from the ER you don't have to pay anything but if not you have to pay like 50 or 100 dollars. He broke his arm about 4pm but by the time we spent home got to Delaware ect and were admitted there is was after midnight so the next day, so they charged us. I did end up winning but it was an added unneccessary stress to an already stressfull summer with Justin in a cast from June-sept.
You could only imagine how "fun" it was to find a dentist that would touch him, but that is another nightmare.
Lyn
ps Justin is only 19 but at 10 surgeries...5 OHS, pacer removal because it was malfunctioning, sternal debribment/muscle flap for the infection, pyloric stenosis (7 days after his first OHS)and 2 on his arm.I would be quite happy if he didn't add to the number for another decade or 2

 

[pamela]

Lyn, I'm so glad Justin is doing well. I can only hope with you that he's not going to need surgical intervention for quite some time. Blessings to you.

Your story makes me even more thankful that my son, 21 year old, Derek, was otherwise healthy and fit when he was involved in a car accident this summer. He was a passenger in a vehicle that went off the road and collided with an embankment and several trees.

I thought it was a simple fracture of his arm. We were flown in an air ambulance to the nearest trauma hospital and after seven hours of surgery were told that he stood a greater than 95% chance of losing his arm. After two weeks and seven debridement surgeries, they took his arm, above the elbow.

As I said, he's a healthy and fit young man and we have nothing but confidence that he could, very well, be competing as an olympic athlete someday. Who knew?

I've hijacked my own thread, LOL. But I wanted to say that Justin's had a lot of roadblocks, but looking at your web page, he's a remarkable young man. All the best wishes for the future go to him.

Derek's at 10 surgeries now, too and I pray he won't ever catch me.

 

[Karlynn]

(yes, call me Baroness Munchausen if that makes the number easier to deal with)

Just had to say that this was my big laugh for today. Love your sense of humor. Sometimes if we weren't laughing we'd be crying, and laughing is much healthier!

Best wishes for your procedure.

 

[Nancy]

Yes, Joe had similar problems. But the hospitals here have very good anesthesia people who work all the local hospitals. They were able to help Joe out at every surgical situation. The last one for a dialysis fistula, was done with twilight sleep and lots of local stuff. They didn't want to do General Anesthesia on him for that. He had an older member of the group with lots of experience take care of him. I was impressed because he read the entire chart, which is always a good sign, and was very clear in how he would handle things.

It isn't necessarily all of the surgeries you have had, it's more a sum total of the collateral damage those other surgeries have caused, scar tissue, heart and lung problems, arrhythmias, body chemistry problems, etc.

 

[pamela]

Karlynn-- I'm glad to keep ya smilin'. I think laughter is, indeed, the best medicine.

Nancy-- That is such a scary prospect, to be awake, even though your twighlight slumbering, during a major trauma like the organized knife wound surgery is. You are deserving of all the comfort you receive for suffering bravely with your courageous spouse. All the best dear lady. It's lovely to know you and to get a chance to be acquainted with your Joe through your stories of hope and perseverance.

So, how much collateral damage are we talkin?

 

[Ross]

This will be surgery 14. Do I win?

You know, I think you may have me by 1. I'll have to sort this out in my mind and add them up, but I know it's close.

 

[Karlynn]

If there is a prize for the winner - who gets to deliver it?

 

[Nancy]

"So, how much collateral damage are we talkin?"

Everyone's different in that respect, that's for sure.

Joe didn't remember anything about that surgery, they said twilight, but he was out.

He was awake for his pacemaker surgery, and told me that the surgeon and he talked about sports

Joe had a high tolerance for pain, and basically told me that he didn't care what they did to him as long as it helped and he was alive.

 

[pamela]

"So, how much collateral damage are we talkin?"

Everyone's different in that respect, that's for sure.

Joe didn't remember anything about that surgery, they said twilight, but he was out.

He was awake for his pacemaker surgery, and told me that the surgeon and he talked about sports

Joe had a high tolerance for pain, and basically told me that he didn't care what they did to him as long as it helped and he was alive.

I'm just returning to this thread and re-read through. Nancy, this is a remarkable testimony on what our bodies and minds can survive. Joe's story makes it easier for me to face the epidural anesthetic and the prospect of being (even partially) awake through what I'm imagining will be a noisy and messy operation.

The anesthesiologist promised me that I'll be groggy enough to be unconcerned but awake enough that he can bore me to sleep with his conversation.

The date's set for November 27... I'll be getting a new ligament for my birthday!

 

[Phyllis]

Pamela,
I'm glad you got an anesthesiologist that can solve this problem and I'm sending prayers your way for a successful and pain free operation and recovery. I put you on the calendar so be sure to let us know how it goes.