I'm so scared of my surgery on Tuesday

Hello HW Family,

I'm having my bladder surgery on Tuesday to correct incontinence that has been going on for so many years and I'm scared to death.  My current pain levels and depression/anxiety levels are through the roof.  I'm less scared about the actual pain from the surgery than of the pain in my back from the procedure itself.  You see....they do most of it from the inside and the rest from incisions in the creases of the legs and perhaps the top of the pubic bone area too.  If I'm laying on a table and asleep, I can't tell them when they are killing my back.....I just feel it afterwards.  Since I know how bad I have felt for the last few days, I'm terrified about having them positioning me for surgery and then adjusting to the pain from the back manipulations.  That area gets worse every day!  Part of me wants to call it off, but I know that the incontinence will only get worse if I don't fix it and the back will never get better unless I have them go in and take out the bone that did not fuse and then add a cage and try to create a better fusion.  I just cannot deal with that kind of pain again. 

I'm going to beg my PM (who will be doing the anestesia...yeaahhh!) to please have them monitor my position during the procedure and to please help with the back pain as much as possible.  I'm also going to remind the surgeon and any nurse that will listen that my back pain is unbearable and can be significantly increased if they are not very careful with the positioning. 

I'm just plain terrified to have this done!  I know I need it.  I know I'll do it, but I dread it with every part of my being.  Everybody says I'm a healthy "young" woman, but I feel like pain is killing me one day at a time....emotionally, physically, and in so many other ways.

Gee you are way ahead of most then if your PM dr is handling the anesthesia, who better to know your pain than him. I think if you speak with him about your concerns he will do all he can to avoid future problems. It is always scary having surgery of any kind and I think when CP is involved it tends to push us a little over the edge at times. The best you can do is try to slow down your stress factors as they will only add to increasing your pain level. You may not have the problems you are anticipating. Big deep breaths. Take care & good luck. Susie

Good luck, we will all be thinking about you!

Dear RM:

Best of luck to you.  You sound (seem?) like a sensational person with a good heart and spirit.  I am literally saying a "Hail Mary" as I write this.  I have never been very religious, but dealing with my constant pain is making me think it might not be a bad thing.

It's great that you are keeping your pain doctor so informed.  It never occurred to me that in my 7 surgeries, it might have been helpful to do what you are doing.

Love and best wishes,

Riccardo

Dearest Mom , I do know the fear your feeling , and I hope there'll be someone to go with you to the surgery and be by your side . You are a wonderful person and I'll be praying hard for things to go right for you and that your pain levels will be low . Please keep us , your family posted on your condition , we love you here and care very much how you are doing . I'll be thinking of you !! Lots of Love , your friend Mikel

Right with you on the back issues. Mine's a disaster.
I always ask to talk pre-op with the anesthetist as well as the anesthesiologist, because the anesthetist is never told anything in my experience. I also make him/her wait to start pushing the sleep med until I get myself settled on the table. I've been zonked while half sitting up a couple of times. They're always trying to rush their job because the surgery schedule always too packed.

If you are nervous ask for some pre-medication to help you relax. It'll halp your spine too! I refuse Versed routinely because it just makes me feel awful for a couple of days, but a little Valium helps a lot because it's a great muscle relaxant. (I also don't like the idea of amnestics, which is mostly what the Versed is for.) But ask ahead of time!! Often you can't get anything pre-op if you don't tell them the day before that you need it.

Thank you all again. I've just sent my sweet daughter to her grandmother's to stay and we'll be leaving here at 5:30 AM. I was just told NOT to bring any of my pain meds to the hospital, so we'll see what they do.

Thanks for the advise on the anesthetist as well as the anesthesiologist (since I really didn't know anything about there being a difference). I'll keep that in mind.

Tina, I'll keep you posted on how this thing goes and which exact procedure they do. If it works well (I pray it works well) and isn't too awful bad, then I'll be glad to share the experience with you so that you might consider it. I know how long I waited when I should have done something years ago. It's hard to consent to have someone cut into your body when you know there could be negative results and surgeries haven't exactly been my friend in the past.


On a slightly separate note: I just couldn't resist telling you guys this... my reumy ordered a nerve conduction tests on both hands and arms for a neurologist...no consult, just test...so anyway, I called them today to set it up and told them I was having bladder surgery tomorrow and would have to wait a while because of that. She suggested Wednesday would be good (as in the next day)....duhhhh????? I said "excuse me, but didn't I mention I was having surgery tomorrow?". Then she just moved on to say, "Ok, what about the 24th?" This is follow-up, so we'll do it on the 1st of October, but I can't even understand what these people are thinking. What exactly are we thinking when we want someone to just have surgery, get up, walk out, and go to another town for a nerve conduction study the next day. Then I go to PM on Thursday. It's no wonder I'm starting to feel crazy about all the Dr apts. I think even the receptionists are crazy.

Hi RM,

I'm coming in a little late here. I'm not sure I have anything more to add regarding your positioning during your surgery/preventing further back pain, other than perhaps to request that they use extra cushioning. My real reason for posting was to wish you the very best of luck tomorrow. I hope that they surgery goes smoothly and is a big success! Hopefully you will only have minimum post-operative pain in both your groin and your back.

I will be thinking of you tomorrow. You are in my thoughts and prayers. Get a good night's sleep & try not to stress yourself out about tomorrow too much. Don't forget to bring comfy clothes for after surgery & lots of blanket and pillows for the car ride home!

bug hugs,
Skeye

Hi RetiredMom:

I just wanted to wish you well tomorrow! You will be in my thoughts and prayers.

Lorie

Thank you all so much!!! I'm up, bathed with the new pre-surgical body wash they give now (that was new to me) and ready to go....I guess. I still haven't waken my husband up. We'd look really silly getting there this early, but I was having nightmares so it was time to move on and get up.

I hope you all have a wonderful, painfree day.

I'll catch up with you as soon as I can........:)