Going to surgery on Monday Need you to talk to me

Although I was not real happy at having to be carved up, I too was most afraid of going under the general anesthesia. Anyone with a touch of the control-freak in them knows that that is the scariest part. I don't know how to get over the anxiety when it is the first time you are facing the situation. It does help to think of just how many of us have had the same surgery, and how many understand what you are currently feeling, and how many of us woke up just fine with no anesthesia incident whatsoever. Maybe a bit of grogginess throughout the day. I remember spending the rest of the day at home on the couch, having a mild anesthesia hangover, napping a few times. Since I have "gone under" more than once now, it bothers me a lot less than that first time.

On the other hand, I once had an excisional biopsy (basically a lumpectomy that had a benign tumor) where I was conscious in the OR the entire time. By being unconscious, all you miss is the routine operative talk. Then, if they have to send something out for pathology during the surgery, that's when the table talk starts. The surgery crew starts to go on about their lives and what they have coming up on the weekend. It's hardly riveting stuff, and they are healthcare staff after all so not the best storytellers out there. Most of what you hear just makes you wish you were knocked out in the first place. Trust me when I say, you might just be better off sleeping thru' the whole deal.

positive - Propofol is a great drug for surgery because you tend not to wake up with the anesthesia hangover as the drug is pretty much reversed out of your system when surgery is over, and the times I have been able to have it I was very sharp upon waking up and was ready to go home much faster. If you are feeling very nervous ask to sign your surgical consent right as you arrive and then they may be able to give you something for anxiety immediately in pre-op. You might also ask if you can take an anti-anxiety med the night before surgery as long as it is ok'ed by your surgeon. Good luck - you can do this!

I also agree with SpecialK.. tell the anesthesiologist you are super nervous as soon as you meet him/her..which will be way before the actual surgery. You'll probably get a nice relaxing dose of something in your IV.

I had a lumpectomy on the 12th of September. The surgeon took the lump and she also took two lymph nodes, so two incisions. I came out of my anesthesia just fine and quickly. I was walking out of the hospital 30 minutes later. I was sore; not in pain and didn't require any pain medication. I did have an allergic reaction to the chloraprep, which was used to swab and clean the area prior to surgery, but it was just a mild rash that didn't itch very often and cleared on its own after a couple of weeks. Truth be told, it did freak me out a little. :-)

I think it's easier said that done, but just try to relax as best you can. You trust you doctor, so trust she'll do her best, and you'll come out just fine. And more importantly, be aware of what what will, and what may happen, and don't let some of the stories you hear/read scare you too much. Everybody is different.

I was lucky. I hope you're just as lucky, too. I'll say some prayers for you!

Yes. My diagnosis did stay the same (Stage 2 ER+) It was caught early but appeared out of nowhere fast! Now I'm just waiting on the Oncotype DX text results, which will help my Oncologist determine which type of chemo she'll have me go through. As we all learn - the waiting is the worst because it gives us too much time to think. I had the two pre-surgery appointments (nuclear medicine and the wire insertion) the same day as the surgery, so it was a very long day for me. I had a book on my phone, which greatly helped to pass the time; that and family. :-)

The pre-op stuff and the waiting to go into the O.R. are longer than your surgery will be. I don’t like to be out of control either, but when you’ve got this kind of stress (and will not be in a position to make momentous decisions, exercise responsibility for anyone, operate heavy machinery or drive), this is the ideal situation for which powerful anti-anxiety meds were developed. Think of your surgery day as your official “absence excuse note.” You will get some tranquilizers (usually Versed) in your I.V., and then the next thing you know you’ll be waking up in Recovery. (The propofol will be given to you after you’ve gotten really sleepy, and in retrospect you won’t remember it—it seems that quick). You will be on your way home most likely within an hour after being wheeled back to your room, and if your experience is anything like mine was, you will probably be able to walk to your car rather than be in a wheelchair. I ordered out for Thai that first night, and went out to dinner the next.

You’ve got this!

(((((Hugs)))))
It's normal to be worried, anxious, and stressed before surgery. I remember how insanely scared I was before my lumpectomy! The ladies here tried to encourage me, but I wasn't convinced.

I'm here to tell you that you will do just fine! Honestly, the lumpectomy and node removal is a piece of cake, very simple! I took more time in Pre-Op than I did in the OR. The whole thing was finished in under 45 minutes and within 2 hours of being wheeled into recovery, I was on my way home.
One thing I will mention is that the node removal spot will be sore. The hospital that I went to gave me a small, heart shaped pillow and that was a God send! I used it under my arm and it took the pressure off, which greatly reduced the pain and discomfort. I also used the pillow on the way home, between the seatbelt and my breast. Perfect!
My lumpectomy incision was never sore, or even tender. It was just the node removal spot that was sore and that lasted about 3 days or so.

I promise you, the entire procedure is very, very do able and nowhere near as horrible as we have built up in our minds.
When I got home, I was up sitting at my computer desk, going through emails! You're going to do amazing!!! Try not to stress!

Positive, book another trip to Europe (or a cruise or whatever) for a few months from now—it will give you something to look forward to during your active adjuvant treatments (most likely, just rads). I took a trip to New Orleans (both for continuing legal education and to play at a coffeehouse) & PA (senior center gig) between my diagnostic imaging and biopsy (the radiologist assured me the two-week wait was safe); and so long as I was doing fun stuff like singing, eating, going to concerts and sightseeing it was quite therapeutic.

But what was even more so for me was the knowledge that three months hence we had a Mediterranean cruise (booked just before my husband had some spring-summer surgical adventures) coming up. I let both my surgeon and oncologists (MO, RO) know about it, and they tailored the timing of my surgery & treatments to maximize the likelihood I’d get to go (on condition, my BS joked, that I take her along with me). Before my OncotypeDX came back and confirmed my MO’s reassurance I probably wouldn’t need chemo, she even worked out a timetable that would have scheduled my treatments so that my cruise would fall during the “feeling better” week of a chemo cycle. I was able to drive to Rockford to perform two weeks post-op and to Iowa for a music conference a month post-op. Everything worked out perfectly—and three weeks after my last radiation treatment I was on a plane to Rome to board my cruise ship. I have since taken two more trips to Europe and two (one flying, one driving) to San Antonio and NC.

Thinking of pleasant adventures in the not-too-distant future will get you through this!

Dear Positive, I bet these days prior will be worse than the actual occurrence of the surgery. They will be monitoring your oxygen levels and you heart and respirations continually...I mention this since you had stated about your worry about it. The anesthesiologist sits right at your head the entire time....of course you will be slumbering peacefully and won't know it! I do want to warn you the propofol stings for 1 second as it goes in your IV...so don't let that scare you....and then you are asleep. I had worked with the anesthesiologist who did my last colonoscopy and his was talking to to me about all this stuff.....I said, just hit me Doc..I've been here about 10 times in the last 3 years as a patient....and he did!

You wake up "sweet" with good recall, very little pain and get dressed and go home. Best of luck. Try to feel secure in your care