Hi Everyone-

I am delighted to say that I have finally landed a surgery date of July 18, 2008! Whoo hoo! What an answer to prayer!

However, now that I officially have a date set...the panic has set in. I've never had any type of surgery before in my life...and I'm scared. I've also never had anesthesia.

What should I expect on the day of surgery? The hours after?

You guys seem to be such a great group of experts And I need all the advice I can get. Anything I should be prepared for that maybe they haven't told me?

Were you guys scared before your surgery? I'm just so worried something is going to go wrong the day of surgery :confused2:

Anyway-thanks in advance for any advice/tips.

Much love!

Hey PDX I am in Eugene! Hooray so close.

Congrats on your surgery date. Its easy to say but it is true.. Don't worry.. This is the first day to the rest of your life.

When you're on the table and they put the mask on you... You will take only a few breathes not feel a thing and wake up banded. Once they wake you up you may or may not have a dry itchy throat. They usually give you some ice cubes or Water for it. For the next couple hours you will be really sleepy and doze on and off. They will get you up and have you walk around after that. You will be a little stiff and maybe sore but just take it slow.

Good LUCK!

Thank you SO MUCH Brandy! Nice to see a fellow Oregonian on here

Minor surgery is surgery on someone else. If it's on me or you it isn't minor. I've had chest surgery, hip replacement surgery, shoulder surgery, skin cancer surgery and late life appendix rupture. I never have became blaise about surgery. I'm trying to get mine scheduled now and when it is, I will be apprehensive until it's over.

Except for the chest surgery which came from a car wreck, and the appendis thing, right up to them putting me under I've been on the verge of saying, no way you're cutting on me, let's call this off. Never have and I'm still here. I hope this surgery is as fast to recover from as all state. Bonne Chance

Congratulations on your surgery date! It's SO exciting and of course you are apprehensive.... I always think that anyone who isn't a bit nervous about the idea of surgery, hasn't really given enough thought to the process.

Everyone is different but I'm 55 years old and the surgery was a breeze for me. I walked to the operating room and got up on the table myself, joked around with the nurse and anesthesiologist for a few minutes while they got things set up, I took a couple of breaths into the mask, and woke up in the recovery room. I do remember that I was surprised to feel a little bit of discomfort when I woke up... I guess I thought the pain meds they gave me during surgery would keep me from feeling any pain at least for a few hours. It wasn't really pain, it was more like I had bindings around my waist (which I did not). After about an hour I walked down the hall to a recliner where I sat for about another hour and then I walked out to the parking lot, got in the car (passenger seat!) and made the 25 minute ride home with no discomfort.

I got home around 4:30 p.m. and I felt really good. I didn't even have anyone stay with me that night. I stayed up late and was full of energy (I think it was a reaction to some of the meds they gave me, maybe whatever they gave me to wake me up from anesthesia). I walked a lot, watched TV, and played on the computer.

I would definitely recommend taking pain medication before you go to bed that night, even if you don't really think you need it. I woke up in the middle of the night feeling pretty uncomfortable, which could have been avoided if I'd taken the medication before I went to bed. Pain meds work best if you take them before the pain gets too bad.

When I woke up in the morning I felt pretty good, just mildly uncomfortable. Around the middle of the day it all caught up with me and I felt very sleepy. I slept most of that afternoon, and all of that night.

You will do great! Can't wait to read your surgery day story in a few weeks!