Oh, I was home at 2.30!

Didn't get into theatre until after 11.30 though - the rest was recovery.

It was only investigative, part of a research programme.

Hello Julie,

There's no point in worrying! If you need surgery you need it and should
have it done.

Modern medicine takes very great care of such things. I went into hospital
at 8 am this morning and was first seen by the surgeon. He asked all sorts
of questions about my general health as well as the procedure he'd be doing
(an hysteroscopy). He's done this before (it's for a research programme),
even so he went through the whole procedure. He also asked me if there was
anything I would like to know and answered what I asked. He was very
thorough.

I was then seen by the anaesthetist. She too has seen me before but she too
went through the whole procedure. She also asked me about any medical
condition which might affect the anaesthesia - including epilepsy. She had
my medical record of course and knew that I'd had a meningioma and she asked
how my epilepsy was now. She asked about my heart murmur, whether I had
false or loose teeth and all sorts of other things. She asked me if I had
any questions. She was very thorough.

The last interview was with the charge nurse. He asked about my general
health, allergies and when I last ate and drank etc., if I was wearing
jewellery, nail polish or other cosmetics and if I had body piercing and
went through the whole procedure. He asked if I had any questions and
answered them. He was very thorough.

I'm sure these procedures are the norm and that if a patient has any
condition which might cause a problem on the table they'll have a way to
deal with it.

I eventually went into theatre at something after 11.30 and was in the
recovery room at just after noon. I was cared for very well, all my needs
were seen to and I was monitored very keenly. They gave me water and I had a
choice of tea or coffee and toast or biscuits. I wasn't allowed to think of
getting up or coming home until I was ready. All the nursing staff answered
all my questions even though, as I say, I've had this done several times.

Apart from feeling tired and very, very thirsty and with a bit of a sore
throat I'm absolutely fine now. I wasn't worried at all but if I had been
I'm confident that I'd have been treated with great kindness, compassion and
sensitivity until I was re-assured.

Please don't ever worry about how you'll be in a surgical theatre. You'll be
very well cared for. It's in their interest to know what might complicate
the event so don't keep anything back.

Modern medicine, while not 100% perfect (they're not magicians and we're all
different) is excellent.

I hope this helps, it's very fresh in my mind and is honest!

Mary

Hey, Julie, just to ease your mind.  Surgery itself isn't bad because you
will be sleeping.  I've told doctors that's the best sleep I've ever had is
when I'm knocked out by anesthesia.

It's the recovery at home that isn't real comfortable though, but I'm stupid
and don't take the pain meds when I get home (well a couple of times I
did).   I haven't had any problems with anesthesia or pain medications so
far (knock on wood) as far as epilepsy goes.  At one point I was having
seizures due to abscesses under a couple of teeth (was running a fever).
After they did the mouth surgery, and I'm talking immediately afterwards,
all the seizure symptoms disappeared.

Barb

Thanks to everyone who's wished me well. I am. You can't get rid of this
tough old bird as easily as by poking a camera up me :-)

Mary