Had my pre-op visit today

I had my pre-op visit today and it went great. My TAH/BSO is scheduled for Dec. 5. The surgery coordinator at my doctor's office explained everything to me, gave me lots of paper work to sign and read, said my insurance company gave the thumbs up (they pay everything but a $200.00 copay), ask me to ''pee'' in a cup and then promptly sent me to the lab for some blood work. The lab techs were very nice, drew my four tubes of blood without a problem. I was then on my way to Admitting for my PAT (pre-admission testing)and more paperwork. After the paperwork part, I was sent for an EKG and chest x-ray. That all went very well and I'm ready to go next Tuesday. I have to be here at 6:30 but since I'm normally here at 7:15 for work it won't be that much earlier. Oh, by the way, did I mention that I work at the same hospital where I'm having my surgery? Anyway, my instructions for the night before are no eating or drinking after midnight, use a betadine douche at bedtime, use a Fleet's enema at bedtime, and shower or bathe with Hibiclens soap. I know there was some discussion about shaving the operative site, but my instructions say it is not necessary and won't be done. Also, no over-the-counter meds, including aspirin products, or alcohol for one week prior to surgery. My appointment was at 8:45 and I was back to work before 11:00.

BUT -- Guess what happened! I started my FINAL period this morning!!!! I was hoping not to have another one but I guess you could call it my last hurrah! Anyway, I am ready and actually getting a little excited to get this over with.

Wow, your pre-op included a lot more than mine did. Two vials of blood were taken, one clean catch, an EKG and that was it. Wonder why you got so much more? I am having a TAH tomorrow.

Glad to hear it all went well for you. My pre-op is on Friday the 1st, though my surgery is not til the 11th. Sounds like they pretty much covered it all. What kind of soap is that? Did they give you some? I never heard of it.

I see my doc on Friday also and he will answer lots of questions. I'll keep checking to see how your nerves are over the weekend.......know mine will get back when it is only a week away.
Good luck, saraleah (wish I lived in the sunny south!!)

Hi Sunny South! I also am having my TAHBSO (on Jan 5) at the same hospital that I work at. There are definitely some pros and cons to that! What department do you work in?
I am a transcriptionist, so I type lots of TAHBSo's and believe me, reading about it is far from having it done!
All of the preop stuff sounds like too much fun. Where I work you can get a measure of privacy by requesting through the records department that your reports are kept confidential and only handled by one transcriptionist (I don't relish the thought of my co-workers all reading my procedure). You might think about that. Also you can let your department know if you want visitors or not. One nice thing, we always send flowers up!

Have a great procedure, hope you are on the mend soon--enjoy that hospital food!

Hi, everyone. Racquel -- I don't know why they did all the tests but they did know that I hadn't had blook work done since August and it had been forever since I had a chest x-ray or EKG. So that may be why.

saraleah - I have never heard of that soap either. They said I could buy it at the drug store. And, believe me, I am glad to live in the sunny south except in the summer when it's 100+ in the shade! LOL

momkidd - I work in the Research and Development department. Thanks for reminding me about the confidentiality thing. I will request that. I know what you mean about the advantages and disadvantages. It's nice to know the people that will be caring for you but it also means lots of visitors. It's so nice that they send flowers at your hospital. We always try to for anyone in our department that is hospitalized but that's an individual department thing here. Thanks for the good wishes -- same to you and all the LIWs. Oh, and on the subject of food -- we have a very nice deli in the building where I will be so if I can't stand the regular food, I'll just send DH to get me something good from there.

I have used the special soap before surgeries in the past. The doctor gave me some and so did the hospital at my pre-op. It appears to be a lot like the betadine(same color if my memory is right). I was always told to wash with it the night before surgery and the day of surgery. I believe it has some thing to do with keeping the risk of infections down.
My surgery is not until Dec. 18 so my pre-op appointments are the week before on the 12th. Pretty sure mine will be alot like yours was. Sounds familiar to all of my others in the past.
Good luck on your surgeries girls.

TVH/BSO with bladder repair
Dec. 18

SunnySouth and momkidd, I know what you mean about the advantages and disadvantages of knowing staff members in the hospital where you're having a procedure done. One of my sister's best friends was a nurse at the hospital where her son was born. She was so insistant at visiting the baby at all times of the night, that my sister's doctor finally ordered her to be banned from visiting outside of visiting hours: she was simply too disruptive to the baby's schedule.

SunnySouth, so sorry the Goddess had one last stab at you before you go to the castle!!!