Surgery is st.patricks day

Hi. My surgery is scheduled for next thursday the 17th which is st.patricks day and im having the da vinci. My biggest concern is the needle part which i know is crazy since im having surgery but needles and i do not get along. i gave birth to two boys both naturally and to me the IV was worse than the contractions. lol. Plus I heard the IV for a hysterectomy is huge and I also heard they put this big needle in your arm during surgery to monitor your BP, Heart rate, etc and I would really like it if someone could give me a playbyplay on pre-op. I am not really concerned with post-op of course im sure I will be before surgery actually happens but im mostly worried about pre-op. If anyone has any advice or info for me I would really really appreciate it!! Thanks so much.

As far as I know the IV needle is the same as for any IV, which is relatively small. Ask them to use the Ethyl Chloride spray to freeze the IV site prior to sticking you with the needle so you don't feel it going in. I don't know anything about a needle to monitor your BP either. In the OR at the hospital where I work we use a BP cuff and a finger monitor for the pulse and oxygen.

OMG That is terrible. I hate needles too I just look away and think of something pleasant but when my very large son was born I welcomed the large needles for pain relief. It is mind over matter for sure. We all have our issues. My Davinci is scheduled for 3/18. I am praying for the least amount of pain possible. God luck to you!

Tell them you are afraid, and don't look. My IV didn't hurt at all. (There is a pre op blood draw, at the preop visit). They used a tiny lidocaine injection to numb the area---also not painful---to start the IV. Then all the meds were through the IV. Be sure to drink fluids right up to the cutoff time, if you are hydrated it's easier to start the IV. Just look away and talk about something else or think about a pleasant memory. It's over quickly.

Well thank yall so much for the advice. Ya ended up asking my mother (who is an RN) and she said they only do the needle in the arm for BP and heart rate if your having open heart surgery so no worries there. lol. As for the IV needle a normal persons IV is an 18 gage and the one they will be giving me for my hysterectomy is an 8 gage which is huge but they do it in case you need an emergency blood transfusion. Oh well it has to be done so I will have to just suck it and take it. lol. Good luck to you too my sons birthday is 3/18 and he will be 5 this year. Im doing his party this weekend since I will be recovering next weekend.