stupid question

This is a really stupid question. Do they use a marker to write on you to make sure they do the right operation? We hear so much on tv about doctors amputating the wrong leg or doing the wrong surgery. I had a dream last night that when I woke up I discovered they did a mastectomy instead of a hyst!! Aaaaahh! My husband said just to be safe he'd be happy to put a sign on my breasts "do not touch." Very funny--not! I know the dream is just anxiety, but seriously--do they write on you?? Anyone else having stupid dreams?? When I'm awake I have a fleeting moment of panic once in awhile, but mostly I feel relieved that it will be done soon, I feel very confident in my doctor and I know I'm doing the right thing. It's so great that we can ask anything on this site and not feel as if people are laughing at us for being so dumb. Okay, so maybe you are laughing, but I can't see you. :

there are no stupid questions here! that is what makes this site so wonderful. just support here, no bashing. omg, my cat just brought a snake home- be right back!!! wow, the neighbors just got quite a sight of me holding a wiffle ball bat trying to get rose-my "darling" cat to drop the snake. i hate snakes!! mission accomplished. rose is in the house and god knows where the snake went!!! now, that is something to laugh about. i just made such a scene!

anyway, just remind your doctor what operation he/she is performing when he/she comes to see you in the holding area prior to wheeling you into the or.

i have known my doctor for years, i actually worked at her practice many years ago so i know when she sees me she knows what to do. she has been wanting to do this for years on me. i just kept saying no, not yet.

by the way. tell your husband i liked his comment. i haven't had a laugh in days and i sure needed one!!!

when is your surgery?

good luck and ask as many questions as you want. i know i have and probably will until next tues when i go for "my turn"

kathy

Weird dreams must come with the territory. I had a dream about waking up in my hospital room after surgery. My husband was sitting on the bedside but, low and behold, the bed was really, really wide and there were two other women recovering in the same bed. Too weird. I must desperately want that private room.

Had another weird dream about mice being in the room but can't remember that one as well now. Probably just as well.

swee2th

I'm 2 weeks post-op and doing better now ( slept 6 hours last night). I didn't see any evidence of markers after my surgery ( wouldn't have really cared at that point). I think I would have put - this side up on me ! I hope you're soon. Lots of s.

I also trusted that my doc knew what he was going to be doing to me but the nurse in preop did write on my tummy, kind of a cut here line and a few initials. I assume that he knew what they stood for. LOL
Kerri Good luck!

During my pre-op appt., we went over the plan one more time to make sure that we were both in agreement as to what was to occur. So, I trust your GYN may do the same thing.

Pinkie

My doctor had slipped up in our pre-op discussions and mentioned "post-surgical menopause" - and I was planning on *keeping* my ovaries. I can totally understand getting mixed up when talking to a zillion patients, but I wanted to be sure it wouldn't happen in surgery. So I wrote instructions on my arm (I also wrote my *drug allergies* near the IV site, in case anyone was about to give me anything I shouldn't have). I thought about writing instructions on my belly, but I thought either that would get washed off, or covered with a drape. And I told the OR nurse who said she'd be with me the whole time ("Whatever happens, don't let him take my ovaries."), and the anesthesiologist. And I reminded the doc in pre-op. Better to be safe than sorry. Like I told him, while apologizing for being a pest, he and I both would be a lot happier afterward if there weren't any mistakes.

Remember, the reason you hear about those things on TV is that 1) They are very uncommon, and 2) They scare people into watching, so the show can sell airtime at a higher price.

Go ahead and write on yourself if it makes you feel better though. Test the pen ASAP (before surgery day), to be sure you don't react to the ink. Make the instructions as clear as possible - for instance "keep ovaries" could mean *I* keep them, or *doc* keeps them... "Leave my ovaries in." is clearer. Have fun!

I'm facing the surgery on the 26th of aug. and have dreams that make me wake up as I don't want to face the result of it. I'm maybe sounding weird but I see myself holding my insides going down a rollercoaster to the ground. I'm going to have the TAH and now on blood pressure pills to take it down hopefully in time before surgery less than two weeks to do so I'm trying to talk myself that it will go well. I did have some day surgery in 2000 and was put out for that and I had bad nausea, etc. Also had gall bladder operation in 1988 and do know a bit what will be coming. so.......