Morning of surgery

I'm scheduled for surgery 11/3 at 7:40 am. I'm sure I'll need to be there around 5:30 or so. Since we have 3 kids who need to get off to school (and my youngest is a diabetic w/an insulin pump) it looks like my dh will need to drop me off then come and get the kids off to school, then probably come back to the hospital. He probably won't get there till about 9am. What I'm wondering is do you think I should askk one of my good friends to come and sit with me before surgery? Did it matter to you that someone was there. Since I'm having surgery where I work(I'm a nurse) I'm probably more at home there than other would be. I think I might be ok alone. But wondered what you all thought.


Also my Dr.'s office called today and scheduled my pre-op for the day before my surgery...that seemed also close to me. I'm healthy and don't anticipate any problems, but wondered when everyone else did their pre-ops.
TIA,
denise

Hi, Denise!

My pre-op is the day before my surgery, too. I was told this is my Gyn's normal procedure. I'd rather be spending the day before my surgery doing something a little more exciting than pre-ops, but on the other hand, at least all the labs, exams, etc. will be current!!

Sorry I can't give much advice on how you will feel going into surgery without your dh. You will probably have a lot of good support from your friends and co-workers. Any possibility a relative or neighbor could get your kids off to school that morning? That's a tough decision for you to make!

Take care and I hope you find the answers you are looking for in this great group of ladies!

Hugs,
Linda

My preop is a week before surgery.

Also, I know your feeling about being there alone. My mother and sister were dropping me off at the castle to pick up my son from the airport. Well, I wasn't cool with that, so I asked my sister to go and pick up my son. I asked my mother to stay with me. I don't want to be alone before going into surgery.

So, well, basically it depends on whether you want a friend there since your DH won't be there the entire time. I"m sure a friend won't mind.

As a rather young and healthy person (no other medical conditions except for asthma) my pre-op consisted of drawing blood, taking my temp, bp and weight.

The day of surgery my DSO came with me. The first twenty minutes we filled out forms together (well, he watched me) and then I was whisked away to the pre-op room where I changed clothes and they put on the teds and I consulted with the doctors and nurses. You should be just fine without your DH there and will probably feel better knowing he's giving some loving attention to the kids. Each hospital does things differently, but most of your pre-surgical time is spent away from the waiting room anyway.

It was much more important to me to have my DSO there when I got out of surgery ... he was a wonderful comfort to me and I wouldn't want to trade that for anything in the world.

Take care.

My pre op was the week before surgery. It seems in most cases it is sometime within the last week before surgery.

My surgery was delayed so I was in my room for about an hour before I was taken to the pre op prep area. My DH isn't good in medical settings, so he was a real champ to be there at all. When I went into prep he had to go to the waiting room, and wait . . and wait . . and wait. I was really happy to have him with me when I woke up in my room though! But as soon as I was aware enough to realize what time it was, and that he was still there I sent him home.

Best wishes!

Hi there,
I am looking at the same situation the morning of surgery. I am trying to reserve all my help for after the surgery, so I'm having my mom come the morning of surgery. My DH will take my DD to school and take my DS to the neighbors, then my mom will pick my DD from school (half day kindergarten) and pick up DS from neighbors. I have been through preop before several times, and it is pretty busy, but boring for DH, and I will relax more during preop knowing that my kids are avoiding any unnecessary changes to their schedules and are secure than having DH with me while someone else tries to figure out their schedule, and the kids know something is up and may be a little "off" anyway.

Between establishing the IV, changing clothes, drawing blood, putting on your pretty little hat and booties , going through the 10,000 questions for anesthesia, the hour that they schedule before surgery goes quite fast. I've gone through preop alone before, and it wasn't bad at all!

However, I work in the hospital where I'm going to have the surgery, and though it isn't my department, hospitals don't scare me because I'm there all the time, so anyone who is hospital-phobic, and LOTS of people are like that, may benefit from someone being there just to diffuse the anticipation. My hospital is wonderful in that anesthesia will give you something for anxiety after you've answered their questions, and I had a TV in the preop holding area, and the nurses are quite perky that early in the morning and fun to talk to. They realize that you're scared (everyone they see is scared), so they will help you out a lot.

I have an idea, though, that hasn't quite caught on....hear me out ladies and tell me what you think. I think DH or DSOs should be required to watch a video educating them about the recovery period while we are in surgery, explicitly explaining to them that we are to be pampered, fanned, and waited upon

DWB,
I have not had my hysterectomy yet. I did, however, have an endometrial ablation on 7-2. I did have a friend sit with me before the surgery. It was very comforting to have her there, she is a good friend and prayed with me before the surgery. I found it very relaxing to be with someone who laughed and joked before the surgery.

Personally, I'd like for my DH to be with me. I had a cervical biopsy several years ago. He opted to stay in the waiting room the entire time. After I got changed, and was ready to go, I had to wait for an extra hour or so for the operating room to be readied. I lay there wondering if I had a malignancy, if I was going to be okay, how much of the fees would the insurance cover... you get the idea. I had no one to talk to and get my mind off these worrisome things. I will be going in for a TAH on 11/1/04, and I want DH to be there. I'm sure I'll think of something to tell him to do at home while I'm lounging in the castle. He found out today that he will be having surgery himself on 9/30 (outpatient), and I intend to be there while he gets readied. Maybe he'll return the favor.

just returned home from the hospital about 10 hours ago. had surgery-SAH tuesday afternoon. i come from a family of health professionals and stoics ; ) but i tell you it was wonderful having my partner there as I sat waiting for my name to be called. My sister and dad drove down from philly so she had support as well while i was in surgery. so if you can swing it-- i highly recommend having someone there just for you. It was also great seeing her face--even though I could barely remember--in post op on my way to my room.