My spine surgery journey: from preparation to recovery

[bellbird]

Have you been under general anesthesia before?

No I have never.
I suppose the closest I've got is passing out and then waking up, drugged.

it may be helpful to learn or remind yourself of what that will be like before it happens.

Would you be able to expand on this a little please? :)

 

[Wendell_R]

I suppose the closest I've got is passing out and then waking up, drugged.

That's what I was thinking, and I think it will help to remind yourself how this will be different and safe!

I've had the pleasure of having two back surgeries, a hernia operation, a vasectomy, and two colonoscopies. I'll describe the back operations, since that's what you're going to do.

On waking, you won't even remember falling asleep from the anesthesia. I've never had dreams while on general anesthesia, so it's as if a few hours just disappeared from my life. I woke up lying on my back, instead of my normal side position. I still had on the compression stockings that help prevent blood clots. I was in a hospital bed that was screened off from the other beds, with a light blanket on top of me. When I woke up, it felt like I was instantly awake (not like slowly waking up when you don't have an alarm clock ringing), but still a bit loopy from the general anesthesia. For me, the loopiness didn't feel bad and didn't make me feel like I had no control. For a hospital, it was fairly quiet. There was no rush to respond or be alert. After I woke, it was nice to just lie there and wiggle my toes and relax. The nurse came over to check on me, and she was calming. I remember eating a few snacks, and then being wheeled to my hospital room.

 

[FauxLiz]

@bellbird I agree that having people reassure you that you are okay, in a hospital and safe is a good idea. Everyone reacts differently to general anesthesia every time you go under. I have had more surgeries than I care to name the closest to what you are having done include a thyroidectomy and craniotomy (brain surgery) I say these are closest as they require a long period of time (hours) under anesthesia. Normally I am fine waking up, very gentle remember where I was etc. Both of these however. I apparently woke up in recovery combative trying to remove monitors grabbing at my neck and head which required them to sedate me and put me in a neck collar until I woke up fully. I hadn't been diagnosed at this point but think looking back it probably has a lot to do with my trauma history which included having my head held in place and abusing me.

I am not saying this will happen with you but you could wake up very gently like @Wendell_R talks about or not so gently and it is good to be prepared.

 

[Neverthesame]

On waking, you won't even remember falling asleep from the anesthesia.

Same here. I remember the anaesthetist telling me I would feel a cold sensation up my arm from the IV site, I started to say "yeah, I can fe*about 2hrs later*el it... The hell?"
I literally blinked once and was in another room.

 

[littleoc]

@Neverthesame, that’s pretty much how it went for me!

 

[bellbird]

There was no rush to respond or be alert. After I woke, it was nice to just lie there and wiggle my toes and relax.

Thanks for sharing that @Wendell_R :)

I am not saying this will happen with you but you could wake up very gently like @Wendell_R talks about or not so gently and it is good to be prepared.

And you too @FauxLiz .
I will just have to mentally prepare myself best I can, as well as chatting to the surgical team.
I am trying to meditate every morning, to work on getting myself to a place that is as calm as possible before the operation. It's a breathing meditation as well which has a dual function of working on my lung capacity.

I started to say "yeah, I can fe*about 2hrs later*el it... The hell?"

Hehehe made me giggle :D

 

[bellbird]

Got the call this morning: preop day is December 19! Eek! About two months earlier than I thought it would be.

Which means surgery -could- be sooner than April.

Very glad I had starting making my new list of questions (It's my last appointment with the surgical team before surgery), and have been eating well, exercising, and doing diaphramagtic breathing. Though that third one is going to need to be made more consistent now.

Had T today, spoke with her about ideas of what to put in my letter to the surgical team, and answers to potential questions that my parents might ask me regarding health.

Some other stuff came up in T so I am a bit scatter brained, but I see GP tomorrow so will talk to her about the letter as well.
I think if I have the head space this evening I'll write down the ideas generated in this thread, and also from talking to T.
And take them to GP to try and clarify what I'll say in the letter.

 

[blackemerald1]

I'm sure you've thought of this already @bellbird but just in case, add some questions about your meds and how they interact with sedation, anaesthesia and post op pain medication regime...

...and make sure you have sufficient meds in your little bag to see you through six weeks with your folks... just in case you cannot get to the pharmacy without one or both of your parents in tow. :)

:hug: :hug: and best of luck for it all!

 

[bellbird]

Thank you @blackemerald1 !
I definitely will address both of those points :hug:

 

[bellbird]

My letter. - thoughts?
--
To whom it may concern.

I am writing to you to in advance of my pre-op assessment appointment on December 19, and surgery in 2019, to ask that confidentiality regarding my medical conditions other than scoliosis is respected.

I am happy to discuss all details (e.g. symptoms and medications) of my other conditions, namely my PTSD, MDD and GAD, with any members of the surgical and post-operative care team, however, is of great importance that neither my family nor any other visitors are to be involved in these discussions.

I would also ask that a note is placed in my file, regarding this, so that all members of my post-operative recovery team are aware to not discuss such matters while there are any visitors in the room, and that no information regarding this matter is included in any discharge form that my parents receive (as my parents will be my primary care for the ~6 weeks following the operation).

Due to the nature of the cause of my PTSD, it is possible that waking up from general anaesthesia, and the process of having supine x-rays may be triggering. In this case, the best thing for my post-op care team to do would be to remind me where I am and to explain all procedures to me in advance, but I am happy to discuss this further in person at my pre-op appointment.

My mum will be coming with me to the pre-op appointment, however, this is only for the purpose of meeting the team and to ask directly any questions she might have about my surgery.
All other aspects of the pre-op appointment I wish to do by myself.

Please see the attached letter of support from my GP.
I give my permission for anyone of the surgical team to contact my GP for further information regarding all aspects of my health, should you need to.
Her contact details have been supplied in her support letter.

Could you please confirm receipt of this email to either myself or my GP.
Thank you for your understanding.

Kind regards,
bellbird

 

[blackemerald1]

Hey @bellbird - it seems to cover everything quite clearly.

I just think it is a shame that you even have to do this but I completely understand why. :hug:

 

[bellbird]

Thank you b :hug: