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Terrified

I had a very successful surgery and recover. Didn’t worry about it and just lived my life. Scheduled surgery 4 months in advance. Spend time getting myself in the best possible shape by exercise, and nutrition. Prepared frozen meals, cleaned the house, and stocked up on clothing. No horror stories to relate.
 
Beachy good luck for October. I am like you. I have made myself physically ill and so depressed over the fear and worry. I have been reading everything I can find on here. There seems to be a difference between the UK and USA over recovery and physio . The closer its getting the more stressed I am.
 
Mutti3 thanks for the positive post. I am trying hard to get into good shape having lost 5st in the last year, have done lots of walking and cycling ( had to get crank shortners fitted to bike though) and am doing the exercises that hospital have given me to do so hopefully this will make recovery easier.
 
@Mollymax I don't see your surgery date in your signature...when is it?

I am one who fully understands your fears. I am living with kangaroos in my stomach and they won't stop their dang jumping! I hate IV's too......and because I have strange veins I'm not only a hard stick, mine infiltrate daily while in the hospital and I then need new ones placed. I do request that they numb me before sticking me-they use a teeny tiny needle that doesn't hurt too much to numb me before they use the monster cannula for the IV, which really does help. This is the first time I'm ever going to have an epidural placed, so naturally I'm worried about that too (The epidural is for pain control after; I'm not going to be awake for the surgery. My OS knows quite well my opinions on that...lol). I thought they were going to place it after they KO'd me in the operating room, but my OS told me they'll be doing it before I go in so as to make sure it's working properly. He said I can have something in my IV to relax me (I think he said they'll use Versed) before they do it since when he told me I'd be awake for it I got obviously stressed.
My reason for telling you all this is that we all have fears, some more than others, and if we are clear about them with everyone concerned, they will do everything they can to help us through it all. This surgery/recovery isn't a frolic in the park, but we do it so we can frolic in the park again.
 
lovetocookandsew. My operation is 27th June. Getting taken in on 26th due to my fears. Thanks for your post. You have said exactly how things are with me and I am glad to see I am not alone in the terrified department. Even for a blood test they need to use a tiny needle or they don't get blood from me. When I have been in hospital previously on intravenous antibiotics they had to replace the cannular every day as my veins break down. Now for someone with a phobia of needles this is just horrific. I was hoping they would knock me out before the spinal but like you was told they can't do that but they will sedate me before doing it. They better or I will be out of there like a shot. That is if they get a cannular in in the first place. I won't let them put it in my hand. It has to go in my arm or I freak out. I have begged them to keep me asleep the whole operation. A chap I was speaking to where I am yesterday said he was awake and listening to music on headphones. That ain't going to happen or I won't be getting it done.
 
Same here-I will be out like a light. I'm such a wuss that I had them knock me out for my colonoscopy! The thought of hearing or seeing anything sets me on edge, so my OS said they'll make sure I'm totally out as usual. I'm also sure he doesn't want me awake and talking to everyone and asking more questions the whole time either.....:rotfl::loll:
 
I am sure they won't want me awake either as I would be in panic mode the whole time and climbing the walls in floods of tears. I think if I was to hear anything that was going on it would just freak me out too much. I really thought I was the only wuss out there and everyone else was so brave.
 
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Molly, I totally understand your fear! I was petrified by the thought (never had surgery before) of a TKR and wept in the dr office as we were going over pre-op details. The nurse kept saying, “you don’t have to do this” and my friend who knows me very well kept saying, “yes she does!” Being first surgery of the day helps, but when they took me back the day of to prep I’d get nervous and afraid when they left the room so I’d sing my favorite hymn, Great is Thy Faithfulness. Well, I guess I was louder than I thought, the nurses believed I was going to back out so they sent for a family member to come back with me. But in the end I was ok and a stronger person for it.

We will be here to answer questions and support you. :yes:
 
Mollymax said:
A chap I was speaking to where I am yesterday said he was awake and listening to music on headphones. That ain't going to happen or I won't be getting it done.
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It would have been his choice to stay awake, and he came prepared, with headphones and music.
Usually, you are sedated, so that you sleep through the whole thing.

Please don't keep talking to other people about their surgeries. All it does is just alarm you more.

Mollymax said:
I have begged them to keep me asleep the whole operation.
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And they will do that, since that is what you've asked for.
Try to think of the positive things you will get from having this surgery done, rather than the things that worry you.
Don't think about running away - that would be just cutting off your nose to spite your face. You would be the one to suffer in the long run, with increased pain and decreased mobility.

You need this surgery and you can do this. :friends:
 
We were all scared of having this surgery, so we do understand. It's just that there are degrees of scared.
 
I can't imagine why anyone would want to be awake during this surgery - and honestly am not sure I believe that story unless there was a medical reason for it. Can't imagine why any surgeon would want the patient "awake" either. In any respect, that's a choice he made; it doesn't mean that is what will happen during your surgery. One thing to keep in mind is that EVERYONE'S surgery and recovery is different and it's tiresome to hear the stories about "my friend's cousin's sister had this surgery and was out dancing until 4 a.m. the following week at her daughter's wedding". There is always a story like that and you should ignore those.
 
@Laurenkate A lot of people opt for spinal anesthesia for this surgery. My understanding, and if I'm wrong I'm sure someone who knows will come along and correct me, is that most of those are not actually fully awake, but are either in a more drowsy state or out totally with whatever the docs use. I have heard from a few people who say they were fully awake and if that's so, that's their and their doctor's choice, but never will be mine.

As for recovery-I totally agree-those stories of being pain free from day one and back to their "normal" life at a week, are, IMHO, balderdash. I have noticed that many men seem to be the ones saying they're pain free and fine right away and never had a single problem, etc. Not to bash men, but sometimes it seems to me their male egos or something won't allow them to admit, even to themselves, how much pain they had, or are having, and how hard a time they really had, or are having. Everyone's recovery is indeed different, and some will have a lot more pain and harder times than others, but I don't believe any story of no pain from day one, or totally recovered at a week, etc.

My choice is to be as deeply out as is safe for me, with zero chance of waking during the surgery. My husband had a cancerous mole surgically removed from his head a while back and had the choice of being totally out, or in some kind of light anesthesia where he might waken. He chose the light one and after the surgery the doctor came out and told me he was awake during most of the surgery and moving around a lot, plus talking non-stop....lol. They had to keep telling him to lie still and quit talking. No way I want to experience that with any surgery, and especially not one with drills, saws, hammers, chisels, etc, being used! I know doctors will say you won't remember a thing, but I tell them I don't want to hear or see anything I "won't remember".....lol. But for those who want that, I guess it's a good thing that they have the choice.
 
One tip I learned from nurses over the years re: blood draws and IVs is to make sure you're really hydrated for a few days beforehand and to keep your arm warm before you go in. That makes it much easier. (you'll have to cut off fluids at a certain point before the surgery, but if you are hydrated leading up to it, it still helps.)

The other thing about nerves. One of the things that helped me (though I did have nervousness--anyone who says they weren't nervous is probably lying :heehee:) was that I kept busy. I was working right up to the day or so before so that kept me somewhat distracted. I was much less nervous for knee #2 because I knew what to expect.
 
The talk of "miracle recoveries" hearsay reminds me of my friend, Will.
He boasts that he went back to work 2 weeks after a TKR. He genuinely believes now that he had no problems and no complications - he isn't deliberately trying to deceive anyone.
The truth of it is this:
  • Although he did go back to work so early, he did it in a wheelchair.
  • His wife helped him get up, washed and dressed, and she drove him to and from work.
  • He stopped taking pain medications, saying they were "for Sissies".
  • Consequently, he was in pain and grumpy all day.
  • His colleagues wished he had stayed at home.
  • He rested in bed all the time, except when at work.
  • His wife waited on him, hand and foot.
  • By the time he was really recovered, his wife was a worn-out wreck.
He doesn't tell the full story, because he doesn't remember it.
He thinks he had a fast, uncomplicated recovery, and that's what he tells people.
 
Loves to cook - EXACTLY! Most of those stories I've heard are from men :) :-) (:and as Celle said, there are usually long suffering wives and/or co-workers rolling their eyes at the stories of "how easy it all was". Kneeper - thanks for the reminder about becoming very hydrated before surgery....will add that to my "list of things I forgot about the last tkr".
 
Thanks for your replies and for the tip about being well hydrated. I intend asking to be kept asleep the whole time so I know absolutely nothing until it is all over. I too notice it is mainly men who say they have speedie recoveries and no pain. I dont tend to believe it all but maybe they are just trying to put my mind at ease. I know my fears are very real but I can't help it. It doesn't help that I have a husband who does not think it is a big deal of an operation and thinks I will be back on my feet in days. He even said I will have plenty of time when off work to walk the dogs. He thinks I am going to milk the whole situation and make myself out to be unable to do anything. So really he isn't helping my fears in any way.
 
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