General Discussions

**NBF** · 09-26-2006, 01:16 PM

Anyone have any *good* surgery experiences to share? I am SO not looking forward to my first experience...

I will be at the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston Wednesday for my pre-op stuff, and then the surgery is Friday and I am definitely not thrilled about it! I can't say that I am worried about the pain (having given birth at home with no painkillers, I can do pain just fine), but I AM a bit freaked out about the going under part and the side effects of the surgery. I just like knowing what to expect, but that just isn't possible since I have never been through it.

If anyone is interested (I generally *like* watching medial stuff), here is a video of the surgery (I couldn't watch it...). Basically, they have to remove a tumor from my salivary gland. The biggest side effect is temporary or permanent facial paralysis (oh, and the giant incision!). It all freaks me out. Ugh.

I am really trying to only think good thoughts about this, but it's hard! I suppose there is a bright side... it's the first time my husband and I have gone anywhere without kids in 6 years.

Anyway - please send me good surgery thoughts on Friday if you remember. I am going to try and chronicle this and put it online in case I can help others feel better about it. But really, if this is the worst of my problems, I am doing pretty darn well.

(And thank God this happened to me and not one of our kids!)

Someone please tell me that being put to sleep for surgery isn't as scary as I feel like it is! I just can't WAIT for this to be over...

Thanks all,
Laura

**GeorgeB** · 09-26-2006, 01:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NBF

Someone please tell me that being put to sleep for surgery isn't as scary as I feel like it is! I just can't WAIT for this to be over...

I can tell you from 2 surgery experiences, one when I was a kid and one when I was 21 it's not scary at all. In fact you really won't remember even getting sleepy.

They put the mask on, tell you to breathe in deeply, then you wake up. That's it. Nothing else to it.

**NBF** · 09-26-2006, 01:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GeorgeB

I can tell you from 2 surgery experiences, one when I was a kid and one when I was 21 it's not scary at all. In fact you really won't remember even getting sleepy.

They put the mask on, tell you to breathe in deeply, then you wake up. That's it. Nothing else to it.

Ahhhh.... I SO want to hear that... Thank you.

Laura

**LeeD** · 09-26-2006, 02:27 PM

Laura, all will be well! You made it through a home birth as has my wife, so I know how tough you are. I pray the surgery goes extremely well and that you can rest easy about it!

**NBF** · 09-26-2006, 02:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lee

You made it through a home birth as has my wife, so I know how tough you are. I pray the surgery goes extremely well and that you can rest easy about it!

Thanks Lee.

I bet I would really like your wife... I am sure we would get along! Was she crazy enough to use cloth diapers, too?

Thanks for the prayers.

Laura

**breakpoint** · 09-26-2006, 06:33 PM

My dad had surgery on his face. He had a nasal blockage so they had to operate right on his nose.

He said that they told him to count backwards and breathe in deeply and he said he fell asleep befor he could start counting.

**imported_Max** · 09-26-2006, 08:58 PM

Good luck. I'm sure you will be fine.

**BamaStangGuy** · 09-26-2006, 10:44 PM

Hope all goes well

**garg** · 09-26-2006, 11:00 PM

I hope it all goes well and you won't even notice it

**NBF** · 09-30-2006, 09:39 PM

Hey all,

Surgery is over and we are out of the hospital. All went well and I survived.

And in the end, the going to sleep part was the easiest!

I look forward to feeling better and being able to eat more real food. Thanks for the kind words all - I just wanted to post that I was okay.

Laura