Scared of going to Hospital

It may help to think of it this way - this one op may eliminate the need for 5 more later on - the first cardiac bypass, knee arthroscopy for when the knees give out under too much weight, second heart bypass, foot amputation from diabetes complications, cancer biopsy, etc.
A stitch in time saves nine so they say

My god you learn some fantastic things on this site !!
Whoever has the supply, I want a rooly rooly big box of brave pills and an even bigger bottle of liquid brave. I think with those on board I could do pretty much anything LOL

Like applesauce says just plan in advance and don't forget that you are paying all of those people to look after you and treat you like royalty so your wishes come into account.

Hugs Gail

he also walked me right into the knock out room of the theatre and could have stayed until i was asleep. if you have a private room him staying should not be a problem at all. you can move to a shared room the next day if you want.

applesauce

I might ask about that applesauce. That's what I did when I had my last baby, but I wasnt aware that it could be done for other hospital stays.

Thanks

I had my mum have my kids for the night after my surgery and my husband was all set to stay with me as long as he was needed the entire night if I wanted. I did feel okay tho and he went home about midnight.

applesauce

Thanks all for your replies. You have given me some really good tips.

I also associate hospitals with bad things happening. It is hard to over come your fears. I also hate being there by myself, so I am going to actually ask to have a double room.

I wanted to have the "brave pills" before my last ceasar, but apparently they aren't to good for the baby.

I will definatley be talking to all the doctors and letting them know before hand.

Thanks again

As part of prep up to the surgery date, I visualized the experience many times. I visualized going to the hospital and then going to the prep area. It helped me relax a bit while I was there because it felt familiar and that I had been there before.

That sounds silly probably, but it helped me a great deal. This was my first surgery and I had only ever associated hospitals with negative experiences. The visualizations helped me stay brave until they put me under.

shifthappens wrote:

a ruptured appendix and it was grim. .

Yeah: appendicitis and peritonitis. Who needs it? My appendix went South with a dramatic flourish, too. On the plus side, I reckon I'm ready for quite a lot of other things now.

Loving the concept of "liquid brave." Do you reckon we can get "aerosol brave purse packs?" I know I could use them.

Best,

Dark

My surgeon called them "brave pills". I have already warned them that I may latch onto the car door and need to be pried off to be carted into the hospital. In addition to the "brave pills" they said they will be ready to IV me with "liquid brave" very shortly after arrival. (Although I know that if I get there, I will then follow through as my pride overrides my fear.) But pre-planning is the answer and the anesthesiologist hold the golden ticket. Just lay your cards on the table in advance. They've coped with it all.

I've had 3 previous surgeries but the first was at 10 years of age for a ruptured appendix and it was grim. I spent 3 weeks in the hospital on antibiotics, had to be opened 2 more times and cleaned out. I didn't really understand and thought the tubes draining me were permanent. You know, no one really explained things to kids back then. It pretty much set the bar for my fear. And in that day they used something called "ether" to knock you out and it was horrible. In my rational mind I know the last two operations have been a breeze compared to that first one. But it's always the bad that sets your personal standard I think.

Pre plan that is the way to go. I am like you hate hospital am terrified of it I do not even like visiting people in hospital. I am soooooooooo needle phobic it isnt funny and I hate hate hate being dependent upon anybody.

The person who is in charge of you for most of your stay is the anthetist not your surgeon as such. So I went and saw him and had it organised to have some valium before I left home in the morning have those kiddie patches put on me at hospital so I would never even feel the needles go in. Made sure I would have one of those little press button pumps to delivery my drugs so NO needles to give me pain relief and I was in charge of giving it to myself. Made sure I would have a cathedea put in WHEN I was out not before so I would not be embrassed or feel discomfort plus I have MS so I know I would be unsteady after surgery and thus would have needed assistance to the bathroom. I can go on and on with the plans I put into place and they may well not be any of your fears at all. What I am trying to get across to you is work out ALL the things you do not like about hospital then set a full plan into place to work around them and make them easier. It made it so so so much easier having this for me knowing I was in charge of all the things I did not like and had things to help me with them in place. If you are unsure what sort of things can be done to make you more comfortable with different aspects list them here I am sure I can help you if not somebody else will have an idea on how to make that aspect easier.

Another one of the top of my head is I HATE enclosed spaces, they made sure I had a fan on me at all times in my room. Hospitals will work with you to make your stay as easy as possible.

applesauce

Hi willbeskinny,

The sleeve was actually my first surgery (aside from wisdom teeth removal 20 yrs previously) so I felt like a bunny trapped in headlights when I got to theatre. I just kept telling myself that I had more to fear from being morbidly obese than from the surgery itself and that these were all obesity experts who I was probably safer with than, say, an emergency surgery at a public hospital where you get whichever surgeon is available.

I also think that a bit of fear means that you have your wits about you and you understand the gravity of what you are undertaking.

I have now had 4 surgeries in 2 years (sleeve, gallbladder, tummy tuck & hysterectomy). I am completely over it and the batwings are staying!

Sometimes you can get a referral from your GP to a psych which is partially covered by Medicare and you could discuss some coping strategies to deal with your fear.

Good luck.

As the title says I am really scared fo being in hospitals. I have had my gall bladder out and have had 3 Ceasars and each time I have been in I have gotten worse.

So does anyone have any suggestions of what I can do before hand to help me prepare myself better?

Thanks