What to expect on surgery day

Hey everyone! Thanks for all the support and warm welcomes; I am so thankful to have found this site.

I was just wondering if anyone could kinda give me a run down of what to expect on surgery day? I'm having a morning procedure so they've said that I may get to go home that evening, but other than that I don't know what happens throughout the day that I am there. I think I'd be more at ease knowing what is going to happen.

Thanks!

6 Comments

Hey Morganbeth

by walkerd - 2010-04-07 06:04:56

Mine has been almost 2 years ago but not alot to tell about, I went in in the morning buttttt when I go into surgery doc never shows never shows and then the nurse tells me there had been a clerical error and the hospital had it for 7am doc had it for 8 oh yeaaaa lol the worst thing it was freezing in there so the nurses keep giving me hot towels drapping over me so im comfortable and keep appolizing, it was ok just dozed off. Doc finally gets there and I asked him if who i was supposed to bill for my time him or hospital, this man is so serious and there are only two times i have seen him crack a smile was then and when my wife asked if she got a remote for my defib for when i get out of control.
I had to stay overnite so they could monitor it it actually isnt that big of a deal as far as mine was more mental than anything for me, but about 30 days before this I had went thru highrisk bypass. It will be ok this is easy to say but try not to worry to much it really isnt that bad.
dave

the big day

by Tracey_E - 2010-04-07 07:04:35

It depends what kind of anesthesia they're using. It'll probably be done in the cath lab rather than the or. If you haven't had preop tests done in advance, they'll do bloodwork and a chest xray first and you'll get an iv. They're usually pretty generous with the happy juice right away if you're nervous. I've always declined it, I want to be alert until the last minute.

The hospital where I've had all mine done (4 now, most recent in Jan) has a holding room where you wait until your turn. A nurse stays with you pretty much the whole time you're there and you're hooked up to all sorts of monitors- heart, breathing, bp. My doc, the St Judes rep, the anesthesiologist all come by. When they're ready, they wheel me in and move me to the table. It's freezing there so I want to kiss the nurse with the hot blankets. They wrap me up all snug and warm then use straps so you can't move. When everyone is ready, they start the drugs rolling and I don't remember anything else until waking up in the recovery room.

Last time I had versed with a local and it didn't hurt much at all until it wore off 12 hrs later. I dozed there in recovery until they moved me back to my room, or if I was going home same day to the recovery area for day surgeries where my husband was waiting. When I've stayed overnight (first time, and this last time when I got a new lead), they checked it the next morning with the computer then let me go home. When I went home same day, once I kept some crackers and juice down and went to the bathroom, they let me leave. I mostly slept the first day or two, the drugs make you sluggish.

You'll wake up with your arm in a sling. Some drs say to wear it for the first few days, mine just wants the arm immobile for 12 hrs. I took the sling home and used it as a don't-touch-me sign. I didn't need it, but wore it when I was in crowds the first week or so, or places like church where I was likely to get hugged. You'll need to keep it lower than shoulder level and not lift for 4-6 weeks (drs vary) but moving the arm is ok after the first day. Take a button up shirt to wear home because you won't want to be pulling anything over your head at first. I wore button up tops the first two weeks.

My drs have always sent me home with a presrip for something for pain but other than maybe at night the first few days, I've never taken more than Tylenol. I usually feel pretty groggy and sore the first day or two but mostly back to normal by the end of the first week, just sore if I pull the wrong way.

I've started walking as soon as I get home each time and been back to my old workout schedule by 6 weeks. I had my last one done 8 weeks ago. I got a new battery, a new lead, and a plastic surgeon cleaned up the scar tissue from the old surgeries, so it was more involved than my other surgeries. Mine is behind the breast rather than under the collarbone so it's more invasive than most people's placement. I was back on the elliptical at 2 weeks (without arms), as of two weeks ago I've been doing anything I would normally do. I spent most of last week packing up an old house and lugging boxes around and I've been hiking and doing my full routine at the gym.

Hope that helps!

Not quite as fast.

by qwerty - 2010-04-07 10:04:59

Hi Morgan,
Traceye is superwoman! She inspires me to continue to move forward.
I am a little older than Tracye and I have only had 1 surgery. They did mine in the OR. I was awake the whole time. It did not hurt. I felt some pressure when they put in the leads and lots of pressure and beating on my shoulder as they put in the PM. But that did not hurt at the time.
Be sure and do what Tracye said. TAKE BUTTON UP SHIRTS. You really can't put on a pull over. It is very important to keep your arm down. Just the arm on the side they put the PM on. In my case, they put the PM on the right shoulder. He said it was easier to get the leads in on me. He never explained why. It seems it would have been easier if it had been on my left because I am right handed and this basically made me Left handed for about 6 weeks, but I survived.
They kept me overnight to insure the PM was working. Actually, it was very late the next day when I got to leave. I was ready!
They did send some pain pills home with me. I took them at night for 4 or 5 days. I found they helped me sleep at night and laying down was the most challenging for me. A lot of people say there is a little pain. For me, I felt like an elephant sat on my shoulder! I wondered if they had broke it getting the PM in. The incision wasn't that bad, but my shoulder was super sore. As for a sling, my Doctor didn't want me in a sling. He said move that arm, but not above the shoulder. So I tried everyday and everyday it got a little better. One thing that I wasn't prepared for was how much the PM weighed! It felt like they had tied a brick inside my shoulder and when I layed down, anyway except on my back, it felt like it was pulling away. But, with lots of pillows I found ways to prop it up. After it heals some and you get used to it, the pulling feeling subsides.
OK. I am not trying to alarm you or make you think it is worse than it is. It was well worth the trouble and pain to get this little buzzer. The pain is tolerable and meds control that. Just remember to give yourself time to heal. This is surgery and rest is required for healing. Everyone heals at a different rate. Tracye is fast. I, on the other hand, was off work for 3 weeks. I probably could have made it back after 2 weeks, but by waiting until 3 weeks I was ready to go back and be productive and not just be at my desk and not feeling good.
Just listen to your body and you will know what you can do.
As for the operating room. It was very cold. They put country western music on for me. But the best part was when it was over and they gave me the warm blanket! Heaven is warm blankets!!!
Don't worry... it will all be fine.

Welcome to the PM club and keep us posted.

nah

by Tracey_E - 2010-04-07 11:04:11

not superwoman, just really stubborn and annoyingly optimistic :o) And I do heal fairly quickly and probably have a higher than average tolerance for pain. We're all different. But mostly, I'm just stubborn and refuse to let anything get me down for long!

My Experience ~ ~

by Carolyn65 - 2010-04-07 12:04:44

The biggest mistake I made was all the fretting, worrying, preparations I thought needed to be taken care of pre-op. I spent more wasted time doing that. My whole Families showed up for the "grand opening" as if it was major heart surgery! The nurses laughed.

Of course, like any Dr./hospital, they do not want you to eat/drink after midnite. They told me to take any morn. meds with a sip of water and I could brush my teeth, just do not swallow. Long time without water.

Upon arrival at "day surgery" in the a.m., within the Heart Hospital of Austin, they put me on a bed in my own room. Hooked me up to an IV solution, checked my vitals, put these ridiculous "stockings" on my feet, etc. The "sweet dream" Dr, my cardio/EP Dr. and a lot of nurses stopped by to "visit" pre-op. I talked non-stop for days pre-op, during and after post PM! LOL

When ready, they "wheeled" me to surgery ~ always a "freezing cave", moved me onto what I percieved as a 2"x 2" board (I am fat, short & sassy!). I talked non-stop, due to nerves, until finally somone took it on themselves & put me into "sweet dreams". I woke up in my HH room to spend the nite for just observation. I was still talking! There is nothing to this procedure.

I had been at this HH before for DVT surgery. I was well familiar with the "no salt, no seasonings, no food taste, no etc. I had fore warned my Families to have food in the room when I came in. Thankfully, somone had picked up my favorite deli sandwich/drink.

Thankfully, the HH provided a nice, sturdy bag for my clothes/shoes I wore into the HH. Do not wear jewelry, carry monies, etc. Just basic clothing/shoes. Of course, it helped having a Family member to take care of that bag and other minimal "thingees". Since my whole Families were there (my children/my Sis/my in-laws/out-laws), there were enough people to take care of me and them. LOL

The next morn. a Dr, on call (a weekend) came by, a Boston Scientific rep came by and I went home. Dr. took sling away & told me it could be a souvenier.

The only thing I regret was, no one gave me a few tabs. of pain med to ease minor incision pain at night for 3-4 nites. It only took me one nite without to call my Dr.

Do not raise your arm on the PM side above your heart, do not lift over 5 pounds and listen to your own body when it is talking to you. I did treat myself to a luxury I normally do not induldge myself: having a professional wash my hair a few times until I felt like raising my other arm over my head & wash my hair "one handed".

Again, Long Winded ~ ~
Carolyn G. in TEXAS ~ Smiles to All ~ ~

Morgan

by brooke1803 - 2010-04-07 12:04:45

Hey hunny... Well they keep ya awake..I mentioned that in your last posting and you probably thought i was crazy! But yeah I had no clue, until they had me in the Cath-Lab, prepping me..and I finally said uhmm where is the mask? No mask..we will give you pleanty of Verset and Pain meds..but you will awake, is what they told me. I freaked!!!! So they made sure to load me up on the "happy juice" I kinda snoozed in and out through the whole surgery..felt a lil tugging and pressure... here and there but really I was outta it withthe Verset..so it was no biggie. The gave me pain meds for the night and released me the next day with NONE!! I waited as long as i could handle with out anything but Ibprophen, (3 days I think) and called my Cardio office crying...i couldnt sleep because the pain was pretty intense at night.

I had 5 days of pain meds then and then asked for some thing easy..(first was percocet) so then they gave me Davarcet..did just fine. I will be 4 weeks post op on Friday and am out runnin daily since last friday (so 3 weeks post op) BUT I get tired ..really tired. AND forget to keep my arm DOWN!!

SOOOOO KEEP UR ARM DOWN.... seriously...get a sling or saftey pins.... I kept forgetting to keep my arm down and it HURTS. Or you can chance pulling the leads. Even now at nearly 4 weeks I tend to stretch a lot in my sleep, and wake up like OH CRAP.

Seriously...the surgery isnt that bad....if your nervouse let them know right away! I had no clue what i wasd getting into.. so i freaked. I you get neausous..letthem know...I told them..they over looked it, and I got sick after the procedure...not fun since u cant move so well.

GOOD LUCK!!!!!

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