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Nov. 30th, 2015 11:48 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
girlofpreyAnaesthetised, bitches!
It was a funny morning. I got up at 7, had some toast, watched a bit of Third Rock From The Sun. Brushed my teeth at 7.40, and worried briefly that toothpaste might not count as nil by mouth. Then I went back to bed, as I realised the phoneline I actually had to call wasn't even open until 8.30am. Woke up at 9.15-ish - the first number I tried was not the place I needed to call, the second just rang and rang, the third picked up immediately but it wasn't the department I needed - the lady asked my speciality and gave me another number, which was engaged for about 15 minutes. But finally I got through and asked someone about my cold. They said it would be fine as long as I wasn't coughing up a lot of weird-coloured stuff, which I was. So they said I should come in and let the anaesthetist look at me, but it might get cancelled.
So mum drove me, which was a huge gesture for her because she hates driving through big traffic systems, like on the way to another city. We got there and were trying to figure out how she'd know if my appointment was cancelled and I needed a lift home, as she was planning to go into the city and not hang around the hospital. There was a big sign saying "Visitors only past this point" on the door to the ward, so we decided I'd go in and ask and she'd hang out outside the door, and I'd come back and tell her what they said about when I might know if it was cancelled. So I went to the reception - the lady there told me what the woman on the phone said, that the anaesthetist would have to check me over, and I mentioned my mum. And she said "oh is she with you? Well she can come in and wait until the doctor sees you, and then if you're not having it you can go home with her". So, people could wait with you before the procedure? Or something? At least in the waiting room. Apparently I was first on the list for the afternoon appointments, so the nurse took me straight in for her set of questions. I told her about the cold, and she said in that case she wouldn't let me get changed, we'd have to wait for the anaesthetist. She also asked me for a urine sample, which no-one had mentioned before, and I had literally just been to the bathroom with mum before I went to the ward. And I wasn't allowed to drink anything, so my bladder wasn't going to fill up anytime fast. But I managed to squeeze something out a little later.
And then I waited for an hour, literally an hour, in the waiting room, to find out if I was even going in or not. No-one could tell me anything but the anaesthetist and the anaesthetist apparently didn't show up until I was told the list was about to start. I came onto the ward at 12 and was seen immediately by the nurse, then at 10 past 1 I went looking for a nurse to find out if they knew anything yet. They didn't, so I went back out, and then five minutes later my nurse called me back in to give me the pre-med, just in case. The pre-med was 2 paracetamols. I still don't understand the nil by mouth thing - because chewing chewing gum is apparently dangerous enough for the doctors to call a procedure off, which apparently happened to the wife of another man we were in the waiting room with, and you're not supposed to drink any water, but they will let you take any scheduled medication and pre-meds, with a sip of water. But whatever, I trust them. Anyway. I sat and waited for another ten minutes, and then finally I got called in to see the anaesthetist. He listened to what I told him about my cold, and had me cough for him. And then he said it was fine - I got a little confused, because he was talking about extra risk of 'complications' after surgery, which sounded awful. But the only complication that was at risk, apparently, was that as he applied gasses to my throat to keep me under during the procedure, he might move the bacteria from my throat down into my lungs. I double-checked it was nothing life-threatening, and he said no, absolutely not, so I was like yeah, come on, let's do this, let's get it over with.
So from being basically prepared to go home, I was suddenly taken down to get ready for my procedure. In a way I think it helped my anxiety, because instead of sitting there stewing on the fact it was going to happen, I wasn't sure, so I was less focused on what I was expecting it to be like. But it was still kind of a rigmarole. But anyway. I went and saw the doctor and she gave me the list of all the things that could possibly go wrong, even if there was only a slightly small risk of it, as she legally had to do. That was fun. But she made it very clear the risk was tiny, and if there was anything they had to do in surgery I wouldn't be awake for it, so it was fine.
So then I had to put a hospital gown on and some DVT-away stockings, and go wait in the pre-op waiting room. I was told I was first on the list so I'd be going in around 1.30 - but when I saw the doctor she said she and the anaesthetist had been really busy that morning, so they's be going for something to eat before they started their appointments. So I ended up going down to the anaesthetic ward at about twenty past two. The anaesthetic wasn't as bad as I thought. I thought it'd be weird just laying down in a gown in front of strangers, but the nurses there were quite lovely and easygoing. One talked to me about videogames while I was waiting for everything to go on. I had asked for some numbing cream, or suggested it at least, when I was talking to the anaesthetist, mentioning the blood test I had the other week that went a bit badly - but he said he probably wouldn't go for it, because "for him to put in a needle was not like a nurse putting in a needle" (casual bit of shade there), and the cream took time to work, so I probably wouldn't even be numb by the time they had to start. So I got the usual 'sharp scratch' of the needle as it went in, but I just tried to talk over it to the nurse about video games, and then it was over pretty quickly. The cannula was - tight is the best way to describe it. Just sometimes it would sort of sting like it was pressing up against my skin, and it felt a little tight when they started drip-feeding me the meds. And then I started feeling it a little - just a little distant sort of sensation, like when I take diazepam. And then I felt my chest sort of relax, but also hurt a little - which I assume was me feeling how tense I really was. And then someone was saying 'hello, Rachael' and putting an oxygen mask on my face, and I was in the recovery ward. I didn't even notice it - it wasn't even like when I've fainted or nearly fainted before and everything started to go white. I just woke up somewhere else.
I looked at the clock, and the whole procedure had taken about an hour. I was sort of drifting in and out - I didn't go back to sleep, but I kept having to put my head down for a little rest. They took my blood pressure, or oxygen levels, and apparently they were a little low? But I was laying on my side because my stomach was cramping, and they said that might have something to do with it, and I explained about my cold and how it might be affecting how much oxygen I was absorbing. Anyway, they took the readings again later and they were fine. And then they gave me some water, and then they gave me some corned beef sandwiches and biscuits, and then they gave me some blackcurrant juice, and eventually I was feeling way normal. Or pretty normal, anyway. So I got dressed, and I went and had a wee, which they ask you to do before they'll discharge you, and finally they said I was ready to go home. Unfortunately then they called my mum, and her phone went straight to voicemail. Apparently she was in the hospital, she just had no signal. So I was stuck there for about half an hour, wondering how long it would take mum to just come back if her phone was dead and she wasn't getting the messages. But eventually she just showed up on the ward with a nurse, having spotted one of the missed calls on her phone. By which time I was pretty much okay, and off we went.
So that's it. My first - entire - experience of going under anaesthetic. While also having a cold. But it's done and it's over with and the doctor said she couldn't see anything wrong during the procedure so everything's probably fine, so - barring one result that I'll probably be edgy about until it comes back, but shouldn't really be bad - I am done, and I don't have to have anymore tests, and woo hoo, it is over with. I'm still a little tired and I still have a cotton bud taped to my hand where the cannula was, which my mum says I should just 'let drop off'. But I am done and it is done, and I am pretty much fine, hurrah!
It was a funny morning. I got up at 7, had some toast, watched a bit of Third Rock From The Sun. Brushed my teeth at 7.40, and worried briefly that toothpaste might not count as nil by mouth. Then I went back to bed, as I realised the phoneline I actually had to call wasn't even open until 8.30am. Woke up at 9.15-ish - the first number I tried was not the place I needed to call, the second just rang and rang, the third picked up immediately but it wasn't the department I needed - the lady asked my speciality and gave me another number, which was engaged for about 15 minutes. But finally I got through and asked someone about my cold. They said it would be fine as long as I wasn't coughing up a lot of weird-coloured stuff, which I was. So they said I should come in and let the anaesthetist look at me, but it might get cancelled.
So mum drove me, which was a huge gesture for her because she hates driving through big traffic systems, like on the way to another city. We got there and were trying to figure out how she'd know if my appointment was cancelled and I needed a lift home, as she was planning to go into the city and not hang around the hospital. There was a big sign saying "Visitors only past this point" on the door to the ward, so we decided I'd go in and ask and she'd hang out outside the door, and I'd come back and tell her what they said about when I might know if it was cancelled. So I went to the reception - the lady there told me what the woman on the phone said, that the anaesthetist would have to check me over, and I mentioned my mum. And she said "oh is she with you? Well she can come in and wait until the doctor sees you, and then if you're not having it you can go home with her". So, people could wait with you before the procedure? Or something? At least in the waiting room. Apparently I was first on the list for the afternoon appointments, so the nurse took me straight in for her set of questions. I told her about the cold, and she said in that case she wouldn't let me get changed, we'd have to wait for the anaesthetist. She also asked me for a urine sample, which no-one had mentioned before, and I had literally just been to the bathroom with mum before I went to the ward. And I wasn't allowed to drink anything, so my bladder wasn't going to fill up anytime fast. But I managed to squeeze something out a little later.
And then I waited for an hour, literally an hour, in the waiting room, to find out if I was even going in or not. No-one could tell me anything but the anaesthetist and the anaesthetist apparently didn't show up until I was told the list was about to start. I came onto the ward at 12 and was seen immediately by the nurse, then at 10 past 1 I went looking for a nurse to find out if they knew anything yet. They didn't, so I went back out, and then five minutes later my nurse called me back in to give me the pre-med, just in case. The pre-med was 2 paracetamols. I still don't understand the nil by mouth thing - because chewing chewing gum is apparently dangerous enough for the doctors to call a procedure off, which apparently happened to the wife of another man we were in the waiting room with, and you're not supposed to drink any water, but they will let you take any scheduled medication and pre-meds, with a sip of water. But whatever, I trust them. Anyway. I sat and waited for another ten minutes, and then finally I got called in to see the anaesthetist. He listened to what I told him about my cold, and had me cough for him. And then he said it was fine - I got a little confused, because he was talking about extra risk of 'complications' after surgery, which sounded awful. But the only complication that was at risk, apparently, was that as he applied gasses to my throat to keep me under during the procedure, he might move the bacteria from my throat down into my lungs. I double-checked it was nothing life-threatening, and he said no, absolutely not, so I was like yeah, come on, let's do this, let's get it over with.
So from being basically prepared to go home, I was suddenly taken down to get ready for my procedure. In a way I think it helped my anxiety, because instead of sitting there stewing on the fact it was going to happen, I wasn't sure, so I was less focused on what I was expecting it to be like. But it was still kind of a rigmarole. But anyway. I went and saw the doctor and she gave me the list of all the things that could possibly go wrong, even if there was only a slightly small risk of it, as she legally had to do. That was fun. But she made it very clear the risk was tiny, and if there was anything they had to do in surgery I wouldn't be awake for it, so it was fine.
So then I had to put a hospital gown on and some DVT-away stockings, and go wait in the pre-op waiting room. I was told I was first on the list so I'd be going in around 1.30 - but when I saw the doctor she said she and the anaesthetist had been really busy that morning, so they's be going for something to eat before they started their appointments. So I ended up going down to the anaesthetic ward at about twenty past two. The anaesthetic wasn't as bad as I thought. I thought it'd be weird just laying down in a gown in front of strangers, but the nurses there were quite lovely and easygoing. One talked to me about videogames while I was waiting for everything to go on. I had asked for some numbing cream, or suggested it at least, when I was talking to the anaesthetist, mentioning the blood test I had the other week that went a bit badly - but he said he probably wouldn't go for it, because "for him to put in a needle was not like a nurse putting in a needle" (casual bit of shade there), and the cream took time to work, so I probably wouldn't even be numb by the time they had to start. So I got the usual 'sharp scratch' of the needle as it went in, but I just tried to talk over it to the nurse about video games, and then it was over pretty quickly. The cannula was - tight is the best way to describe it. Just sometimes it would sort of sting like it was pressing up against my skin, and it felt a little tight when they started drip-feeding me the meds. And then I started feeling it a little - just a little distant sort of sensation, like when I take diazepam. And then I felt my chest sort of relax, but also hurt a little - which I assume was me feeling how tense I really was. And then someone was saying 'hello, Rachael' and putting an oxygen mask on my face, and I was in the recovery ward. I didn't even notice it - it wasn't even like when I've fainted or nearly fainted before and everything started to go white. I just woke up somewhere else.
I looked at the clock, and the whole procedure had taken about an hour. I was sort of drifting in and out - I didn't go back to sleep, but I kept having to put my head down for a little rest. They took my blood pressure, or oxygen levels, and apparently they were a little low? But I was laying on my side because my stomach was cramping, and they said that might have something to do with it, and I explained about my cold and how it might be affecting how much oxygen I was absorbing. Anyway, they took the readings again later and they were fine. And then they gave me some water, and then they gave me some corned beef sandwiches and biscuits, and then they gave me some blackcurrant juice, and eventually I was feeling way normal. Or pretty normal, anyway. So I got dressed, and I went and had a wee, which they ask you to do before they'll discharge you, and finally they said I was ready to go home. Unfortunately then they called my mum, and her phone went straight to voicemail. Apparently she was in the hospital, she just had no signal. So I was stuck there for about half an hour, wondering how long it would take mum to just come back if her phone was dead and she wasn't getting the messages. But eventually she just showed up on the ward with a nurse, having spotted one of the missed calls on her phone. By which time I was pretty much okay, and off we went.
So that's it. My first - entire - experience of going under anaesthetic. While also having a cold. But it's done and it's over with and the doctor said she couldn't see anything wrong during the procedure so everything's probably fine, so - barring one result that I'll probably be edgy about until it comes back, but shouldn't really be bad - I am done, and I don't have to have anymore tests, and woo hoo, it is over with. I'm still a little tired and I still have a cotton bud taped to my hand where the cannula was, which my mum says I should just 'let drop off'. But I am done and it is done, and I am pretty much fine, hurrah!
