Crippled Democrat.

[TheMightyFavog]

I was diagnosed with a crushed meniscus in my knee stemming from a bike accident I had on Friday. I've been restricted to crutches and I have to keep my knee elevated and iced until Friday when the Doctor can look at it again. In a bad scenario, I will have to go to the hospital for X rays, in a very unlikley worst case scenario, I'll have to undergo surgery. I'm scared. I hate hospitals, I'm even more scared of anesthisia.

[bratcatinok]

1. Have you erver had anesthesia before?

[TheMightyFavog]

2. When I was a toddler, I crushed my hand.

The IV anesthesia did not work, so they had to gas me. I had to be monitored constantly until i came out of it because they were afraid my breathing would stop.

[ChickMagic]

3. It's SOP to monitor constantly

If they do general anesthesia, you close your eyes and open them. It's over. Lately they've been doing a lot of knee surgery with local anesthetic, but they sometimes give you a la-la cocktail. Twilight anesthesia.

[aePrime]

4. When I had knee surgery

they gave me a choice. Local, or out cold. I took out-cold because I could not imagine wanting to be awake for it.

I was sick afterwards, but it might have been the morphine. Morphine's made me sick before, but it's fun until that happens!

[bratcatinok]

5. I asked because I just had emergency surgery on my

stomach on 09/18 for a perforated ulcer.

Here's what they did to me:

Fist they put in an IV and gave me morphine through the IV. Relaxed me a whole lot! They also gave me some phenagran because sometimes morphine can upset your stomach and the phenagran keeps it from doing that.

Then they injected some valium into the IV. This was about 20 minutes or so before surgery.

By that time I was pretty well not scared anymore and ready for anything else they were going to do.

They rolled me into the operating room where it's really, really cold. They asked me if I wanted some heated blankets, I said yeah and so they piled several on top of me.

The anesthesiologist came in and set down on a stool near the top of my head. We had already had a conversation about what was going to happen so it was good to see a familiar face.

He then brought a mask and placed it over my nose and mouth. I didn't have to even be told to breathe deeply. I just started to breathe deep and it only took 3-4 breaths and I was completely out of it.

I don't remember being in the recovery room. My memories start once I got down to the regular floor.

Just remember, the anesthesiologist will come in to talk to you before anything is done. It's then you can express any fear or concerns you have. I always have to tell them about my broken neck where they don't try to force my neck back into a position it won't go. They'll do their very best to make sure you're comfortable. If you're really scared, they will increase the amount of valium they give you.

I also had a stomach scope done about 3 weeks after surgery and that time they didn't gas me. They used some stuff in the IV to put me out because it was stuff that would let me cooperate with them but would make me not remember anything. I had to be able to cooperate in swallowing the camera so that's why no gas that time

Gas isn't bad. It didn't make me sick or anything like that. If they do use gas on you though, when they tell you to cough...do it cos if you don't you can get pneumonia. It hurt like hell for me to cough but that's because I had the incision in my stomach. It shouldn't hurt you to cough since it will be your knee.

[Joe Chi Minh]

7. Seriously, bratcatinok,

I can't think of a more mundane, inconsequential experience, actually quite a pleasant experience - at least, as regards, how I always feel afterwards.

The last time, it was a for a triple bypass, and when I came to, a nurse asked me if I would like anything to eat. I thought she was having me on, because I didn't realise or remember that I'd already been operated on. I thought I was still waiting for the operation!

Mind you, I told them I didn't want to know about the "nuts and bolts" of the operation - which is just as well, as it seems they respectively sawed through a rib and broke open my rib cage. And, you
know, I never felt any pain at all after either op. They must have been brilliant anaestetists.


When I had a kidney removed, my wife and my mother were walking along a corridor towards one of the lifts, when they saw me being trundled along on the way to the theatre. My mother told me not to worry, and I told her the truth. I was wondering what horse would win the 3.30 at some track or other.

If a surgeon came to the door now, and told me they'd have to give me a general anaesthetic and operate on me straight away, for all it meant to me, they might have asked for a cup of tea. I'd get up on the table in a jiffy.

Before the first op, I'd been told the chances of the anaesthetic going wrong in a serious way was about 25000/1 - some pretty astronomical figure, which I was very happy with. But if I'd died on the table, I honestly couldn't think of a nicer way to ponk it. (Well, almost!). Anyway, as I was saying... Nowt to fear lad, and getting a bit of a fuss from nice uniformed nurses....? There's a lot worse experiences.

Good luck matey, anyway! It really is a molehill these days, not a mountain. Those physicians are experts who do the same thing all the time. To today's professional medical staff, those ops are just routine, but ones they nevertheless carry out very concientiously.

[bratcatinok]

8. I agree with you!

The process leading up to the anesthesia, the anesthesia itself and the recovery from it are sooo easy.

I can remember only one scary part of my whole deal and that was when they told me I was going to have to have emergency surgery. I was momentarily scared about the emergency part. That lasted for only a second or two since I already had morphine in me. After that it was just a process of kind of observing what they were going to do to me next. The morphine made everything kind of nice and warm and fuzzy.

Heck, if it wasn't for the pain from the recovery part of the surgery, I wouldn't mind at all being anesthetized. It's that pleasant!

[Joe Chi Minh]

10. Absolutely!

- Shoeempress clearly agrees - it's a nice feeling. After my first op, I even had a button to squeeze for extra little injections of morphine!

[Shoeempress]

6. I'm so sorry, it is very scary isn't it? I've been through a similar

situation and can tell you that it will feel like an eternity. Just try not to let it wear on you. I've always loved anesthesia, but then I'm very weird. Get someone nice to go rent your favorite movies for you, or movies you've been meaning to see. Get that same someone, of a new someone to go get your favorite meals, I opted for ice cream. Somehow eating tasty things makes you feel better, and don't forget to let people wait on you. Usually you have to pay people to do these things, milk it for as much sympathy as you can get. And get better.

[LincolnMcGrath]

9. Minor injury

No biggy. Keep your chin up. Not real fond of the sleeping gas myself, but it beats pain, and it is a ton better then letting it heal wrong.


B-)

[miss_kitty]

11. A neighbour of mine designs stuff for a medical equipment company

their foremost invention measures CO2 output, which is a much more reliable method of determining a patient's condition under anesthesia. It came out about 10 years ago, and when it was approved, gaspassers' insurance costs were HALVED. It has to do with CO2 output being a real-time measure, rather than the 2-3 minute lag O monitoring was. that's where the major probs were. Under the old system, a patient could be under stress, and they wouldn't know for several minutes. Now they know right away.

I think it is very normal to be afraid of surgery. You may want to discuss your fears with your doc, maybe get a referral you a psychologist for some counseling in pre-op relaxation techniques.

[Lisaben2619]

12. I just had ankle surgery

I had to have some screws put in (insert long, boring story about middle-age and falling down). Anyway, I hated thinking about surgery because I always threw up after I came too because of the anethesia. But this time, they used an "additive" and I didn't even feel sick. I woke up in recovery and was so relieved! They've probably made a lot of changes since your last surgery and if you're honest about your fears, the staff and doctors should be even more helpful and supportive. Besides, what's the alternative?

[TheMightyFavog]

13. Every step that I take with these crutches....

I will dedicate every step on these crutches from here till Friday to every brave person who had to end up permanantley on crutches or in a wheelchair thanks to the Chimpy McShithead. With every step, my resolve to see him unseated will grow, with every step I take, My resolve to see Russ Feingold wipe the motherfucking walls with faux patriot and Bush* brown noser Tim Michels will too grow.


LET'S GET THESE FUCKING BASTARDS!!!!!

[nini]

14. welcome to the torn meniscus club!

mine is a fresh one too.


They won't be able to see the tear in an x-ray - you'll need an MRI and if you're claustrophic insist on meds and/or an open machine. It was all I could do to get through that test!


I'm going to have the surgery too after a bone bruise heals. You'll be ok and out of the hospital in a few hours.

Heal quickly!!! I'll be pulling for you!

[TheMightyFavog]

15. Just as long as they finish up before Jan. 17.

My parent's HMO is kicking me off then.

Bastards.

[nini]

16. you should be ok by then..

this freaking insurance thing is one of my pet peeves!! urgh...

good luck

[TheMightyFavog]

17. Another reason to be pissed at the repukes.

But hey, this injury could get me out of the draft, if it comes.

[TheMightyFavog]

18. The first full day on crutches.

I think I've masterd walking with them. My armpits are fucking sore, though. I've appreciated all the help I have been recieving from my professors and fellow students.