Hi Burse

I think everyone has these feelings due to apprehension of having a general anesthetic, whether first time round or multiple times.
My great fear is that you may not "wake up" again, I'm sure you have had lots of tests to make sure that you are fit enough for the operation. So heart, lungs, kidney, blood pressure, weight, height and so on are tested.
On the day you will be admitted to a ward where you will put on a surgical gown, you can have a dressing gown on top of this to keep warm and your slippers. You will have visits from a nurse who will take your temperature, blood pressure and ask about any medicine you are currently taking. They may give you a couple of paracetamol to take. You will be visited by the surgeon and the anaesthetist for a chat.
Usually you walk to the operating theater, they put you at ease, fit a cannula in the back of your hand and attach it to a bag suspended above. Know that you will be in good hands by an experienced surgeon and team and the anaesthetist will be present throughout the operation monitoring you. You will be asleep within 10 seconds and be aware of nothing until you wake up in the recovery ward where you started out. As you come to you will be offered a hot drink and be monitored for a while before they either send you home or admit you to a ward to continue your recovery.

I hope that this can help a bit to dispel the fear of the unknown. I recently went through this and although I like you was dreading it, it was not too bad after all.

Best wishes

Ed

Hi Burse

I think everyone has these feelings due to apprehension of having a general anesthetic, whether first time round or multiple times.
My great fear is that you may not "wake up" again, I'm sure you have had lots of tests to make sure that you are fit enough for the operation. So heart, lungs, kidney, blood pressure, weight, height and so on are tested.
On the day you will be admitted to a ward where you will put on a surgical gown, you can have a dressing gown on top of this to keep warm and your slippers. You will have visits from a nurse who will take your temperature, blood pressure and ask about any medicine you are currently taking. They may give you a couple of paracetamol to take. You will be visited by the surgeon and the anaesthetist for a chat.
Usually you walk to the operating theater, they put you at ease, fit a cannula in the back of your hand and attach it to a bag suspended above. Know that you will be in good hands by an experienced surgeon and team and the anaesthetist will be present throughout the operation monitoring you. You will be asleep within 10 seconds and be aware of nothing until you wake up in the recovery ward where you started out. As you come to you will be offered a hot drink and be monitored for a while before they either send you home or admit you to a ward to continue your recovery.

I hope that this can help a bit to dispel the fear of the unknown. I recently went through this and although I like you was dreading it, it was not too bad after all.

Best wishes

Ed