Let's Have a Hernia Repair Operation - Step 4 Part 1

Why should you read this? Who should read this?

This post is going to provide some info about what it is like the day of surgery and is primarily for the novice surgery patient who, like me, had little experience with hospitals, doctors, nurses, hospital procedures, etc, and were nervous due to fears of the unknown and well-founded concerns about what can happen even during the simplest of medical procedures. If that is you then read on. 

Wear loose fitting clothing ✅
No food and drink since midnight ✅
Something to read ✅
Fully charged Smart phone ✅
Patience ✅
Driver ✅
Living Will - draft (hmm.. bit of a fail here) ✅
Advised brother and dad and kids ✅
Prayed for doctor and nurses ✅
Credit card ✅
Identification (drivers licence) ✅

These are some of the things you need on the day you go in for out-patient or what is more correctly known as ambulatory surgery. Some of this checklist is provided by the Ambulatory surgery center (ASC) or surgeon, and some of this is what you need to maintain your equanimity or possibly more colloquially known as KYST and GYST. See picture or click links if you don't know these FLA's.

There really is no way around the fact that unless this is the second hernia operation you are having, you don't know what is going to happen, you are extremely nervous, and anything to help you feel prepared is going to increase your feeling of control which helps you relax. There are probably a few readers that can surrender to the situation - my hat is off to you and I salute you and am envious. Most likely though you "surrender folks" are not even reading this because you have evolved past the need for this kind of banter, dry humor, and detailed information.

For the rest of us, doing something to prepare ourselves for the unknown the best we can, lets us relax a little. We have something familiar to fall back on when in a new situation.  For example, when waiting around to be admitted, or laying in the gurney prior

Hospital Gurney

to surgery, having your smart phone that you know how to use, gives you a familiar pattern to engage in which is relaxing.  A book can do the same thing. Or, reciting a prayer you know. Any of these activities engage you in something you know how to do and that will help you concentrate on what you know and forget a little bit about what you don't. That brings us to fear of the unknown.

 In order to help you, the reader, feel better I am painting a picture of what you are likely to experience so when it happens, you will remember and possibly say to yourself "oh yeah, I remember Gutpatch talking about this". That alone will let you calm down because it then becomes a shared experience between you and me.  And, the surgery thing can be a lonely experience. Gutpatch might be one of the few people that understands what you are going through. Check out this article in The Atlantic about extraordinary experiences both good and bad.  I believe that though this article talks mostly about extraordinary positive experiences that it applies equally to something that is usually perceived negatively like surgery.

People who had extraordinary experiences, meanwhile, had “little in common” with those who had run-of-the-mill experiences, and the resulting combination of strangeness, jealousy, and abnormality caused the extraordinary people to feel left out. In other words, you had to be there. Apparently, though, we don’t anticipate the social rejection that might ensue when we try to regale our acquaintances with stories from our trek across New Zealand.

Hey, hopefully you have lots of friends who will call you up, come see you, send you flowers, listen to you talk about how much it all sucks, and bring over food. All I can say is - don't count on it, and if it happens, count yourself really fortunate and say thank-you a lot. But mostly, even if our friends and family know about what you are getting ready to do, they will think it is not a big deal, or they don't want to be too involved because you don't want that, or for a billion other good reasons give you lots of space. If that is case, you are back stuck with Gutpatch. 

Sorry to get a bit psychological here. I think if you understand how things might go, you will have an easier time. And, it is OK to talk to yourself and imagine Gutpatch is there actually telling you this stuff to your face and you are arguing with me and telling me I'm full of it and to go screw off. That is OK!

This is getting a bit long so I am going to break it into two parts.  Part II will be coming soon and cover what is gong to happen once they open the door of the waiting room and escort you back.

Read Part II by clicking HERE!


Please comment below and I will answer all questions. This blog will only become useful if people comment and add their experience and ask the questions which other people share but are afraid to ask. Plus, everyone's experience is different. How did you find out you needed surgery?  Were you scared? How did you deal with it? Was it relief to know? Or, was the info a complete surprise? 

Gutpatch Hernia Repair Series
1. This Sucks! Step 1
2.  You Have A - I Have A - Hernia?! Step 2
3. Oh Man! Getting Surgery Scheduled - Step 3
4. Let's Have a Hernia Repair Operation - Step 4 Part 1
5. Hernia Surgery Part II

6. Post Hernia Surgery