Re: My first ERCP - want to add this thought

[Guest guest]

It occured to me that just as we can let our imagination run wild

so much so that we can convince ourselves that the normal

bumps, creaks and moans of a house settling in the night are

actually noised of an intruder or " monster " so too can we let our

imagination run wild when it comes to thinking about medical

procedures.

While I do not advocate or condone the patronizing attitudes that

many doctors show their patients ( " now don't worry your pretty

little head about this " ) I do admit that there is some common

sense in not needing to know all the gory details of what is going

to happen.

If I would have known what it meant to have exploratory

abdominal surgery - that is, they removed my intestine and

organs and laid them on a collapsable " shelf " next to me - I

never would have consented...or I would have gone into it

terrified out of my mind. And the reality of it is that the thought of it

grosses me out more than the experiencing the actual

procedure.

So I guess that is something to keep in mind......that the actual

experience may not be near as bad as what your mind imagines

- just like those scary bumps in the night that paralyzes you

under the covers.

Laurie