8 Hour Surgery

[Guest guest]

Hey all -

I'm not the kind of person to be freaked out and am usually very level

headed, however ...

I've gotten to thinking about my brachioplasty, full abdominal panni revision

(hip-to-hip and up to breastbone, aka " anchor " cut), as well as bilateral

outter scar revision has been on my mind FULLTIME since I last spoke with my

surgeon's nurse.

The initial surgery was scheduled as a brachioplasty and bilaterial leg scar

revision (childhood scars), originally scheduled for Jan 20, 2004 and was to

be approximately 4 hours.

After I noticed my hips/butt falling from the full panni (done 2/14/03), I

saw doctor again and asked for it to be revised (and to be included in the

originally scheduled 1/20/04 surgery) requiring a full panni revision with cuts

starting more " back " in mid-butt and back around from butt-to-butt and up

(again)

to breastbone, to remove extra skin under bra area.

Okay -- sorry this is dragging. Overworked Nurse screwed up and didn't

schedule the panni revision IN WITH the brachioplasty and legs. I had to get on

Nurse, and surgery and she ended up rescheduling everything, and it was all was

moved to 2/10/04 with 3 PROCEDURES and a total surgery time of 8 hours.

(All because I said I didn't want to go through this all again, wanted it all

taken care of at same time ... 1. Brach (arms), 2. Outer Legs (childhood

scar revision, and ... 3. Complete Panni revision. Also, this was supposed to

be " day " surgery before the tummy revision was included, with me in hospital

less than 24 hours (as with initial panni, went home in 23 hours).

Well, I think Nurse is now scaring me (as she messed up with the initial

scheduling of Doctor's time and Hospital time, i.e., 4 hrs and now 8 hours),

requiring a new surgery date for surgery room, etc. This whole mess is now

requiring me to pay and reschedule sisters time and air travel up here to help

take

care of me. Anyway, it was a mess to resolve.

I don't mean to sound blameful, but suffice it to say I told Nurse if it

wasn't all fixed (for one surgery as Dr. had said initially it could be), I was

pulling out and going to an equally qualified surgeon here with my business.

Okay, Nurse fixed it, (and it was hard to fix), and moved the date, but is

now EMPHASIZING:

1. how mortality is much more at jeopardy in 8 hour surgery (I know this),

2. how being under 8 hour anesthesia (as opposed to 4) is MUCH more

dangerous,

3. how 8 hour under anesthesia is MORE LIKELY to cause embolisms (I know

this),

4. how performing 3 procedures are more dangerous (than the initial 2)

because it causes the blood to rush to 3 different areas after the procedures

are

performed,

5. how its much harder to wake up after being under anesthesia for 8 hours,

as opposed to " only " being under 4, and finally ...

6. how I definitely will NOT be out of the hospital in one day (I was out in

48 with a full open proximal RNY).

Okay, I know Nurse is just doing her job with all this " disclaimer " type

information, but the manner in which she's presenting it is (however sweet and

nice), scaring the beJesus out of me.

The doctor didn't seem particularly concerned when we had discussed 3

procedures together. Doctor said face lifts take that long and they perform

them on

much older people (I'm 48). Doctor just said the 8 hours is required not due

to the extensiveness of the 3 different procedures, but because they have to

re-prep, turn me, etc., and this adds takes more time and I am more time under

anesthesia.

But, now I'm scarred about this 8 hour under anesthesia, as opposed to 4

under.

I am a paraprofessional, well educated, level headed woman ... why am I

letting this get to me so badly? I mean, after the entire " fight " to get all

this

done, I now find myself reconsidering the 3 procedures.

Any words of comfort or words to help me maintain my sense of calmness with

my decision?

Thanks all for bearing with my long-winded post.

Bobbie

Anchorage, AK

Open Proximal RNY: 5-11-01

Full Panniculectomy: 2-14-03

Brachioplasty/Leg Scar Revision/Full Panni Revision: 2-10-04

Then: 314

Now: 188

48, 5'5 "