Nervous About Surgery

[ponygirlmom]

What is the tube down the throat? TEE ?? or something after surgery?

They are talking about the ventilator tube. The ventilator is the machine that breathes for you during your surgery. In most cases, when you leave the operating room, the machine is still breathing for you. The doctors and nurses watch you as your anesthesia wears off and you become able to breathe on your own. When you "wake up" in the Intensive Care area, the machine may still be helping you to breathe, so you will have a tube going down your trachea (windpipe).

A lot of people think this sounds creepy -- I know I did! But most of the people here say that they don't remember it, or they barely remember it. When you get out of surgery, you are on a LOT of drugs! I had been worried about the creepy tube, but it turned out not to be a bother at all -- all I really remember is having it removed.

About TEEs: They put a camera down your throat for the TEE. In my case, I was so sedated that I don't remember the procedure at all, from start to finish. I think that is pretty typical. Just because they say it's "sedation" rather than "anesthesia" doesn't mean that you won't totally fall asleep!

 

[Dawn-Marie]

Welcome ~ Just wanted to say Hi and i know you'll be happy you came here...people are so nice here and they become like family. It's normal to be scared...i'm still waiting to see if they can help me at all and i know i'm scared. My thoughts and prayers are with you. Best wishes, Dawn-Marie

 

[Shawneegirl]

Thanks, same to you. Are you having surgery soon or are you waiting like me?

 

[Lisa in Katy]

Welcome to this site! I was born in Shreveport at Physicians & Surgeons. My family lived in Bossier City until we moved when I was almost 5, but that was 1966, and I've only been back once since then.

Surgery is never easy, even if it's on your tiny toe, but most people recover relatively quickly and feel so much better afterwards that it makes the difficult times well worth it.

 

[Jkm7]

Hi Bobbie.

I had my second Open Heart Surgery a little over six months ago and am doing fine.
I have almost no memory of the breathing tube described above from either of my surgeries. They kept me very sedated until it was removed. I had worried about it needlessly.

The advice given above to write down all your questions and bring a pad of paper and pen to your doctor visits (along with a friend/relative) is excellent. I made sure my husband was in the room with me and my surgeon at our pre op and post op appointments. You have so much going around in your head it is easy to misunderstand or forget something entirely.

All of us who have had surgery were scared and had the same anxiety as you but almost all of us agree the wait for surgery was worse than the actual experience.

My recent surgery, I was only in CICU under 24 hours after my surgery and was home in five days. I walked about 24 hours after my second surgery (it was a little longer my first).

The more healthy you keep yourself going into surgery, the easier recovery goes for many. Eat a healthy diet and do whatever exercise your doctors approve.

Hang around here and do some reading. There is so much to learn from these amazingly well informed, generous to share people.

Very happy you found us before your surgery so we can help you get through it.

Welcome.

 

[SHEEPDOG]

I am 2.5 months post op...

I am 2.5 months post op...

... and feel GREAT!!!
The drugs are wonderful things. I was up and in a chair, had family come by, was in CCU/RECOVERY for 15 hours. I remember almost NONE. I swear they never got me up, I don't remember my family visit, dont even remember getting transfered to a regular room. I do remember the vent tube coming out, a RN telling me not to chew on it, PAIN in my shoulder and the FOOL next to me being loud. DON"T STRESS THE VENT TUBE. It all is an unknown to you but most of us HAVE been there and have the ZIPPER T shirt. Ask questions, then ask more. We will give all the help we can.