Inappropriate response

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Posted: Tue Nov 20, 2007 4:58 pm

I went to see the surgeon who will be operating on me on 3rd December 2007 just to find out what's going on. UK medicos don't tell you a lot but I thought I'd like to know the why's and wherefore's and my response quite surprised me.

I don't know whether he was trying to spook me, but as he went into more and more detail, telling me things I'd rather not hear, it started to make me laugh. Very Happy

By the time he had finished, I was worried I'd end up rolling on the floor.To every question I asked, he gave me the wrong answer and it just set me off each time. Laughing

I had to explain that I had never had an operation before and that my response was not a true reflection of how I felt - scared s**tless.

He said I may get given an epidural - and, of course, that set me off as well. I don't think they know what's coming their way. Very Happy

Posted: Tue Nov 20, 2007 5:04 pm

"Wow, this guy must be really enjoying hearing about this. I'll be a good doctor and continue to calm him down by telling him about all the possible complications that can happen when using a bone saw..."

Good luck on the operation!

Elite Baiter Joined: 02 Jul 2006 Posts: 1702

Lets scare gp lol.

An epidural is coming your way - its apparently excrutiatingly painful having that injection, but you wont feel much afterwards.

A big long needle into the spine always makes me glad im not a woman.

Posted: Tue Nov 20, 2007 5:07 pm

Quote:

Dr. Julius Hibbert likes to laugh. He has a sweet, infectious giggle that wafts through the examining rooms of his private practice and through the halls of Springfield Hospital. He usually laughs when offering his diagnoses to patients, which leads some people to think him a bit insensitive. But he's just a happy guy. A very happy guy. Dr. Hibbert has two kids and supportive wife. He is known throughout Springfield as the best doctor money can buy. Unless you have no money, in which case you'll be seeing Dr. Nick Riviera.

Good luck with your op, Gomer

Posted: Tue Nov 20, 2007 5:12 pm

@GP - I had the same thing. I've had 2 ops on my knee now, and before the first one, I had a fit of the giggles when being told all the info about the op. I was petrified, and waffling like a mad thing, but apparently (I don't remember) I told the funniest joke EVER just before the op. Unfortunately, no one else can remember it, either...

Posted: Tue Nov 20, 2007 5:17 pm

Even reading that digital-one made me laugh. Very Happy

To be honest, anything that happens behind my back I don't care about. I'd just never heard it used for anyone other than a pregnant woman. Maybe the surgeon's not telling me something. Shocked

Posted: Tue Nov 20, 2007 5:19 pm

It's natural to feel scared....A big big hug to you Gomer.

Posted: Tue Nov 20, 2007 5:29 pm

GomerPyle wrote:

I don't know whether he was trying to spook me, but as he went into more and more detail, telling me things I'd rather not hear, it started to make me laugh. Very Happy

I think that's a classic, if uncommon, reaction to stress. In situations like that, I make a lot of jokes, and crack myself up. I'm usually the only one laughing though. Confused

I think docs like to warn you about the worst possible scenarios with the hope that anything short of total tragedy comes as a relief, and you'll thank him for a job well done instead of dragging him to the nearest courthouse. But then again, I'm in the US. Wink

Good luck with the operation. I hope you're doing something cool like bionic legs.

Posted: Tue Nov 20, 2007 5:44 pm

Quote:

To be honest, anything that happens behind my back I don't care about. I'd just never heard it used for anyone other than a pregnant woman. Maybe the surgeon's not telling me something. Shocked

Eldest daughter had one of these for her 2nd knee op. 1st time she was on PCA morphine for a day & a half & spent 3 days in hospital. 2nd time she had an epidural (they called it a 'spinal anaesthetic') & she was home 36 hours after the op. Much better. Good luck.

Posted: Tue Nov 20, 2007 5:46 pm

digital-one wrote:

its apparently excrutiatingly painful having that injection, but you wont feel much afterwards.

No, it's not. The nearest I can describe it is someone digging the point of their finger into your spine, really hard. It's uncomfortable but not all that painful. It only hurts if the anaesthetist hits a nerve and it makes you jump. I nearly kicked the chief nurse in the balls when they were doing an epi on me. Couldnt help it...honest. His junior hit a nerve and my leg just shot out!

Posted: Tue Nov 20, 2007 5:47 pm

I've had my hair cut specially - don't ask me why Rolling Eyes

Then I just realised that, as I don't use pyjamas, I was going to take tee shirts, but I don't think I'll be able to lift my arms above my head. So I'm going to see if I can get a front buttoning wincyette pyjama jacket with teddy bears on it. Very Happy

That was the pattern on my last pair of pyjamas. If M & S sell them, I'll buy one.

Posted: Tue Nov 20, 2007 5:59 pm

Gomer, I hope everything goes extremely well and your recovery is speedy.
I had some My Little Pony pajamas when I was younger. I swear they had magical properties. Perhaps you should try to find a set. Wink

Trophy Videos · Posted: Tue Nov 20, 2007 6:26 pm

Stylish pajamas, and a nice bathrobe ala Hugh Hefner will set you at ease, GP. The nurses will be all over you (hope they are nice lookin females!) Very Happy

Good luck on the OP. I'm sure it will turn out fine.

Baiting Guru Joined: 03 May 2007 Posts: 18313

ah, the inappropriate affect thingy. I've been there. Got the giggles at a funeral once when I was younger. It was not cool and I couldn't stop. I did manage to keep it quiet. I really didn't think anything was funny at the time. I was scared because it was my friend's dad and I started thinking about my own dad and started giggling.
I feel for you Gomer, just realize that your wacko reaction was actually normal in the circumstances.
As for the epidural, I had one four years ago and again last Feb. (two kids). The first didn't hurt at all (of course, the labor pains were excrutiating). The second hurt like hell, but as someone else already said, it's because they hit a nerve.
My advice is, when the anesthesiologist comes in, if she/he looks 12, refuse her/him and ask for the supervisor. I'm all for teaching skills to med students/interns, they have to learn sometime. . . . but not on me. Wink

Posted: Tue Nov 20, 2007 7:06 pm

GP, I've had numerous very dangerous operations done around the trigeminal zone. They couldn't treat the problem, and won't do any more as I'm lucky not to have ended up in a far worse state than I am now, through all the poking around they have been doing.

I was in a similar situation regarding information. The condition I have is so rare that the diagnosis I finally obtained is rather contentious amongst the medicals themselves, even though stuff shows up on C.A.T scans. Confused

Any consultant surgeon that deals with head, neck or back surgery is bound to be very good and uber cautious. They tend to be very conservative about op's here in the UK so wouldn't do it unless they thought it was really necessary.
I wouldn't worry too much either, let them do the worrying, that's what they are paid for. Laughing

Baiting Guru Joined: 19 Mar 2007 Posts: 2628

Good luck, Gomer.
I've had 4 spinal anesthetics and the worst bit was trying to curl up in a ball for the needle to go in. Oh, and feeling very cold after one type.

An epidural is a far more pleasant experience than a general and less likely to have side effects.

I think surgeons are used to all sorts of weird behaviour. My dad asked his for whisky on the NHS when asked his preference for pain relief.

Posted: Tue Nov 20, 2007 7:27 pm

Best of luck, Gomer. I hope that it is not half as bad as you expected it to be afterwards.

Posted: Tue Nov 20, 2007 7:58 pm

The good side is that once it's done - that's the end of it. I'll be as good as new with no loss of function - in fact I should be improved.

The recovery time should be lengthy so I'll have plenty more baiting time at home - so it's not all bad, and by a marvellous coincidence when I get back to work I'll be able to apply for early retirement Very Happy

but that wasn't planned - honestly. Very Happy

Posted: Wed Nov 21, 2007 1:57 am

Gomer, you don't need pajamas. Insurance won't let them keep you that long and as soon as you check in, they will give you the sweetest little backless gown that you ever saw. Laughing

The nurses hope that you have hot buns. Razz

I've had an epidural and it was a piece of cake, it was the labor that got me. Wink

Good luck!

Posted: Wed Nov 21, 2007 2:12 am

Yeah, the whole giggle thing... it's just a stress relief. Some people giggle, some get mad, and some become control freaks. It's just how people deal with uncomfortable situations, and nothing at all unusual.
I knocked a couple of fingers off one time and had blood pumping out of the artery in my finger, and the doctor was carrying on about all the nasty things they wanted to do to my hand. Take a piece from here, a bone from there, patch it all up, etc, and do you have any questions?
So I asked him if I would be able to play piano after the surgery. It seems that he was the only one in the operating room not familiar with that joke, because he said "yes, in ten weeks."

A spinal is not a really big deal anymore. It used to be a lot worse. And it's over with in a jiffy. Just let them know if you mouth starts going numb.

Posted: Wed Nov 21, 2007 2:49 am

You also have to fart before they will discharge you and it is a big issue, can't leave until the biggest wheel knows about it. Laughing

When I had my finger operated on, told me to take everything off, put on gown. I refused to take my panties off for this operation and I didn't. Lovey was all kissy kissy and playful. Cool

He said that I should do what they said. Nurse comes in and asked if I removed all clothing, I said "Yes, Lovey said, "No!" I said, "Why?" She went on and told that if an emergency came up they would have to cut them off. What kind of emergency would require cutting my panties off? Shocked

I said, "Cut the mothers!" and I left them on. They only cost $5.00! Razz

Posted: Wed Nov 21, 2007 5:08 am

Coming late to the party here, but want to add my voice to those who say an epidural is not a big deal. I think it's the mental image one gets when they say, "We stick a needle into your spine..." Shocked

and, "You might feel a little pinch now..." Rolling Eyes

I've had approximately 18 epidurals over the past 6 years, primarily in the cervical spine but also the lumbar spine. The thing is, about the second or third injection, I figured out that the tales of horror I had heard were wrong. Now I simply walk in, get the injection, rest for thirty minutes while the injected solution "sets up," and then walk out. No sedation, no nothing. Not bragging here, just recommending that you try to disregard the horror stories...they are not true, at least in my case.

You'll do great...best wishes!

Posted: Wed Nov 21, 2007 8:43 am

The backless gown is nothing. They put you in white stockings too, making you look like a TV hooker. They tell me it's to prevent blood clots.

No teddy bear pyjamas ! Well - I was going to buy some specially. It's a cunning ploy to attract the attention of nurses. Very Happy

Posted: Wed Nov 21, 2007 9:38 am

Gomer ...I have tracked your Consultant (B. H. (Calcutta) Failed) down.

He tells me that your operation is going to be the best that the NHS (Lottery Selection Process) can provide, and because you know so much about Lottos you are going to get everything you deserve. Wink

Baiting Guru Joined: 19 Mar 2007 Posts: 2628

I now have a picture in my head of your avatar in fluffy teddy jammies Laughing

I shouldn't laugh. My teenage son goes for a minor op tomorrow. He may have to stay in overnight depending on how it goes.
Looks like its t- shirt and boxers unless he really wants to wear glow in the dark skeleton pyjamas, perhaps not the best thing for a hospital ward!