I Have Had Surgery
In the past 8 1/2 years, I've had seven surgeries. I woke during surgery number two, enduring Anesthesia Awareness, where the patient wakes up during surgery. It's also called "Unintended intra-operative Awareness" in medical-speak.
Other than that one surgery, the other've been routine, because I made **** ******* it wouldn't happen again. My last surgery was in June of 2013, and it is a most disorienting thing to happen, but when I came to my senses, I was already in the recovery room, and had apparently had my eyes open, for when I came to, I found myself gazing at the nurses station. I've never had that happen before. Usually, when I regain consciousness, I'm still in the OR, on the table, usually being transferred to a waiting bed.
Soon, I'll have to have surgery. My OA in my knees is getting worse, so some time in the next year, I'll have a PKR. It scares me, but I'm not the kind of woman who walks away from her fears.
If you must have surgery, do yourself, (and me) a favor. Anesthesia Awareness is quite preventable, if you have the anesthesiologist using the right equipment. Two things, easy to remember.
1-A BiSpectral Index monitor, which helps the doctor to monitor your brain waves to make sure you're really under, not just appear that way. (During an Awareness, you are completely paralyzed and can't talk, but you can hear and feel EVERYTHING. Trust me, it's not something you want to experience EVER.
2-A sedative such as Versed (vir-said is how it's pronounced. IF you were to wake during a non-sedative surgery, you'd remember everything, which for most survivors had led to PTSD, as it did to me. With a sedative, short term memory isn't converted into long term memory, therefore you wouldn't remember a ******* thing, I will not have surgery unless these tools are used.
My surgeries were; right knee (1x)), left knee (3x), right wrist (2x), and left wrist (1x) the Awareness happened during my first surgery on my left knee.
Other than that one surgery, the other've been routine, because I made **** ******* it wouldn't happen again. My last surgery was in June of 2013, and it is a most disorienting thing to happen, but when I came to my senses, I was already in the recovery room, and had apparently had my eyes open, for when I came to, I found myself gazing at the nurses station. I've never had that happen before. Usually, when I regain consciousness, I'm still in the OR, on the table, usually being transferred to a waiting bed.
Soon, I'll have to have surgery. My OA in my knees is getting worse, so some time in the next year, I'll have a PKR. It scares me, but I'm not the kind of woman who walks away from her fears.
If you must have surgery, do yourself, (and me) a favor. Anesthesia Awareness is quite preventable, if you have the anesthesiologist using the right equipment. Two things, easy to remember.
1-A BiSpectral Index monitor, which helps the doctor to monitor your brain waves to make sure you're really under, not just appear that way. (During an Awareness, you are completely paralyzed and can't talk, but you can hear and feel EVERYTHING. Trust me, it's not something you want to experience EVER.
2-A sedative such as Versed (vir-said is how it's pronounced. IF you were to wake during a non-sedative surgery, you'd remember everything, which for most survivors had led to PTSD, as it did to me. With a sedative, short term memory isn't converted into long term memory, therefore you wouldn't remember a ******* thing, I will not have surgery unless these tools are used.
My surgeries were; right knee (1x)), left knee (3x), right wrist (2x), and left wrist (1x) the Awareness happened during my first surgery on my left knee.
41-45, F
