My first ever surgery experience.

I have never had to stay in hospital before except for the time I gave birth. Giving birth is a happy occasion so we don't often associate that as 'staying in hospital'. Staying in hospital is usually associated when you're sick or if you've had surgery. For me, this first time of staying in hospital was for a Laproscopic Ovarian Cystectomy. Meaning I had cysts in my ovaries removed via keyhole surgery. In addition to the cysts in my ovaries, there was a rather biggish cyst that was outside of my reproductive system that the Dr couldn't determine what it was hence it was recommended that I do the surgery.

Let me tell you the first thing I felt was shock. I had never ever needed surgery before, and I was in fear. Firstly I feared the surgery itself, feared something would go wrong and secondly I feared what they would find. What if it's something that wasn't benign?? As I was telling my hubby on the phone I struggled to hold back my tears.

For the whole week I was trying hard not to think about the surgery and I was trying hard not to think about what would happen if something goes wrong. I shed a few tears and said a lot of prayers. I was feeling somewhat at peace, but the fear was still there.

On surgery day itself it was so difficult. I had to fast for 6 hours before the surgery and it wasn't just fasting on food, I also couldn't drink anything. That was torturous. I gotta say tho, I had to suck on a small shard of ice just to help with the thirst. Then we also had to deal with the waiting period, we had to show up at the hospital 2 hours in advance to get registered and get ourselves ready etc.

Fear set in as soon as I was in my hospital gown and on the bed. As I was being wheeled out of the room and saying good bye to my husband I couldn't hold back my tears any longer. The nurses must've thought I was being a bit dramatic. But then again I'm sure they've seen many patients looking as frightful as me.

The doctor and the anesthesiologist had a chat to me before I was wheeled into the operating theatre. They put a thick blanket on me and I assumed because it was gonna get really cold inside. As I was wheeled in closer I tried to take in as much as I could of the surroundings. The room was sparse, but had big lights overhead that wasn't yet turned on. Inside there were a number of nurses, or were they trainee surgeons, I'm not sure. They wheeled me next to the operating bed and I was moved onto the bed. The bed was very narrow so the nurse told me not to move or else I might fall. I never knew that operating beds were so narrow...Then they told me I will feel a warmth behind my back because the bed was heated. The thick blanket was still on top of me, I was wondering how cold would it get in there? (After the operation I found out the operating theatre is kept at 18 degrees Celsius to prevent infections. Ok, but how does the Drs function their hands under such cold temperatures??).

The anesthesiologist then proceI eds to put a needle through my vein on the back of my hand to put the line for the anesthetic. That was pretty painful and actually I remember being able to feel the drug going into my system, it was also a bit painful. Within about 2-3 seconds I succumbed to the anesthetic, I was like getting dizzy then I just decided to close my eyes and that was it, I was under.

I was told the surgery lasted about 1.30 hours. I don't particularly remember how I woke up. I think they called out my name? Not sure. I think I remember saying can I close my eyes again because I still feel sleepy. Or was that a dream?

So the surgery went well and the Dr said the large cyst is not likely to be anything serious, but they've sent it for testing just to be sure. At least he said there was no abnormal growth. I don't feel any pain and even now, 3 days later I still don't really feel any pain. I feel slight discomfort and slight pulling on my tummy belly button area, that's where one of the keyholes were. The other two are to the left and right of my tummy. The only negative thing i felt was the nausea from the anesthetic which was easily fixed by a shot of medicine.

So that is my story of my first ever surgery experience. Dear readers if you are reading this and you have a surgery scheduled soon, I just want to say it's ok to feel fear. Even the smallest of surgeries is still a surgery. Don't let anyone belittle your feelings.