10 hours to surgery - DPChallenge Forums

Canon EF 85mm f/1.2L II USM

03/27/2007 02:59:53 AM · #1

I'm counting down...should be sleeping, but I'll be up all night. I have arthroscopic knee surgery tomorrow - ten hours from now. It wasn't the surgery that was bugging me so much, but being put under with anesthesia. Then earlier tonight my boyfriend just had to share with me about his knee surgery - the same as what I am having done. He says the pain afterwards is horrible, as is the swelling. Anyone here have a lateral meniscus repaired before? Was it really that bad?

If you don't see me back here , then you'll know I didn't wake up from the gas. My final wish would be that every photo in my portfolio would be someone's favorite. Hopefully I'll be fine and you won't all feel lousy for not honoring my dying wish. :P

Message edited by author 2007-03-27 03:00:24.

NstiG8tr

Canon EOS-5D Mark IV

03/27/2007 03:08:00 AM · #2

Knee surgery aint that bad. Had one done about 3 years ago. You wanna know something that is painful, roto-cuff surgery. Holy crap. I slept in a chair for almost 2 weeks. I tried sleeping lying down once, rolled over in my sleep and thought I was gonna die. I'm pretty tolerant of pain but that was just bad.

Melethia

Canon EOS-80D

03/27/2007 03:08:18 AM · #3

OK, I realize you're nervous, but that made me laugh out loud (and I'm at work!) You'll be fine. Your knee will probably swell up to the size of a large grapefruit and will be sore and tight, but you'll be fine just the same. Take advantage and have the nice gentleman you hang out with these days wait on you hand and foot. Get comfy on the couch and all propped up with pillows and read, watch TV, watch movies, nap. It's all good. Best of all, you'll have a knee that hopefully won't creak, squeak, and hurt everytime you go down stairs. Good luck, and let us know how it went!

Olympus 40-150mm f/2.8 PRO M.Zuiko

03/27/2007 03:13:01 AM · #4

Originally posted by Melethia:

OK, I realize you're nervous, but that made me laugh out loud (and I'm at work!)

I'm just a tad bit anesthesia phobic. I even gave Lance a key to the house so if I didn't wake up he could come get my pugs, kitty cat, and guinea pig. I made him promise to take care of them until my daughter came to get them all.

Brad

Olympus OM-D E-M1

03/27/2007 03:20:21 AM · #5

Oh stifle.
My Mom's had both of her knees replaced TWICE and she's managed to kick life in the butt and she didn't even have a portfolio. :P
You'll be fine.

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 USM

03/27/2007 03:24:23 AM · #6

I just thought of another bad thing - my coworkers!!! I had almost forgot that they have a cruel sense of humor. David was saying he was going to tell the surgical staff to paint a happy face on my belly with betadine once I was under. Chuck said he was gonna sneak in and draw an X on the knee I am supposed to be getting worked on, and a YES on the wrong knee.
I sure hope they behave themselves!

Blue Moon

Canon EOS-40D

03/27/2007 03:30:36 AM · #7

you should sleep. Anesthesia isn't something to get shook up about. They know what they are doing 99% of the time...However, that 1% could have to do with you not sleeping. So sleep!

Why the fear? Did you have a bad experience, or is it just a hypothetical fear?

Message edited by author 2007-03-27 03:31:13.

03/27/2007 03:36:56 AM · #8

Originally posted by Blue Moon:

Last time I had trouble with coronary artery spasms as I woke up, and the nurses were not taking me serious about the chest pain. They kept telling me it was just me waking up from the anesthesia. Took them about 20 minutes to realize I really was having trouble. This time I am telling them before they give me a thing that if I say my chest is hurting they had better just give me my damn nitro.
Another time I awoke too soon and felt like I had been naked in a meat freezer I was so cold.
Oh, and I had a 6 month old pug puppy who DIDN'T wake up from anesthesia even though his neuter went fine.
I just hate being put under now. It was that or a spinal though and with my ruptured disks in my lower back I didn't want to go that route either.

SaraR

Sony Alpha a7R III

Sony FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM

03/27/2007 03:37:54 AM · #9

I had an arthroscopy procedure on one of my knees a little over a year ago (slightly different as my problem also included having the ligament lengthened); it certainly was very uncomfortable for a couple of months after, and doing the physio exercises wasn't fun, BUT now I can walk as far as I want without any pain at all. All good stuff - relax, take as much time to recover as your body needs (and your work place will pay sick pay for..)and use the enforced rest to get even better at post-processing.

Ooh, just thought of another reason that this is good - by the time you go on your bear photography trip your knee will be A-1, and you will enjoy it all the more. :Â¬)

Message edited by author 2007-03-27 03:39:23.

Melethia

Canon EOS-80D

Olympus 40-150mm f/2.8 PRO M.Zuiko

03/27/2007 03:42:17 AM · #10

Make sure you let them know you're phobic. Or you could stay awake and watch! (Ick!!!)

Brad

Olympus OM-D E-M1

03/27/2007 03:45:27 AM · #11

Originally posted by Melethia:

Make sure you let them know you're phobic. Or you could stay awake and watch! (Ick!!!)

They can and probably will have a video available.

Just no YouTube ok?

Canon EF 70-200mm f/4.0L USM

03/27/2007 03:52:36 AM · #12

Originally posted by Melethia:

Make sure you let them know you're phobic. Or you could stay awake and watch! (Ick!!!)

I wish they would let me stay awake and watch. The doc said no to using a local. He will only do this procedure with either general or a spinal. If I had been allowed to stay awake I would have definitely talked them into letting me bring in at least my p&S camera

silverfoxx

Canon EOS-5D

03/27/2007 04:18:15 AM · #13

oh my, I am also afraid of anesthesia, but I am afraid of waking up during an operation:)
everything will be fine! I will be thinking about you all the time!

quiet_observation

Canon EOS-7D

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM

03/27/2007 06:31:43 AM · #14

My husband had a meniscus repair and it went very well. Within a week he was back to work and pain-free.

MikeO

Fujifilm x100

03/27/2007 07:34:17 AM · #15

Hey Linda you will be fine! just get fit and get back here asap.

My only experience with a general anesthetic was fine but that was for hemmoroids! If you think having a painful knee is bad ....well...lets just say mine was a great big pain in the ass!

;-)

mattmac

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM

03/27/2007 08:35:07 AM · #16

I have had 4 knee surgeries...and the recovery from the scopes for the meniscus tears weren't that bad, as I recall. Now, the dislocated knee cap, torn ACL, MCL and LCL - that wasn't much fun...

My buddy just had a scope to clean up some meniscus tears, and he didn't even bother with crutches - back to work the next day. I don't recommend that approach, but that's how it can be.

Good luck, everything will be fine!!

Kelli

Canon EOS-D60

Canon EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM

03/27/2007 08:52:36 AM · #17

I had the lateral meniscus done, but my knee was completely blown out. Mine was tendons, muscle and bone damage as well. I couldn't walk for 2 days after the surgery at all and the pain and swelling was bad (my knee was the size of a cantalope). But after the two days it was more than bearable. They admitted after the fact that they didn't realize the extent of the damage and it really should have been opened up instead of doing it orthoscopically (sp?). It's still never been fixed right (I have a slight tendency for it to bend the wrong way). Oh, and I always throw up with anesthesia, LOL. Best of luck to you and remember not everyone has the same experience. I'm sure yours will be fine!

idnic

Canon EOS-60D

Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM

03/27/2007 08:54:07 AM · #18

Good luck and speedy recovery, Linda.

Strikeslip

Canon EOS-5D

Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS

03/27/2007 09:02:35 AM · #19

Lateral meniscus? That's girl-surgery, you'll be fine!

I had a graft taken off my patellar tendon to replace my ACL which I tore skiing. I walked around with the torn ACL for a while and messed up my meniscus, so they took some chunks of that out and 'fixed it up' while they were at it.

I fealt chilly for about twenty minutes coming off the anaesthetic, which I guess is normal, though they never told me that before the surgery. There were plenty of nurses around to fuss over me and they even had lots of warm blankets they kept in a big warming cabinet, which were very cozy.

I didn't find it painful. I saved all my pain pills, which I used later for hangovers. The painful part was the first time I had to have a dump, which was a few days after the surgery, I think. It was big, solid, and hard. It had to be similar to giving birth. I even named it, "Slippy Jr.". It stopped up the toilet and I was in no condition to do anything about it. My wife couldn't unclog it. Finally, we called a plumber. That was the $110 poo.

You'll be fine. Remember to steal some scrubs and rubber gloves.

suemack

Canon EOS-20D

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM

03/27/2007 09:40:05 AM · #20

Sheesh Slippy ....wish I hadn't had that mouthful of coffee when I read your post. Now I'm gonna have to spend the next half hour cleaning coffee spit off the keyboard and monitor!

No knee surgery here Linda, just loads of anaesthetics for sinus problems. Always apprehensive, but no probs with any of them.

*big hugs* .....don't forget to look out for a slippery looking dude with a large stash of rubber gloves and scrubs tucked under one arm trying to sneak out of the hospital.

CalliopeKel

Canon EOS-5D

03/27/2007 09:53:30 AM · #21

Slippy. TMI!!

Linda- You will be ok. Warn them of your concerns and past experiences. They have anti-nausea meds they can inject into you before you wake up, and tell them you want those warm blankets STAT.

03/27/2007 10:03:57 AM · #22

Slippy - since I work at this hospital, stealing from them would not be wise.

Sue - I am definitely going for the blankies. I wont need anti-nausea meds as much as I need my nitro. If they don't give it to me if I ask for it I'm gonna become violent this time. Having chest pain on top of knee pain would really piss me off.

As far as the knee surgery - the pain and after surg stuff isn't a problem. I'm not at all bothered by it. After all I have plenty of tequila on hand. It's just my weird fear of not waking up that bugs me

Message edited by author 2007-03-27 10:04:11.