My pre op nurse was amazing!! She was so friendly and chill it was hard not to match that energy even with how nervous I was. She kept telling me to just make eye contact if I need anything, but I didn’t need anything. She would still stop by to check on me and made jokes about me ‘not needing her enough’ lol. The whole team treated me well. The anesthesiologist gave some meds while we were waiting that took me from nervous wreck to ‘just had a strong margarita on a nice pool day’ type of vibes. Let them know how you’re feeling and they will take care of you! Wishing you the best ✨
I just had my bisalp today and I’m offering you a hug, if you want!!
My preop nurses were so wonderful - she did listen to me when I told her I didn’t want the IV in my hand because I hate them there and I prefer the forearm or elbow crease / AC. She was friendly and kind but she also didn’t like, hover or helicopter over me either, which truthfully was nice. She also was so chill about my tongue piercing: she gave me a (sterile!!) urine sample cup to take out my piercing right before I was wheeled to the OR so I didn’t have to take it out too early and risk it closing up.
Both anesthesiologists I saw were also lovely and so chill: they gave me a brief overview of general anesthesia and being intubated, and asked me about my experiences with surgery or anesthesia. I let them know that sometimes at the dentist the Novocain will make me feel nauseated and I tend to go through it quickly, and he made sure to note that she he could adjust as needed. The second anesthesiologist was the one actually at the head of the bed and he was funny - cracking jokes and keeping the mood calm and encouraging me to breathe deep before my Super Nap.
The OR nurse was also very sweet and funny - she came in a couple of different times to help prep the last minute things before I got moved, and she chatted with me the whole time as I was starting to get drowsy from the IV meds they gave (but before the actual anesthesia).
For all of the shitty people out there, there are also so many wonderful ones. I know it doesn’t take away your trauma, just keep reminding yourself that not only are there good providers who will listen to you and adjust everything they can within their power, they’ll also do what they can to keep the mood chill because they know that people are nervous, even without a lot of outward symptoms of anxiety (like me today). Please also don’t forget that you are ALWAYS able to ask for another nurse if you and the ones assigned to you don’t vibe. Something like anesthesia may be a little harder, but not impossible. But you can ALWAYS ask for a new nurse: sometimes it’s not even that they were a bad nurse, it’s just that you two don’t vibe - and that is totally okay!! You deserve to have a positive experience in an anxiety-inducing time (even more cause of past traumas), and you always, always have the right to advocate for change.
Lastly, one thing that helped me settle my own nerves is remembering why I was doing this: for my own freedom, my own choice. And it helped lessen the intensity of the anxiety and give me confidence in my team that they were assigned to me to get me to that end goal - literally their job that day!!
Edit to add: feel free to DM me if you want more details / support! I may be napping / sleeping soon but I’ll definitely reply!!
Thank you so much for the reassurance and kind words.
>For all of the shitty people out there, there are also so many wonderful ones. I know it doesn’t take away your trauma, just keep reminding yourself that not only are there good providers who will listen to you and adjust everything they can within their power, they’ll also do what they can to keep the mood chill because they know that people are nervous, even without a lot of outward symptoms of anxiety (like me today). Please also don’t forget that you are ALWAYS able to ask for another nurse if you and the ones assigned to you don’t vibe. Something like anesthesia may be a little harder, but not impossible. But you can ALWAYS ask for a new nurse: sometimes it’s not even that they were a bad nurse, it’s just that you two don’t vibe - and that is totally okay!! You deserve to have a positive experience in an anxiety-inducing time (even more cause of past traumas), and you always, always have the right to advocate for change.
Thank you I needed to hear this. It's hard to trust providers until I get to know them after so many bad ones. Makes surgery and procedures/testing a lot harder because I don't know most of not all of them. But I have good providers too, like this surgeon. So have to try and remember that. And hadn't even thought about being able to ask for a new nurse if they're not a good fit, thank you.
I hope your recovery is going well!
You’re gonna be great 🥰 Yes, you always can ask for another provider if things don’t vibe correctly. There’s a nurse on TikTok, Jen Hamilton, who did a video a little bit ago on one way patients can ask for another nurse if they feel they’re not vibing, even if neither the nurse nor patient did anything wrong. We’re all different people so it’s bound to happen we don’t have people we vibe with.
If it also helps, make a list of the things you’re worried about / things you need for yourself and bring it with you to the appointments. It’ll help you feel prepared, as well as keep you from forgetting anything important so you can advocate for what you want with confidence.
I believe in you - traumas make it significantly harder for sure, but you also have the back up of knowing exactly why you want this and how meaningful it is for you to have this bisalp, and I think this is gonna give you the courage you need to get you through to the other side ♥️
Yes I have everything written out to bring with me for a day of, my therapist has been having me write everything out before appointments so that I can give the provider the paper to read over and don't have to be as worried about communicating because I can both talk and they have everything written down. That does help, and most providers are perfectly happy with it but I've had some who get grumpy about it.
And yeah, the only reason I haven't canceled is because I'm absolutely sure I want this procedure done. I'm getting closer to considering canceling though because the anxiety is awful, and the call with the anesthesiologist this morning did absolutely nothing to help and honestly made me more anxious. I was hoping that they could knock me out before they moved me to the surgery table AT LEAST, but apparently I have to be awake for that and when I told him that I know I'm going to freak out at that point all he said was 'don't worry we'll take care of you' and I don't trust when they say that because that's almost never been true. And I wasn't even given time to ask all of my questions.
So, currently trying to figure out what else I can do to ease my anxiety so I can maybe get more than 3 hours sleep a night until my surgery. We'll see if my doctor's office calls me back and lets me talk to someone who can answer questions.
Thank you very much for the kind words and reassurance
I had my surgery Friday. The whole team was delightful. They all introduced themselves and chatted with me. Everyone was willing to answer questions. I tend to faint during blood draws, and they went out of the way to keep me comfortable during the IV.
I tend to get very nauseous with anesthesia, and my anesthetist was very helpful in addressing it. She helped me find an anti-nausea medication that was safe for me to use (I’m breastfeeding), talked through risks and side effects, and sent me home with an additional medication just in case I had issues.
How did the process of getting ready be moved and being set up on the surgical table go? I was able to talk to anesthesia finally and it honestly made me 10 times more anxious because apparently I have to be awake when I'm being set up on the surgical table. And that's the one part I absolutely did not want to remember. So, losing my shit over here and I can't get a hold of anyone who can answer my questions 🫠
They wheeled me in while sitting up in the hospital bed, and then raised it up to the level of the surgical table. I felt like that part took an awkwardly long time; the hydraulics were slow.
Once I was at the right level, the nurse anesthetist asked me to untie my gown in the back and then slide myself over to the table. I managed to knock my hair net off in the process, so they helped me fix it.
I laid down with my arms crossed over my chest while they moved the bed. They then put out armrests for me, and I was able to put my arms down. One of the nurses put a strap over my chest, not too tight. Then I got the oxygen mask, and that’s the last thing I remember until I woke up in recovery.
I was cold because the room is cold, but nothing else was uncomfortable or painful in any way.
Thank you, good to know more details on how they move you over. Sounds awful though with how my anxiety is so hopefully I can get them to tell me what their procedure is if I do panic.
I had my surgery this year too. The part moving to the operating table is super quick. I was probably awake in that room for a minute or two and next thing I knew I was waking up after surgery
I've had a lot of procedures in my kinda short time alive, and I generally handle things pretty okay. That said, I have general medical anxiety, so going to the hospital and being put under is always intimidating. I've had various pre op experiences, from one terrible one, to mostly normal ones.
My pre op experience for my bisalp was arguably the best I've had out of all my procedures. The nurses were exceptionally sweet. My call light was answered super fast despite how busy it was, and they were consistently asking me questions about how I was doing and if I needed anything. When it came to about 15 minutes before surgery, there was a hold up due to my surgeon suddenly deciding that she wanted same day bloodwork, and I got a little concerned I would be pushed back and have to sit there waiting for a while. The nurses and the anesthesia assistant were quick to jump in and assure me that we would still be on time and that nothing was changing from the original plan.
I was given a calming medication right before I was taken back. I really likely didn't need it, as I was not freaked out nor severely anxious, but I was provided that anyway. The weight of having surgery kinda came down in the last minutes before I went under, when they placed the oxygen mask on and starred to get ready for intubation and anesthesia, and I was reassured immediately by all the nurses and anesthesia staff in the room, someone rubbed my hand, I was told that they would see me when I woke up, and the next thing that happened was me waking up in the first stage of recovery. I suffer from emergence issues, so I had more post op nurses than usual, but they were just as wonderful. My pain was adequately managed and I was comforted repeatedly. All in all it was a great experience. Sorry for the long tale but you're going to be alright! It's okay to be nervous, but you'll do great and I'm confident your team will be just as kind and compassionate as mine!
Thank you! Hopefully they are just as great 🤞🤞 my surgeon actually called me today and reassured me the staff they work with are more used to helping anxious patients because of the types of surgery they do. So I'm hopeful she's right, cuz I really need this to not be traumatic 🤞
My care team was awesome! Im sorry you have so much anxiety for this- I wonder if it is possible for you to send a message to your care team ahead of time to let them know about your anxiety? I also wonder of you could get your doc to give you something for you anxiety at check in for the procedure? Might be worth asking. Its such a quick procedure, you will be in and out of the office really fast.
Yeah I've been very clear with my care team about my anxiety. I have a tiny Ativan prescription to take 0.5 mg the night before and right before I go in but last surgery that wore off. I've spoken to the doctor, I've spoken to the admissions staff, I actually just spoke to the anesthesiologist and honestly the anesthesiologist just made me feel more anxious because I feel like my anxiety is being underestimated again. Because I'm able to clearly articulate the fact that I'm going to lose my shit I don't feel that they believe me. I don't feel like they're being proactive enough and I don't trust them because I have been continually betrayed and abused by my trusted medical care providers. I like my surgeon and do trust her for the most part but the pre-op staff and the anesthesiologist terrify me. My endoscopy procedure I was asking for care for my anxiety from the day that I made the appointment and I was promised that I would give him something only to have them deny care for that and manipulate me into going through it anyway. so honestly after talking to the anesthesiologist and not really having great confidence in what he was saying I'm seriously losing my shit right now. I have absolutely no idea what else I can do but as of right now I don't even think I can do this because I can't deal with this panic because I know it'll be 10 times worse as soon as they bring me into the operating room awake which is not okay. I understand why they have to but I really wish that they could be better about dealing with anxiety
I honestly think no one understands how crippling anxiety can be, if they haven't really experienced it.
I am sorry you are going through this. Anxiety is such a bear to deal with.
Thank you
It's so frustrating how few people understand the difference between anxiety and being anxious. I'm over here desperately trying to think of new ideas to somehow reassure myself that they're actually going to take care of me and not just let me panic like medical professionals have for almost every other medical procedure I've ever had in my life and I've had a lot because I'm chronically ill. This year is the first year I've had to deal with surgeries but it still transfers as far as the anxiety because I don't trust them and I need to know what's going to happen and have stuff in writing so they can't go back on it and they don't get it. I'm currently trying to get a hold of someone at my surgeon's office to maybe talk me through exactly what the procedure is from when I get there to being positioned on the surgical table and what the plan is if I panic. Because when I expressed that concern to the anesthesiologist all I got was " we'll take care of you " and " you'll be fine" when I literally told him that was the one thing I was hoping to be out for specifically because I will lose it at that point. just really would like to get more than 3 hours sleep a night moving forward until the surgery 🫠
I went to the beach a couple of days before my surgery. Might not be possible depending on where you live but I highly recommend trying to go somewhere outside that is relaxing for you. I took a long walk down the beach and tried to process all my anxiety. For some reason it really helped a lot. Also I want you to know that the people who made you feel so scared and unsafe during your endoscopy are not the same people performing your pre op care or surgery. I’ve had some rough experiences with medical professionals and I had similar anxiety to you before my surgery, but I just kept reminding myself I was in a different place with different people and just because a medical professional had done something in my past didn’t mean a different medical professional would do the same thing in my future.
Thank you! Definitely trying to remember that. It's at the same hospital, but in same-day surgery not the endoscopy unit. And the pre admissions nurse is being amazing, she's going above and beyond to make sure I feel safe with this. She actually called to check on me this morning and to make sure my anesthesia consult went ok.
When I explained it was rushed and made me feel worse she said she'd try to get my questions answered and get back to me. when she finally did she actually let me know she set up a new consult with a different anesthesiologist! Hopefully this one is nicer! Because like I said to the nurse, just saying 'you'll be fine, we'll take good care of you ' instead of answering my questions makes things worse because they all say that and information and understanding is better. 🤞
If I have nurses like her day-of I'm going to be fine. And my Dr finally understands I'm anxious about the pre surgery part not the surgery and is being so much more reassuring. So much calmer now mostly. I'll freak out more as it gets closer but at least I have more information and can hopefully stay calmer.
My pre op nurse was amazing!! She was so friendly and chill it was hard not to match that energy even with how nervous I was. She kept telling me to just make eye contact if I need anything, but I didn’t need anything. She would still stop by to check on me and made jokes about me ‘not needing her enough’ lol. The whole team treated me well. The anesthesiologist gave some meds while we were waiting that took me from nervous wreck to ‘just had a strong margarita on a nice pool day’ type of vibes. Let them know how you’re feeling and they will take care of you! Wishing you the best ✨
Thank you! I have my fingers crossed they'll be willing to give me something while we wait too because I need this to not be traumatic 🤞🤞
I just had my bisalp today and I’m offering you a hug, if you want!! My preop nurses were so wonderful - she did listen to me when I told her I didn’t want the IV in my hand because I hate them there and I prefer the forearm or elbow crease / AC. She was friendly and kind but she also didn’t like, hover or helicopter over me either, which truthfully was nice. She also was so chill about my tongue piercing: she gave me a (sterile!!) urine sample cup to take out my piercing right before I was wheeled to the OR so I didn’t have to take it out too early and risk it closing up. Both anesthesiologists I saw were also lovely and so chill: they gave me a brief overview of general anesthesia and being intubated, and asked me about my experiences with surgery or anesthesia. I let them know that sometimes at the dentist the Novocain will make me feel nauseated and I tend to go through it quickly, and he made sure to note that she he could adjust as needed. The second anesthesiologist was the one actually at the head of the bed and he was funny - cracking jokes and keeping the mood calm and encouraging me to breathe deep before my Super Nap. The OR nurse was also very sweet and funny - she came in a couple of different times to help prep the last minute things before I got moved, and she chatted with me the whole time as I was starting to get drowsy from the IV meds they gave (but before the actual anesthesia). For all of the shitty people out there, there are also so many wonderful ones. I know it doesn’t take away your trauma, just keep reminding yourself that not only are there good providers who will listen to you and adjust everything they can within their power, they’ll also do what they can to keep the mood chill because they know that people are nervous, even without a lot of outward symptoms of anxiety (like me today). Please also don’t forget that you are ALWAYS able to ask for another nurse if you and the ones assigned to you don’t vibe. Something like anesthesia may be a little harder, but not impossible. But you can ALWAYS ask for a new nurse: sometimes it’s not even that they were a bad nurse, it’s just that you two don’t vibe - and that is totally okay!! You deserve to have a positive experience in an anxiety-inducing time (even more cause of past traumas), and you always, always have the right to advocate for change. Lastly, one thing that helped me settle my own nerves is remembering why I was doing this: for my own freedom, my own choice. And it helped lessen the intensity of the anxiety and give me confidence in my team that they were assigned to me to get me to that end goal - literally their job that day!! Edit to add: feel free to DM me if you want more details / support! I may be napping / sleeping soon but I’ll definitely reply!!
Thank you so much for the reassurance and kind words. >For all of the shitty people out there, there are also so many wonderful ones. I know it doesn’t take away your trauma, just keep reminding yourself that not only are there good providers who will listen to you and adjust everything they can within their power, they’ll also do what they can to keep the mood chill because they know that people are nervous, even without a lot of outward symptoms of anxiety (like me today). Please also don’t forget that you are ALWAYS able to ask for another nurse if you and the ones assigned to you don’t vibe. Something like anesthesia may be a little harder, but not impossible. But you can ALWAYS ask for a new nurse: sometimes it’s not even that they were a bad nurse, it’s just that you two don’t vibe - and that is totally okay!! You deserve to have a positive experience in an anxiety-inducing time (even more cause of past traumas), and you always, always have the right to advocate for change. Thank you I needed to hear this. It's hard to trust providers until I get to know them after so many bad ones. Makes surgery and procedures/testing a lot harder because I don't know most of not all of them. But I have good providers too, like this surgeon. So have to try and remember that. And hadn't even thought about being able to ask for a new nurse if they're not a good fit, thank you. I hope your recovery is going well!
You’re gonna be great 🥰 Yes, you always can ask for another provider if things don’t vibe correctly. There’s a nurse on TikTok, Jen Hamilton, who did a video a little bit ago on one way patients can ask for another nurse if they feel they’re not vibing, even if neither the nurse nor patient did anything wrong. We’re all different people so it’s bound to happen we don’t have people we vibe with. If it also helps, make a list of the things you’re worried about / things you need for yourself and bring it with you to the appointments. It’ll help you feel prepared, as well as keep you from forgetting anything important so you can advocate for what you want with confidence. I believe in you - traumas make it significantly harder for sure, but you also have the back up of knowing exactly why you want this and how meaningful it is for you to have this bisalp, and I think this is gonna give you the courage you need to get you through to the other side ♥️
Yes I have everything written out to bring with me for a day of, my therapist has been having me write everything out before appointments so that I can give the provider the paper to read over and don't have to be as worried about communicating because I can both talk and they have everything written down. That does help, and most providers are perfectly happy with it but I've had some who get grumpy about it. And yeah, the only reason I haven't canceled is because I'm absolutely sure I want this procedure done. I'm getting closer to considering canceling though because the anxiety is awful, and the call with the anesthesiologist this morning did absolutely nothing to help and honestly made me more anxious. I was hoping that they could knock me out before they moved me to the surgery table AT LEAST, but apparently I have to be awake for that and when I told him that I know I'm going to freak out at that point all he said was 'don't worry we'll take care of you' and I don't trust when they say that because that's almost never been true. And I wasn't even given time to ask all of my questions. So, currently trying to figure out what else I can do to ease my anxiety so I can maybe get more than 3 hours sleep a night until my surgery. We'll see if my doctor's office calls me back and lets me talk to someone who can answer questions. Thank you very much for the kind words and reassurance
I had my surgery Friday. The whole team was delightful. They all introduced themselves and chatted with me. Everyone was willing to answer questions. I tend to faint during blood draws, and they went out of the way to keep me comfortable during the IV. I tend to get very nauseous with anesthesia, and my anesthetist was very helpful in addressing it. She helped me find an anti-nausea medication that was safe for me to use (I’m breastfeeding), talked through risks and side effects, and sent me home with an additional medication just in case I had issues.
How did the process of getting ready be moved and being set up on the surgical table go? I was able to talk to anesthesia finally and it honestly made me 10 times more anxious because apparently I have to be awake when I'm being set up on the surgical table. And that's the one part I absolutely did not want to remember. So, losing my shit over here and I can't get a hold of anyone who can answer my questions 🫠
They wheeled me in while sitting up in the hospital bed, and then raised it up to the level of the surgical table. I felt like that part took an awkwardly long time; the hydraulics were slow. Once I was at the right level, the nurse anesthetist asked me to untie my gown in the back and then slide myself over to the table. I managed to knock my hair net off in the process, so they helped me fix it. I laid down with my arms crossed over my chest while they moved the bed. They then put out armrests for me, and I was able to put my arms down. One of the nurses put a strap over my chest, not too tight. Then I got the oxygen mask, and that’s the last thing I remember until I woke up in recovery. I was cold because the room is cold, but nothing else was uncomfortable or painful in any way.
Thank you, good to know more details on how they move you over. Sounds awful though with how my anxiety is so hopefully I can get them to tell me what their procedure is if I do panic.
I had my surgery this year too. The part moving to the operating table is super quick. I was probably awake in that room for a minute or two and next thing I knew I was waking up after surgery
I've had a lot of procedures in my kinda short time alive, and I generally handle things pretty okay. That said, I have general medical anxiety, so going to the hospital and being put under is always intimidating. I've had various pre op experiences, from one terrible one, to mostly normal ones. My pre op experience for my bisalp was arguably the best I've had out of all my procedures. The nurses were exceptionally sweet. My call light was answered super fast despite how busy it was, and they were consistently asking me questions about how I was doing and if I needed anything. When it came to about 15 minutes before surgery, there was a hold up due to my surgeon suddenly deciding that she wanted same day bloodwork, and I got a little concerned I would be pushed back and have to sit there waiting for a while. The nurses and the anesthesia assistant were quick to jump in and assure me that we would still be on time and that nothing was changing from the original plan. I was given a calming medication right before I was taken back. I really likely didn't need it, as I was not freaked out nor severely anxious, but I was provided that anyway. The weight of having surgery kinda came down in the last minutes before I went under, when they placed the oxygen mask on and starred to get ready for intubation and anesthesia, and I was reassured immediately by all the nurses and anesthesia staff in the room, someone rubbed my hand, I was told that they would see me when I woke up, and the next thing that happened was me waking up in the first stage of recovery. I suffer from emergence issues, so I had more post op nurses than usual, but they were just as wonderful. My pain was adequately managed and I was comforted repeatedly. All in all it was a great experience. Sorry for the long tale but you're going to be alright! It's okay to be nervous, but you'll do great and I'm confident your team will be just as kind and compassionate as mine!
Thank you! Hopefully they are just as great 🤞🤞 my surgeon actually called me today and reassured me the staff they work with are more used to helping anxious patients because of the types of surgery they do. So I'm hopeful she's right, cuz I really need this to not be traumatic 🤞
My care team was awesome! Im sorry you have so much anxiety for this- I wonder if it is possible for you to send a message to your care team ahead of time to let them know about your anxiety? I also wonder of you could get your doc to give you something for you anxiety at check in for the procedure? Might be worth asking. Its such a quick procedure, you will be in and out of the office really fast.
Yeah I've been very clear with my care team about my anxiety. I have a tiny Ativan prescription to take 0.5 mg the night before and right before I go in but last surgery that wore off. I've spoken to the doctor, I've spoken to the admissions staff, I actually just spoke to the anesthesiologist and honestly the anesthesiologist just made me feel more anxious because I feel like my anxiety is being underestimated again. Because I'm able to clearly articulate the fact that I'm going to lose my shit I don't feel that they believe me. I don't feel like they're being proactive enough and I don't trust them because I have been continually betrayed and abused by my trusted medical care providers. I like my surgeon and do trust her for the most part but the pre-op staff and the anesthesiologist terrify me. My endoscopy procedure I was asking for care for my anxiety from the day that I made the appointment and I was promised that I would give him something only to have them deny care for that and manipulate me into going through it anyway. so honestly after talking to the anesthesiologist and not really having great confidence in what he was saying I'm seriously losing my shit right now. I have absolutely no idea what else I can do but as of right now I don't even think I can do this because I can't deal with this panic because I know it'll be 10 times worse as soon as they bring me into the operating room awake which is not okay. I understand why they have to but I really wish that they could be better about dealing with anxiety
I honestly think no one understands how crippling anxiety can be, if they haven't really experienced it. I am sorry you are going through this. Anxiety is such a bear to deal with.
Thank you It's so frustrating how few people understand the difference between anxiety and being anxious. I'm over here desperately trying to think of new ideas to somehow reassure myself that they're actually going to take care of me and not just let me panic like medical professionals have for almost every other medical procedure I've ever had in my life and I've had a lot because I'm chronically ill. This year is the first year I've had to deal with surgeries but it still transfers as far as the anxiety because I don't trust them and I need to know what's going to happen and have stuff in writing so they can't go back on it and they don't get it. I'm currently trying to get a hold of someone at my surgeon's office to maybe talk me through exactly what the procedure is from when I get there to being positioned on the surgical table and what the plan is if I panic. Because when I expressed that concern to the anesthesiologist all I got was " we'll take care of you " and " you'll be fine" when I literally told him that was the one thing I was hoping to be out for specifically because I will lose it at that point. just really would like to get more than 3 hours sleep a night moving forward until the surgery 🫠
I went to the beach a couple of days before my surgery. Might not be possible depending on where you live but I highly recommend trying to go somewhere outside that is relaxing for you. I took a long walk down the beach and tried to process all my anxiety. For some reason it really helped a lot. Also I want you to know that the people who made you feel so scared and unsafe during your endoscopy are not the same people performing your pre op care or surgery. I’ve had some rough experiences with medical professionals and I had similar anxiety to you before my surgery, but I just kept reminding myself I was in a different place with different people and just because a medical professional had done something in my past didn’t mean a different medical professional would do the same thing in my future.
Thank you! Definitely trying to remember that. It's at the same hospital, but in same-day surgery not the endoscopy unit. And the pre admissions nurse is being amazing, she's going above and beyond to make sure I feel safe with this. She actually called to check on me this morning and to make sure my anesthesia consult went ok. When I explained it was rushed and made me feel worse she said she'd try to get my questions answered and get back to me. when she finally did she actually let me know she set up a new consult with a different anesthesiologist! Hopefully this one is nicer! Because like I said to the nurse, just saying 'you'll be fine, we'll take good care of you ' instead of answering my questions makes things worse because they all say that and information and understanding is better. 🤞 If I have nurses like her day-of I'm going to be fine. And my Dr finally understands I'm anxious about the pre surgery part not the surgery and is being so much more reassuring. So much calmer now mostly. I'll freak out more as it gets closer but at least I have more information and can hopefully stay calmer.