DD having a minor op on Monday and I'm terrified

[4PlusMum]

Just that really.

It is to correct an umbilical hernia that she's had since she was a few weeks old. She's now almost 4 and we've waited this long in the hope it would correct itself, which it hasn't. It shows through her ballet dress, swimming costume etc. and I have seen kids pointing it out in the changing room, so I'm sure she'll want it done when she's older if we don't do it now, but we've decided to get it out of the way before she starts school.

But I feel so worried that something will go wrong and I'm not sure it's worth the risk for something that is largely cosmetic but could cause her problems in the future.

Thinking of you op!

Wow, my DD is amazing. Totally calm and sleepy when I went down to get her. Slept it off for about an hour when back in the room, then sat up, demanded a drink and hasn't stopped eating and drinking ever since. Has not noticed the bandage on her stomach or the cannula in her hand which is covered with a bandage.

She is watching Bubble Guppies, talking at the top of her voice and trying to bounce on the bed.

Yup, told you!

So pleased it went well.

She's home. Was very excited to see her sister and all the cards and presents that were made for her today. Had to stop her hula hooping and trampolining. Had yet more food - she's not usually an eater but she hasn't stopped since waking up - and is now in bed chatting to her sister.

All she has is a 2 inch plaster across her belly button and nothing else to show for it. They did it keyhole so she has internal stitches which will dissolve and externally it is glued. Plaster stays on for a week and no follow up appointment is needed. They took away the excess skin which has been stretched by the protruding intestines and they have shaped it so that it looks normal once she hits her teens but it will still look odd until then.

EMLA cream was amazing for numbing her hand. She did not notice the cannula being removed and ripped the plaster off when we got home and demanded a peppa pig one.

They gave her a local anaesthetic when she was under which does not seem to have worn off yet. I've dosed her up on Capol and Nutofen to hopefully keep the edge of any pain.

I just need a glass of wine and bed now,

Biscuit, I hope it goes this well for your DD. It really was nothing to worry about after all.

Oh that's great to hear 4Plus, well done for being calm and reassuring. We had pre-op appointment today, and also watched a YouTube vid about a girl having an operation (thanks to whoever suggested that, great idea). DD is mostly seeming OK about it all, though has had a few moments when she's said she doesn't want to do it. Her biggest worry is me not being there (that's a big theme for her at other times too), so I'm doing my best to reassure her that even if it's a nurse waking her up, I'll only be in the next door room. I've also promised her ice-cream at home

Biscuit, just to warn you, DD is feeling a bit battered and sore tonight so have plenty of calpol and nurofen handy. She's bent over when walking although she's being very brave.

She's also quite tearful and wants to know exactly what they did and what her belly button is going to look like when the plaster comes off. Because I left it late to tell her she didn't have much time to process what was going to happen beforehand so now she is thinking about it.

I don't think she really realised that I wasn't there when she first woke up. She was so drowsy she wasn't really conscious of who was around and wasn't distressed when I got to her, which she would have been if she'd realised.

I recommend taking a packed lunch with your DD's favourite food so she can eat what she likes rather than having hospital food.

Thanks for the tips. Hope she feels better soon.