Advice about child going into hospital for Op please

[MamaG]

My DD has a consultation in a few weeks to be followed by a hernia operation. I just don't know what to expect. I know that I can ask questions at the consultation, but thought I would ask MN first!

The main worries are:-

1. How will they administer the general anaesthetic?

1. Will they keep her in overnight?

1. If so, will they let me (or DH) stay with her all night?

Don't know if it makes any difference, but it will be at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Newcastle and she is 6 (7 in August)

TIA :)

Don't know about anything else but I'm sure they will let you or your hubby stay with her if she has to stay in. When I was in with my ds2 aged 2 after he broke his leg they actively encouraged parents to stay. The other two children on the ward were aged around six and eight and one had their mum stay and the other their dad. I spent most of the night talking with the mum because there was so much crying going on that neither of us could sleep. So be prepared for a very disturbed nights sleep and take a book.

I hope everything goes okay and I'm sure someone will be along shortly to offer you advise that's more useful.

My DS had heart surgery, so naturally we were terrified. I would say from experience that you will probably be in overnight, and that (one of)you should be able to sleep next to her. They will probably put EMLA cream on her or give her a premed (They didn't with our DS, but I won't even go there ).

The one piece of advice I would give is to make sure that you are involved at all times, and at all stages of her treatment. Sometimes busy wards can be a bit forgetful of parents iykwim. Good luck - I'm sure she will be fine

EMLA is a topical anaesthetic which numbs the injection site.

dd had a hernia op when she was 4

it was a day case (epigastric hernia) - they tend to do most minor ops as day cases now.

They gave her gas (she has an egg allergy so don't know if this was a factor) - she had to try and blow up a balloon (obviously this was making her inhale the gas) and they told her they would see how big she could make it. Literally 3 counts later she was out!

I went into the operating theatre and held her while she was put out. To be honest, that was the worst bit as she went all limp in my arms but the anaethetist had taken me aside and warned me not to look frightened or upset as it would affect dd so I tried to think of something else.

All in all, the op took about 30mins (I think) and then she was let out. As she woke up she was v hungry and thirsty. I had brought her her favourite juice and some sandwiches and the hospital gave us some biscuits and crisps (CHECK what food they will have because had I not brought that stuff with me dd would have been starving!).

We were allowed to go after she had woken up properly.

One warning - they did all the ops in age order and because dd happened to be the oldest on that day, we had to wait till last which meant she had not eatendrank since 10pm the night before and because we were last on the morning list, she wasn't operated on till lunchtime by which time she was starving so check if that may be the case for you.

Good luck!

when I say she let out after the op, I mean let out of the operating room and back onto the day ward!

Thanks so much for the advice, its really put my mind at rest. :)

I don't know the "proper" name for her hernia, but it's like a sticky-out bellybutton

My dd1 just had a hernia op 2 weeks ago. She had a hernia above her right leg.

1. Anaesthetic was given whilst I was there in the op room in a gown & hat. She'd met the doc before & all explained. I felt very worried but she was fine! She had some medicine to calm her in the morning & then in the op room the doc put a needle into her hand. She didn't feel this! An oxygen mask was on her face & the anesthetic went in through the needle in her hand. It looked white! She was asleep in 2 seconds!

The op was about 40 mins & I was with her in the recovery room when she woke up. Was monitored for about 30 mins.

2&3. She was in for 2 nights. My dh stayed with her.

It hurt when she laughed for about a week! - so wouldn't recommend any funny books! Difficult to cough as well.

Hope all goes well - best wishes xxx

Thanks ever so much Milward :)

Contact the ward and see if they do a pre-admission programme as a lot of hospitals do them now. This would involve visiting the ward, looking around ,role play with "equipment" (stethascopes, thermometers etc), seeing an anaesthetics room etc. The staff introduce themselves and generally make the children (and parents!) more at ease about the experience.
HTH

That's a really good idea, thanks - I'll see if I can do it on the same day as the consultation, as I live over 100 miles away from the hospital!

Anyone got any experience of Royal Victoria Hospital in Newcastle?

.

mamag

sorry to hear dd has to have operation, r u from north east ?

i had several ops as child they allowed my mum with me for pre med then i went alone i was 7 first time i was allowed to take teddy in with me anaesthetic goes in had and she will be out before she can count to 5. RVI has a great reputation if you havnt heard of it and its right in city centre so easy to get to she will be kept in im sure and you do stay with her you can normally both stay

mamag,

sorry just noticed u live 100 miles away!! RVI as it is known locally is great my cousin had eye op here when she was 5 and they are great and as i mentioned earlier it is right in middle of city so you can walk into eldon garden and in to bainbridges or disney store and buy her a treat either before she goes in or for when she comes out, also near to m & s so u can buy nice snacks to keep you are dh going while you are in with her. she will be nil by mouth from certain time night before op and on day of op until she comes around then she will be allowed sips of water . hope this helps i live quite close to newcastle about 6 miles away from rvi so if you need to ask any thing just shout - good luck

Thanks very much mcmum, I am anxious about it - I know it's not a big deal, but she's still my baby!

mamag

where do you live ? and when is operation ?

I live in Cumbria, about midway between Kendal, Penrith and Barnard Castle - I don't know when the Op is yet, but we have a consultation at the hospital on 18th April. Op should be quite soon after that, apparently.

The admissions letter should give you a ward tel no, so you can call and ask any questions you have.

Yes, they will let you stay in, but don't expect privacy or comfort! (for you, that is!). And do take load of snacks for both of you - full picnic hamper! there might not even be tea/coffee for parents.

Some anaesthetists / hospitals will administer gas first before putting in a canula (needle in hand) for the aneasthetic, but they will put some white cream on and hold it in place with a plsater 30 mins before the operaton is due. They may well ask you to sit your dd on your lap while they do it. As others have said, the aneasthetic is quite traumatic - but only for you. Leaving your little one unconscious on the trolley is very emotional.
Make sure you know exactly where they will come to tell you that she is out of theatre - they may well take you down to recovery as she comes round. They will probably tell you to wait on the ward.
Have cash for the hospital telephone card system, and have a system for calling your relatives, or calling one who spreads the news that all is ok. You really won't want to be taking endless calls when she is recovering, and you are not supposed to use your mobile in hospitals.
She will bounce back v quickly - you will be an emotional wreck!
Have food that she can eat easily - yogurt, soft sandwiches, soft fruit etc.

I hope all goes well - fingers crossed for you, but homestly, DS has had 4 operations and I promise you that the pain and worry is all for the parents!

Thanks Blu x

Hi mamaG. My son had a hernia op when he was 5 months, it only took 40 mins in all, it's over before your coffees cool enough to drink! Don't worry, she'll be fine. Make sure you prepare her for the anasthetic procedure. My son had another recent op, (age 9)I told him he'd breathe smelly air, then the needle would go in his hand, which is totally numb,then there will be no suprises. He really didn't feel it. They can usually take in a soft toy, which is beside them when they come round. The nurses are great, just take a few things to do as it can be boring waiting to be discharged. We were out same day.

In our hospital, parents had z beds next to the children's beds, with a basic pillow, sheet and blankets. They won't give you a towel or anything, either!
Children's wards are v friendly - parents bond and help each other a lot, IME - but they can also be emotional - prepare to be mixing with parents whose children are in a serious condtion. This won't happen if she is in day surgery, of course.

Thank you all - MN really is invaluable at times like this, Consultant wouldn't tell you the "emotional" bits and to bring a towel and snacks!

xxx

no, they don't realise the healing properties of chocolate, even for the kids! They do know their stuff though!

When my ds had an op (not hernia) he was allowed to drink clear fluids in the morning even though he wasn't allowed to eat - so we let him have Ribena (very big treat) to help with the hunger.
We also chose not to eat in front of him - which meant we were starving by the time he went down for the op and we raced to the hospital cafe for a sandwich (which helped take our minds off what ds was undergoing).
The bit before the op. can drag on and on, hungry bored child, so we packed a few small new toys and books to distract ds, which worked for a few hours (they had a play area on the ward but after ds had his cannula put in he didn't want to leave his bed area).
We were only allowed one parent to go to the pre-op room with ds and hold him whilst they did the anaesthetic (gas via a mask) - I went..they warned me that the children 'fight' the anaesthetic and get upset, so I held him and talked calmly to him - he did thrash about a bit though.
I wasn't prepared for how upset he'd be afterwards - he woke up without us with him (he was in post-op where we weren't allowed to go) - he was 'fighting' the nurses when we got there and took a while to calm down...but I haven't heard of any one else whose child did this, and ds has quite a strange personality. :)

Hope everything goes OK, good luck.

I really hope they let me and DH wait in the post op room for her to wake up, I'll be really upset if she wakes up without one of us being there. If they only let one of us stay with her for the pre-med I can see a fight on my hands...think DH will stay over with her, as DS (2 today!) likes to have his mummy at bedtime!