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 :)

My dd had a hernia op when she was 6. When we got to the hospital we were able to go straight to a large playroom and stay there until she went for the anaesthetic. Members of staff would pop in and out to explain stuff to us and to put loads of numbing gel on dd's hands but she was having such fun she was oblivious to all of it. There was no pre-med. At 11am she trotted off quite happily with her dad. A few minutes later he came back a bit shakily but said that the doctor had asked dd how many easter eggs she'd got and she was asleep before she could even answer! A short while later she was back, hardly awake and still dressed. They had just pulled down her trousers, done the op and pulled them back up again so there were no hospital gowns or anything to worry her. She lay in her bed on the ward to wake up properly and was asking for food after 10 mins so she was given a 'picnic box' with crisps, sandwiches, yoghurt etc. DD usually has the appetite of a bird but she demolished the lot! There was no pain because she was given a local anaesthetic before she woke up. As soon as she had had a wee she was allowed to leave and we were home by 2pm. Stitches were dissolving ones and she had to be careful for a few days and no PE at school for a fortnight.

MamaG, please try not to worry too much. I was dreading my dd having an op as none of us had ever had one in our family but it really was a much easier experience than I expected. The worst bit was waiting for her to come back, it seemed a lot longer than it actually was. DD took the whole thing in her stride, in fact she thoroughly enjoyed all the fuss!

Oh thanks Pixel, I hope my DD's goes as well as yours did! Like you, no-one in my family has ever had an operation (thankfully) so I'm probably worried more than I need to be.

:)