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Original poster

Any advice, dd having general anaesthetic tomorrow?

33 replies

Lilliput · 21/09/2006 20:13

She is first on the consultants list tomorrow so we have to be there by 8am. She is having a GA because she has had a recurring stye on her right eye and a number of white spots on the inside of both lower eyelids and the opthamologist wants investigate what it is. I was told she probably won't be in overnight as long as she recovers from the anaesthetic ok but should I be prepared for an overnight stay anyway? She is only 3 but not dry at night, should I put her in a pull up for the surgery time? Any other advice or tips would be great. I have had virtually no experience of hospitals so I have very little idea of what happens. Thanks.

OP posts:

Original poster

Lilliput · 21/09/2006 20:33

I have fallen off the active conversation already!

OP posts:

anniediv · 21/09/2006 20:35

My dd has had a ga 3 times, the first 2 times she was still in nappies and I left the nappy on as the ops were at the other end if you know what I mean! I would think she would be okay to come home if she recovers quickly, you will be amazed how they bounce back. Hope all is well tomorrow

reiver · 21/09/2006 20:37

Hi Lilliput.
Good luck for tomorrow. Sounds as if you're most likely to be out in the day but think I'd have a few basics in a bag .....just in case, then you'll not worry. I'm sure the staff will advise on the pull-up but sounds a good idea to me - again one less thing to worry about.
Take yourself a bottle of water as hospitals are so hot plus have a few snacks for yourself in your bag too as you may not be able to get out to get anything and you need to keep your strength up even if you don't fancy much to eat.
Children react in all sorts of different ways. My DD slept after her GA but others on the ward grizzled. We had to wait until she was wide awake and she'd had a drink plus some food (yogurt in our case if I recall)& managed to keep both down.
Hope all goes well.

anniediv · 21/09/2006 20:37

BTW meatn to say, if you aqre going alone, take a bag of snacks, drinks etc for yourself as sometimes the canteen/shop are not close, and I didn't like the idea of going off and leaving dd.

anniediv · 21/09/2006 20:37

x-posted reiver!!

MegaLegs · 21/09/2006 20:38

I would put her in pull ups if they are allowed. I have no experience yet but my DS4 is due to have a GA on Tuesday and the following Monday my eldest DS is also having an op. Hope your little one is OK and you are too, I'm dreading it.

anniediv · 21/09/2006 20:40

Megalegs, having done it 3 times, it is worse for you than for them! Good luck for next week.

carol3 · 21/09/2006 20:42

hi Lilliput, my dd (2.11) has had three lots of eye surgery and all went well. They are very good and experianced with small childen. I'll give you a breif list of what usually happens when we ,ve been in.
Arrive with lots of other parents coming for day surgery. Called to be weighed. (for anesthetic)
Usually then take a breif history and put on wrist band with name on.
Then but special cream on the back of each hand covered on a clear plastic plaster.
Usually can the play ect takes about half and hour for cream to work.
Then get called to anesthetic room. Lots of distraction is used and i usually had dd arm under mine behind my back iyswim so she couldn't see. Small canular (thin plastic tube) inserted very quick only hurts for a second or 2. Then they put anesthetic in, works very quickly then they take her off you and you leave (the worse part!) DD has only been sick with one anesthetic and she was put out with gas that time because she was so little. Both other times she slept for a hour then was running aroud fine after she woke up. Hope that helps kids are so much more resilant than we are and i think the mothers suffer more trauma than the kids.

Original poster

Lilliput · 21/09/2006 20:48

I am so dreading it and yet it is probably something really minor to a lot of people whose kids are really sick and in and out of hospital a lot. I will feel a real prat if I cry at some point.

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anniediv · 21/09/2006 20:50

Lilliput, the staff are really understanding and you will not be the only one wiping their eyes I can assure you!

anniediv · 21/09/2006 20:51

Also, FWIW, ga for whatever reason isn't 'minor', and can affect you just as much for a big or small procedure if it's your dd or ds having it done Try not to worry.

carol3 · 21/09/2006 21:00

lilliput, don't be hard on yourself, i cryed everytime I left the anesthetic room.

Original poster

Lilliput · 21/09/2006 21:13

I presume I am going to be doing quite a bit of hanging around?

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carol3 · 21/09/2006 21:16

yes, will be a day of waiting, take plenty of magazines for you and little one. Saying that though if your first on the list you'll my be home mid afternoon.

Yorkiegirl · 21/09/2006 21:21

Message withdrawn

SoMuchToBits · 21/09/2006 21:22

Try to be calm right up until she's asleep (even if you then bawl your eyes out!), as she is more likely to stay calm if you are. It might help to take a favourite toy or comforter to leave, so it's there when she wakes up in the recovery room, if they allow you to. I used to work in a recovery room,and it was much better if the children had something familiar when they woke up.

skippydog · 21/09/2006 21:24

One thing I will add - my boys had this surgery - and the one thing that totally freaked me --- if they ask you to hold her while they administer the anaesthetic - it is the most horrible feeling in the world - so not like them falling asleep as the drugs make them completely limp.
Still remember it from 10 years ago - so be prepared.

Original poster

Lilliput · 21/09/2006 21:32

Do you reckon she'll looked as though she's been punched afterwards?

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skippydog · 21/09/2006 21:36

Not really it was the horrible bright red eye-whites - lasts quite a while - but not so much bruising.

MegaLegs · 21/09/2006 21:40

It's the bit when they give them the aneasthetic that is worrying me the most. DS4 is 15 months old so I presume he will have the gas, a friend says they often struggle. DS1 ha schosen to have magic cream and the mouse straw! (canula). DH is staying ayt home with the other boys. Where do I wait? It's going to be the longest wait ever! ( Sorry Lilliput, have slightly hijacked your thread!)

Original poster

Lilliput · 21/09/2006 21:45

go for it megalegs!

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Ellbell · 21/09/2006 21:46

Good luck Lilliput and MegaLegs

Dd2 fell over a year ago (when she was 3.6) and cut her lip open, and they had to stitch it under GA. Not much to add to what others have said, but lots of sympathy and support. I guess with the pull-ups thing it'll depend how long your dd is likely to be under the anaesthetic. My dd was only under for about half-an-hour (though it felt much longer to me!) so she was OK. I put her on the loo before she went down to have the anaesthetic (but it was a bit odd in terms of timing because she'd eaten just before she fell so she had to wait till the food was out of her system and they ended up doing the op at about half past midnight, so she was fast asleep beforehand and I had to wake her up for it...) and she was fine from then on. She was very distressed afterwards, but I think that was mainly because she just wanted to sleep (it was about 1.30 a.m. by this point!) and everyone was trying to wake her up to make sure she was OK. She woke up in the morning as if nothing had happened, though, polished off two bowls of coco-pops and two slices of toast (despite swollen lip like a boxer's and 6 stitches) and demanded to go home. So I think it's realistic to expect to be in and out in the day if you're going in early a.m.

Good luck. Will be thinking of both of you.

geogteach · 21/09/2006 22:00

Second what everyone has said about it being worse for you than them. DS1 has had 3 and we have always been taken back to the ward and made a drink. All I would add is take a change of clothes as the first time DS was very sick over me and himself, not plesant to sit around in. Since then he has had an antisickness with the anaesthetic.

Original poster

Lilliput · 21/09/2006 22:14

Sick even though he had been starved! Not nice!

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CJinSussex · 21/09/2006 22:14

Lots of good advice already. My DD1 (age 4) had GA earlier this year - she did look very small in her big bed but mummy was very brave - right up until I left theatre and then I was in tears! DD1 was also very brave, had canula in back of hand. The staff were brilliant and lots of fun. I cuddled her when GA was administered, she was momentarily confused and then out like a light.

I waited back on the ward and they rang me when her op was finished so I could go up and wake her up (that took some doing but it was about 2am by this point). Then she needed oxygen through the night but wouldn't keep the mask on (couldn't suck her fingers) so nurse & I sellotaped it onto the pillow next to her nose. I 'slept' next to her and she didn't move all night. Although it was quite a traumatic episode in our lives, it was quite lovely that night, she never gets into our bed so it was a bit like her being a baby again (god, I'm filling up!!).

I'm sure a pull-up will be fine but they'll tell you what to do - put gown on, no hair clips, no nail polish, etc. DD1 was allowed to keep her cuddly rabbit with her though.

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