Reliable relaxation techniques anyone?

[Tinker]

My daughter has to go into hospital next Friday for a (minor) op. But I am terrified of the GA. Real feel-sick-at-the-thought-of-it, irrationally terrified. It's too short notice, I assume. to find a hypnotherapist. But could really appreciate some reliable relaxation techniques to get me through it. Thanks.

Could you decide to hold it together until she went under and then lose it in the waiting room? That might sound nuts, but for me, if I let myself have a chance to give in to the emotion, even if it's delayed, I can handle it up to that point.

Not sure if that makes sense.

Do you want any info on what it's like, etc? Or would that not help?

Hope the time passes quickly.

Thnaks JJ. Trouble is, I became a weeping wreck just at the last appointment with her consulatant so not confident in my holding it all in abilities. Anything to reassure me would be very gratefully received.

Oh God, sounds shit. I'd be the same, I think. How about rescue remedy or something like that? Or could you take your mum or someone else lovely to give you a bit of support?

Hi
1st thing - buy some 'rescue remedy' you just put it on your tongue. (can get it from Boots.

You could also try the things like 'Kalms' that you can get in chemists.

Relaxation exercises:
PLace hand on abdomen. Breathe in and out slowly. When you breathe in your abdomen should rise. (When you are stressed you shallow breathe which means that your chest rises. This increases anxious feelings.)

Then clench the muscles in your feet. Hold for 5 seconds and release. Work your way through all the muscles in your body. You can either do this lying down or if you're at the hospital just sitting in a chair.

Good Luck!!
Kizziex

Oh you're both good. Right, will get some Rescue Remedy this weekend and try it out as a practice run. Have got some valium in the house but that'll send me to sleep. Have just tried those exercises kizzie - will keep practising.

tinker, so sorry you are feeling so bad about this. My dh was tearful after my oldest ds went under GA for his grommit fitting. He expected to be upset, but was surprised how upset he actually was. He said other parents of children in the ward seemed really stressed as well. So if you come over tearful, you probably won't be the only one.

If you can take someone with you for support, I think that would help much.

You could try rescue remedy I find it very helpful also try and visualise you are some where calm and peaceful or somewhere you really love practice going there in your head and when you feel you are going to get terrified or stressed go to that place in your head and feel the calmness floowing through your body. Goodluck

Tinker, you could try another (Pilates) breathing technique which is to place your hands on your ribs. Take a deep breath through the nose, pushing your ribs outwards against your hands. Imagine they are gills? Then breath out through the mouth, collapsing your ribs downwards at the same time. Repeat a few times. Really focus on the breathing, emptying your mind of anything else. This gets rid of carbon dioxide whiach can build up through shallow breathing when stressed and calms the mind.

Tinker I really feel for you and your daughter. I hope the week goes ok for you in the lead up to it.

I hope you find the techniques mentioned really help. I see a hypnotherapist and she has taught me to do the ones mentioned. They really are very good, just make sure you practise them several times day to get used to it. I was told that you only need to do some thing 6 times a day for a week and it becomes habit. That way when you really need it the body does it automatically.

Visualisation really makes it all the more powerful. Either think about every detail of somewere you love or come up with a new and special place that is imagined. Having lavender oil bath in the evening whilst doing some of those techniques I find really soothing to help sleep to. PLay some calm msic to keep you fairly alert in the bath though.

I would talk to someone in a health food shop for advice.
Rescue remedy, combination of Bach Flowers, is good, Oak, another Bach Flower remedy, is particularly useful for giving strength and courage.
You could also use Arnica, homeopathic remedy also available from Boots or HF shop, that is excellent for shock (and Bruising) this could be very useful for your dd too.
Good luck, as parents we find it so hard to see our children in vulnerable situations. Feel sure I would be struggling like you!.

Thank you all so much for these posts. I keep forgetting about it and then it lurches back in to my mind. Haven't told my little girl yet - will tell her this weekend. She kept asking me last time why I was crying...must be braver.

Oh Tinker, you poor thing. Is taking your mum with you an option? I hope some of these suggestions helped.

Just to let anyone know who might be interested, she had the op this morning and I was under strict insructions not to cry - "It's embarassing mummy". So I managed not to until she went under. She's now utterly fine and playing out - may be a bit unwise but... So thanks again for your advice - took the rescue remedy but forgot my breathing!

Well done Tinker, glad she's ok - mine was due to have a general last year and we got reprieved at the 11th hour (after pre-med !) so you have my utmost sympathy.

PS I howled my eyes out after she recently suffered from concussion

Im really glad it all went well!!
Kizziex

Glad it's over and you're both ok Tinker!

glad you're both fine!

Tinker I'm glad you both got through it - is that it now or will she have to have further ops?

Hi Tinker, just caught this thread --- so glad it all went well!

Oh well done, Tinker- you're an absolute star. So glad the bairn has suffered no ill effects.