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Original poster

DD (nearly 3) having general anesthetic-I'm a mess with worry....

88 replies

Yarrow · 14/01/2007 22:45

any advice from anyone? my dd is having minor op on neck to remove 'lump'. spent hundreds of £s on alternatives & had anti-biotics etc but nothing doing.its a cyst thing they think. operation last resort. hate idea of it and am so worried probably cos over-emotional with breast feeding 5mth old. any one had their toddler have GA before?how do you cope!!!!

OP posts:
Bozza · 18/01/2007 12:07

I was in your position. DS was 3 1/2 and needed adenoidectomy and grommets, DD was 3 months and exclusively breast fed. We all 4 went. It was slightly mitigated for me in that DS had already had two minor ops under GA so I was slightly prepared for that side of it.

When we took DS we just got him straight out of bed and into the car in his pjs. We had to be at the hospital at 7am and it is a 40 min drive. We had breakfast before he woke up - so as not to eat in front of him. I fed DD while he was in theatre then passed her over to DH. He was very confused and thrashing around when he came round, which was upsetting and also difficult because it was hard to contain him. But he has had a subsequent op when he was 4 and came round really nicely. I took in his own brand of yoghurt, buns etc, familiar things that I knew he would like. Also he has never been sick after a general ever (he's had 4) so you might be lucky. DH was very sick after so I was concerned.

Bozza · 18/01/2007 12:09

Just read the bit about your blood sugar. Eat a good breakfast before you go. Then you can eat again while your DD is in theatre and maybe feed the baby. If you are really struggling, you could leave DD with DH for a while and sneak out for a cereal bar or something. You are not allowed to eat in the waiting room which is fair enough really.

Really I would say not to get DD up until the last minute.

Blu · 18/01/2007 12:10

DS was never sick after a GA. Or after the sedation he had for an MRI - basically a huge dose of anti-histamine and muscle relaxant, I think. So I hope you are lucky, too, Yarrow.
When is this going to happen?
We will be thinking of you.

nwgreenmum - DS's ops were for his leg / foot inclusding treatment for talipes position.

Blu · 18/01/2007 12:11

Bozza - her DH can't go.
Take the baby down to the hospital cafe while your dd is in theatre - just let the person on the ward desk know where you are...and how long you expect the op to take.

100PerCentCod · 18/01/2007 12:12

my three year old did not like it
he was like the HULK
but he was under for 2 hours

when he came around her was VERY strong and very cross

apprently threre year olds are the worst

100PerCentCod · 18/01/2007 12:13

( but he did eat maltesers abotu 45 mins afterwards)

100PerCentCod · 18/01/2007 12:14

mine was in a privte room wiht a tv

adn a nintendo he toolk
get the " going to hospital" usobourne new experinces book

Bozza · 18/01/2007 12:15

Is he definitely not going? I hadn't realised that was definite. I had a sticky moment when DH had gone to get the car, DS was upset because they were taking the canula from his hand and DD started screaming. But one of the other mums (you seem to get a bit of camaraderie going) stepped in and gave DD a cuddle. If I was there again with DS (chances are I will be) I would definitely help out another Mum.

100PerCentCod · 18/01/2007 12:16

ye sonyl ONE parent allowed in aneithetic room too

he went under like a dream

Aloha · 18/01/2007 12:18

My five year old had a GA last year to remove a fishbone from his throat (sainsbury's fishcake! ) I was also very worried and upset about it, though it was probably a good thing that his was an emergency and I didn't have long to dwell on it. Also, I had no sleep for 24hours by the time it was done so that numbed me a bit too. Anyway, it was fine. I held him in my arms as they put in the line in and he just went to sleep very very quickly. Then they lifted him out of my arms and put him on the table and I left, and saw him before he came round in the recovery room. He took a little while to come round, partly because he had also had no sleep and was very, very tired. Then he slept for four hours, and woke up very hungry! He wolfed down cheese sandwiches, a drink and an orange yoghurt with huge enthusiasm and was happy and bright.
I did have to insist on holding him. The surgeon wanted him anaesthetised on the table, but he was scared, so I just went all mummy-tigerish and said that I was going to cuddle him and that was that, and then it was easy and peaceful.

Good luck!

Blu · 18/01/2007 12:21

ime parents are v suportive of each other on children's wards. Someone will help you if you need the baby holding, food fetching etc.

Aloha · 18/01/2007 12:21

Just read a bit more of the thread. If I were you, I'd ask one of the mothers of your dd's schoolmates to come with you and hold the baby while you go into the ga room with your ds. I'm sure anyone would do this for you. I'd be honoured to be asked.

bundle · 18/01/2007 12:25

I met a lovely paediatric anaesthetist at Alder Hey hospital who was very accommodating to parents as well as children's needs - eg giving the GA while mummy was hugging them, not lying on table, using either gas or injection depending on the child etc. Ask if you can talk to one of the anaesthetists about it, I'm sure they'd be happy to talk you through exactly what will happen.

Blu · 18/01/2007 12:26

Yarrow - where in the country are you?

eidsvold · 18/01/2007 12:28

my dd1 had two open heart surgeries at 8 weeks old and it was pretty distressing watching her be put under. We were able to go into the room where she would be anaethetised. ( in the UK) we were taken to her bed in ICU as soon as she was stabilised.

She also had surgery for tonsils/adenoids and grommets early last year aged 3 1/2.... again I was able to go into the side room whilst they put her under and then again as soon as they were awake in recovery - one parent could be with her then. ( here in Aus)

the waiting area for her recent surgery had a huge play area and wendy house and she was most outraged to be dragged away to surgery - but she was calm. The assistants were fab as were the nursing staff. THe nurse with us said it is most always worse for the parents than the children.

TickledPink · 18/01/2007 17:39

Hello Yarrow. My Dd is going to see the paediatrician tomorrow about a lump in her neck so I understand what a worry it is. I will be watching this post with interest. I am so worried about what this lump is although Gp thinks is a cyst. I understand your concerns about DD having a GA but I bet she sails through it. It will be you worrying. (saying that, watch this space. I will be shouting Help myself soon probably)

IAmLost · 18/01/2007 19:34

ticklded pink - my DS had a serious of ops last year to remove a (thankfully benign) tumour from his neck. DO let us know what the paediatrician says tomorrow at your appt. I am quite well versed on different neck probs, as we went through various diagnosise before they settled on one! Good luck. and you too Yarrow. Keep posting

TickledPink · 18/01/2007 19:54

IAmLost or Yarrow, would you mind giving me a brief history of your DS's/DD's lump. How big it was, where in neck, how long it was there, and what they did at the consultation. Did they do blood tests, ultra sound etc. And what the final diagnosis was? I would be very grateful as I am so worried. Many thanks

IAmLost · 18/01/2007 20:13

tickled pink I am very happy to chat but not on here. Do you do msn? or would you like to cat me? (I cant post my email addy on here as it is my full rl name!)

TickledPink · 18/01/2007 20:21

Would really like that but I have the same problem with email. How do you cat someone?

TickledPink · 18/01/2007 20:29

Have Cat you IAmLost

IAmLost · 18/01/2007 20:31

tickledpink email not arrived yet - will let you know when it pops up. I expect to be here for about another half an hour tonight

yarrow - do get in touch too, if you think it would help. I am not an expert by any means, but have been through similar circumstances fairly recently so might be able to offer some support. x

TickledPink · 18/01/2007 20:38

Thanks IAmLost. Perhaps we can catch up tomorrow or over the weekend if it dooes not turn up today. Yarrow, good luck again for next week and try not to worry. x

IAmLost · 18/01/2007 20:42

yes it isnt here yet tickledpink....

I shall be thinking of you tomorrow. I really hope the appt is okay.. I wont go in to too much of my DSs problems, but his 'lump' had been around for quite a while before it was removed, and it is connected to a congenital problem he has. When it was removed it was about 2 and half inches log by about 1 inch wide.

TickledPink · 18/01/2007 20:50

Thanks IAmLost. It will be good to talk to someone with experience of this type of problem. I really want to have my mind put at rest or deal with it if there is a problem. The waiting and worry is killing me.