Step 2: Go to the Pre-Op Interview

I woke up this morning with nothing on my mind, but breakfast.  I wanted to try out this new recipe and not think about my 11:15 appointment at the hospital.  The breakfast was terrible.

As we drove to the hospital, I began to cry.  My husband grabbed my hand and asked me what was wrong. I told him I really didn't want to do any of it.  I composed myself and started discussing our plans for vacation.  We plan to go away on holiday in December.  It is something I long for.  I cannot wait to be away.

We checked in at the desk.  I was given a form to fill out about previous surgeries, illnesses, and current medications.  On paper, I'm pretty healthy except the thyroid box and the previous surgeries box.  I have had a lumpectomy, appendectomy, 2 C-sections and a DNC.  I guess that's good for a 33 year old. 40 minutes later I was called into a room with a very nice lady.  She went over my form and said, "you're very healthy, you should be fine with surgery".  I understand that she must see the worse of the worse, but it is an insult to be told that you are healthy when you have thyroid disease.  I wanted to tell her that she was wrong.  I wanted to tell her that I was ill.  I wanted to tell her that healthy didn't involve having a surgeon cutting your throat to get out something that was causing you so many problems.  Instead of verbally assaulting this woman, I decided to smile.  She took my vitals and gave me a blue bottle. She instructed me to shower with its contents the night before surgery and the morning of.  I was then told that I needed to be at the hospital at 5 a.m. and my surgery would begin at 7:30 in the morning.  She then told me that the anesthesiologist would come in next and after he spoke with me, I was free to leave.

The anesthesiologist seemed pretty indifferent.  He, like the lady, informed me that I was healthy and I should do fine in surgery.  We went over my previous surgeries, my medication, and then he asked me to open my mouth wide.  A little known fact about me is that I have TMJ.  My jaw locks when I open it too wide and he made a note to be gentle when putting the tube down my throat.  He informed me that they will give me a solution to relax when I arrive and then another when we get in the operating room to put me to sleep.  That was it from him and I was free to enjoy the rest of my day.

The surgery should last a total of 1 to 2 hours if everything goes according to plan.  I should be in recovery for the same amount of time.  However, I believe the recovery will be much longer.  I think it is going to take some time for me to figure out how to get back to me after having my thyroid removed. I'm not looking forward to it either.