Terrible Fear - Not Waking Up After Gastric Sleeve Surgery!

[enixon2010 6]

I was just approved on December 9th and my surgery has been scheduled for December 28th. So Fast! This is something that I have always wanted to do, but now having insurance that will cover the procedure has giving me the extra motivation to move forward with the surgery.

Nonetheless, I have an absolute terrible fear of not waking up from the surgery, which would scar my son for life. I dont even think I can tell my son about the surgery in advance, otherwise he will be in school all day worrying to death about me. He is only 9, but he gets worried when I have to go to a doctor's appointment. My son and I are very close, as we lived on our own for many years. His father left me when I was pregnant with him. I am remarried now, but I worry that something will happen to me and then my son's life will be turned upside down.

I read through posts on VST all the time and see all of the people who DID wake up from surgery and are doing fine, but my head just wont let me overcome the fear of dying. When I met with the NUT I asked her about this and she said that because I have never had any other surgery before that my fears are normal. I have been put to sleep before for a tonsilectomy and a colonoscopy and I did fine with the anesthesia.

Did anyone else have this fear? If so, what did you do to work through it?

[Pammie 8]

Enixon2010, I feel the same exact way, I want to be excited my head will not think about anything other than fear!! My date is 12/21/11, I started my liquid diet today, not fun. I know that the both of us will come out wonderfully, we just need to turn this fear over to God, he will take care of it and us! God be with you, and a fast recovery!

[MissE 8]

I can SO relate!! I am being sleeved THIS Friday!! I am a mother of 2 (almost grown) children ... and all I can think about is what would happen to them if I didn't come home.

My husband told me last night that the odds of dying in a car crash on the way to surgery is FAR greater than the risk of dying during surgery. I don't know if those odds are accurate... but I do believe that the odds ARE in our favor.

I am sure that we will all come out of this okay.... I pray everyday (I am very spiritual but don't attend church as much as I probably should) and that helps.

I wish you the best of luck... and look forward to seeing your post-op posts about how silly your fear was.

I intend to post the same.

[Catracks 865]

I guess I'm more afraid of dying from a stroke or heart attack or dying from complication of diabetes than I am of the surgery. It also helps that I have been put under a number of times (twice for major abdominal surgery). Yes, there is a slight risk associated with any procedure, but these surgeons do this procedure frequently.

This is how it was with my daughter with the earlier surgeries. I involved her in the preparations, e.g. You can have him help get the foods you need pre and post-op, explain what this surgery will do for you, explain that he was the man of the house (prior to your remarriage) and although he has help now, that you are counting on him.

My daughter always rose the occasion and felt proud to be considered so capable.

Of course all kids are different and your mileage will vary, but I wouldn't keep him in the dark. Maybe a dad off school with a relative wouldn't be such a bad idea.

[Shoppingbeemom 31]

You're right on schedule to have the fear factor, because the dream is becoming real and we all have the fear that any dream may turn into a nightmare. If you're anything like me you have cried over what may happen and even feel a little guilty.

I am a mother of 6, the oldest daughter 23 is married and have given me 2 of the cutest grandsons.When would she not need me? She is a new mother and has many questions on how to do things. My 19 year old son who is becoming an independent young man. Who would tell him how to prepare for the financial problems or his need for little extra cash? Who would tell my budding 11 year old girl what a wonderful person she is and what are cuties? What about my 4 year old son who has a speach disability, he has yet to say his own name and I want to hear it. Then there are my youngest twin girls. 3 years of life and wraped up into me. The truth is if your a mother there is NEVER an opertune time to die for you or for them.

I took that knowledge and asked myself how did I want to live the rest of my life. As it was, My bmi was 32, just obese, however I have a heart murmur under illness. Bad knees ( I was a competitive skater as a child )and the extra weight would make them ache. I had a hysterectomy and could not stop the weight gain through exercise and a 1200 calorie diet. I was going to bed at 8 pm out of fatigue. Would my health get better if I would not get the surgery? No, The more weight I put on my heart the more dangerous the surgery, the more weight I put on my knees the harder it would be for me to walk post surgery. In 20 years time if I hadn't had vsg I would be just like my family members who wake up to watch tv until bed time ( If my heart held out ).I decided my children deserved better, I deserved better!

I took strength from the pioneers. They came to a world with peril because it gave them and their offspring a chance of a better life. I wanted a better life for me and my family. Although I would not have to go any where near the trama our pioneers did. I had a thought of using the braveory they might have had, to have my surgery.

My Dr. can't find my murmur now and it's only been a few months. I have so much energy and I don't even want to go to bed until 11pm and I don't remember when my knees last ached. I can now give my youngest the same play time my oldest had. I'm so glad I had this surgery and I didn't let my fears stop me.

[hadouni 301]

I completely understand your fear. I'm a single mom by choice and have a 3yr old son. Because I'm a single mom I've been very proactive about setting things up legally for his care if anything happens to me for any reason.

I feel like loosing weight will allow me to be with him much longer- that my life expectancy will be longer if my weight is healthy so I've decided to have the surgery. My mom had GBS when I was in the 8th grade and that was back in the days when they cut you totally open to do it. I've had a major surgery before too so I know a bit about what to expect.

This is an intensely personal decision and those we love are a huge part of it (for me at least). I feel like I'm making the best decision for us.

[Pammie 8]

To shoppingbeemom, after reading your post, I would like for you to know that it helped me to calm down, or at least for now. The one thing that did it for me was the following statement "I asked myself how did I want to live the rest of my life". This is so true, thank you, I will try to remind myself of this on surgery day, 12/21/11.