The pre-op assessment nurse gives me some valuable advice
She tells me to set my alarm for 6am and have breakfast even if I then go back to bed. To be fair, I had already got it planned but it was good to have it endorsed. Apparently some people stop eating the night before and are ravenous by mid morning. I also buy a comfortable front zipping fleece and an easy read rom com (which sadly proves to be rubbish).
Once in the day surgery unit the long wait never seems to materialise. Between constantly saying my name, date of birth, why I think I'm there (knee op?), when I last had anything to eat or drink (always feels like a trick question - have I got it right?), where I'm going on holiday and when did I stop taking the blood thinner the time passes very quickly. I am offered lovely warm blankets to wrap round me as I sit and read and there's such a lot going on that I don't have time to worry. Eventually the last person to ask me lots of questions comes and walks me down to theatre - again wrapped in a warm blanket. We have a great discussion about Poland, where I am going to a wedding, which morphs into a chat about occasion dresses with the all female anaesthetic team. And I don't remember anything else until I come around about 2 hours later. Although I do know that I thanked them for keeping my spirits up.
I have since googled the warm blankets and walking to the theatre and discovered that they are both a thing. The warm blankets are designed to keep your core temperature up which improves surgical outcomes and the walking to the theatre reduces patient anxiety as well as freeing up staff. Who knew?
