((((((mama)))))))))

I wish I knew the perfect thing to say to help you. I do understand the feeling of terror about surgery and being sedated. I hae a few really bad teeth that I need to be sedated to get them fixed, and I flat out refused.

I know that teeth and sedation at the dentist is nothing compared to your surgery, but I wanted to let you know that I can relate to the sedation fears because I live them myself.

I like Moose's suggestion of getting to know the hospital staff beforehand. If I remember correctly, the hospital is not nearby for you, but if going there is too difficult, maybe talking to them on the phone would help?

I wish I could remember who gave me the following suggestion when I had to go for an MRI and I was terrified of the tube, but someone on the forums suggested that I bring the forum with me.

Write down everyones name from the forums and put it in my pocket, and whenever I get scared to think in my head about what that person would tell me. And as I go through the experience of being scared to also think in my head about what I will write to the forum when I get home, and then think about who would reply and what they would say. Then also think about how everyone elses day was going, what they would write about their day on the forum, and how I would reply to their day.

That really helped me a lot while I was in an MRI tube for over 2 hours. It gave me something to think about so that my anxious thoughts could not and would not invade my head.

I'm lighting a candle for you. I never light candles because of my cats, but I am going to go outside for a smoke and light a candle for you in the middle of my yard.

(((((((((hugs)))))))))

Take care of you,
Liz