IN SURGERY, HOW DOES IT FEEL?

In this post the stories we’re sharing are of people’s experience of surgeries and treatments. What’s it like before, during and after the surgery? There seems to be a few key aspects of procedures which can cause large differences in the experience of the surgery and the outcomes.

The first is the degree to which the hospital is organised, what level of patient and partner support is provided upfront and the then aftercare that is procedurally embedded into that specific hospital system. Previously we met Marion and Pat, both of whom had knee replacements. Here are their very different experiences.

Pat’s first knee:

“My left knee was replaced on 11 January 2024. My experience at the Golden Jubilee was excellent. My husband was able to stay at the hotel which was great for me to have him there. The op was straightforward, and I got home the day after because I had passed all the tests that the physios put me through, ie I could do the exercises, walk easily with sticks and I could climb up and down stairs. They also asked me if I did regular exercise. When I said I went to Pilates they said that it showed in my ability to do the exercises.

I left the hospital with a booklet explaining all about the op, all the exercises I had to do every day, a helpline number in case I had any problems and pain relief medication.”

And compare this to Marion’s experience:

“My op was during Covid so it was all bit surreal. Because I had no pre preparation, I had really no idea what was ahead of me - maybe just as well.

The actual op went well. A good team, although I only met my surgeon for 3 seconds before the op, never saw him again.

Was in hospital for 5 days, as I could not control the pain and so found every move unbearable. Physios were great as were the nurses but it was a long 5 days with no visitors and no one to talk to.

Getting home was wonderful but the next few weeks were pretty awful. No after care or physio because of Covid .”

Many people must have tales of compromises made during Covid but the chasm between Pat and Marion’s surgeries shows how different the hospital contact can be and how that difference can make a person feel. No one expects their surgeon to wine and dine them before ‘the slicing’ but it would be nice to be able to pick them out of a line-up afterwards.

In addition, five days alone immediately after surgery is not conducive to a stress-free recovery. If you’re waiting for surgery as you read this you may feel that having a good understanding of what will likely happen will best place you in the calmest mindset before the big day

The second aspect of major procedures that divide peoples’ feelings about their experiences is what actually happened on the day. Here, Pat has a different tale to tell:

Pat’s Second Knee

“My second knee was replaced on August 8 2024. It should have been in May but due to a theatre problem it was delayed, which was probably to my benefit as I had a bit longer to strengthen up my previous knee and leg, The second op was completely different from the first as the pain was excruciating and I couldn't lift my leg, get out of bed or walk easily. I required stronger painkillers and I struggled for the first month or so to do my exercises properly. However, I persevered and now 7 months down the line I would say both knees are about the same. I started back to Pilates in January, and I still do my daily exercises to both knees. I was told by the hospital that every joint replacement op is different, and I was just a bit unlucky with the second one??”

Of course, Pat didn’t expect it to feel the same and I wonder if she’d have been as keen to get the second one done if the experience had been the other way around. The surgeon isn’t going to know exactly what to expect until they’re in and busy.

Previously, Caroline described how an error in her routine colonoscopy recall led her to need a second operation for bowel cancer.  The surgery went about as well as everything else had so far…

Caroline’s story:

It was arranged that I should go in for surgery early in January 2016.  This is when I had to have a stoma fitted.  Something went a bit wrong with the op which entailed me being opened up yet again, so I was in PRI for about 3 weeks and my tummy is no longer a pretty sight!  (Waist 23” when 24, now about 36”!). No more swimming in the nuddy or even in a bikini!

Regardless of your expectations from surgery, the reality once you come round is a done deal, no chance of a do-over – or in Caroline’s case, a necessary do-over which didn’t superficially improve anything for her. For what it’s worth, I’ve been swimming with Caroline (not in the nuddy!) and the whole stoma set-up is really very discreet

Susie’s story:

My back surgery itself seemed so simple: up to Stracathro, get on the gurney and have a snooze. The minute I came around I knew it had been a great success. Where arcs of nerve pain had previously jangled up and down my right leg, now I felt only the pain of the incision in my lower back.

Unfortunately, the pain meds DID NOT agree with me and I couldn’t go home until I could keep my toast down. 

The very next morning (post-toast), I was informed that the hospital doors were shutting at 12pm that day and asked who was collecting me. Not having been aware of this, we’d planned for my husband to collect me in the pm after work and for a panicked half hour I imagined myself ‘Ganging not very far and definitely faring waur’.  Fortunately, my best mate came to the rescue and, on my command, drove me straight from the hospital to McDonalds for the biggest dose of fat, salt and sugar I could neck. Yes, I may be a PT but I ‘d only digested one slice of Mother’s Pride over the last 36 hours.

Thank goodness for mobile phones and caring friends. Somehow, we’re all confident that because the operating theatre is sterile and more precisely laid out than the table settings at a Royal reception, the administration side will be as militarily precise.

I also forget that we’re soft machines and that while we’ve been happily living in our bodies for years, we’ve been wearing and tearing it all down in many weird and wonderful ways. A family member of mine with the same back pain went for the same back surgery as me and endured an additional 4 hours while they discovered deeper issues that required ‘carving out’.