A Kid's Surgery
What should I expect if I am having major surgery?
Some kids go to the hospital to have surgery, or an operation, and may need to stay in the hospital after the surgery until they are strong enough to go home. If your doctor says you need an operation, a special doctor called an “anesthesiologist” will help you fall asleep by putting some medicine in your IV so that you can sleep through the operation and not feel any pain. This is called “general anesthesia.” Before the operation, you and your parents or guardian will meet with the anesthesiologist to talk about things like other medicines that you take and find out your height and weight. This information helps the anesthesiologist know exactly how much medicine you will need for the operation. You may also need tests like x-rays or blood tests before the operation. It is important that you not drink or eat anything before surgery, usually starting from midnight the day before the operation.
The day of your surgery, you will be wheeled on a moving bed into a room called the operating room. Before you fall asleep, you may notice that everyone will be wearing masks, because the surgery needs to be done under sterile conditions. This means the doctors don’t want you to get an infection, from germs that can make you sick. Even though the doctors and nurses are wearing masks, they can still talk to you and explain things to you and answer all of your questions.
Sometimes the anesthesiologists, those special doctors who give you medications during the surgery, will put a mask over your face to make you feel drowsy and sleepy, before the surgery starts. At other times, they may give you medicine through the IV in your arm. If you get medicine through a mask, they will ask you to take nice deep breaths until the medicine puts you to sleep. Usually, the anesthesiologist will give you the mask first so you won’t be awake if he or she has to insert any needles for the IV medications. [When I went to have surgery, I got ot pick bubblegum flavored mask medicine….mmmmm!]
Remember: you will be fully asleep during the operation and you will not feel any pain.
When you wake up, your parents will be with you in the recovery room. You may feel groggy, confused, queasy, or nauseated after surgery. This shouldn’t last too long. The side effects of the anesthetic medicine usually wear off after about 45 minutes. Your bed will be wheeled into a special “recovery area” where you wait with your parents or guardian for a few hours while the nurses and doctors make sure things like your heart rate and blood pressure stay strong. Depending on the type surgery you had done, you may feel some pain after the surgery, so remember that the doctors and nurses will give you medication to stop the pain.
The surgeon will talk to you and your family about the results of the surgery. You will not be able to eat right away if you had a major operation. The doctor will listen to your body with a stethoscope to decide when it is a good idea to try eating again. You might start with softer foods like jello or popsicles (hey that’s not so bad!), and then move on to solid foods after that.
The day of your surgery, you will be wheeled on a moving bed into a room called the operating room. Before you fall asleep, you may notice that everyone will be wearing masks, because the surgery needs to be done under sterile conditions. This means the doctors don’t want you to get an infection, from germs that can make you sick. Even though the doctors and nurses are wearing masks, they can still talk to you and explain things to you and answer all of your questions.
Sometimes the anesthesiologists, those special doctors who give you medications during the surgery, will put a mask over your face to make you feel drowsy and sleepy, before the surgery starts. At other times, they may give you medicine through the IV in your arm. If you get medicine through a mask, they will ask you to take nice deep breaths until the medicine puts you to sleep. Usually, the anesthesiologist will give you the mask first so you won’t be awake if he or she has to insert any needles for the IV medications. [When I went to have surgery, I got ot pick bubblegum flavored mask medicine….mmmmm!]
Remember: you will be fully asleep during the operation and you will not feel any pain.
When you wake up, your parents will be with you in the recovery room. You may feel groggy, confused, queasy, or nauseated after surgery. This shouldn’t last too long. The side effects of the anesthetic medicine usually wear off after about 45 minutes. Your bed will be wheeled into a special “recovery area” where you wait with your parents or guardian for a few hours while the nurses and doctors make sure things like your heart rate and blood pressure stay strong. Depending on the type surgery you had done, you may feel some pain after the surgery, so remember that the doctors and nurses will give you medication to stop the pain.
The surgeon will talk to you and your family about the results of the surgery. You will not be able to eat right away if you had a major operation. The doctor will listen to your body with a stethoscope to decide when it is a good idea to try eating again. You might start with softer foods like jello or popsicles (hey that’s not so bad!), and then move on to solid foods after that.
How long do I have to stay in a hospital?
Your doctor will let you and your family know how long you will stay in the hospital.
Children are admitted to the hospital for many reasons, and how long they stay in the hospital depends on what illness they have. If the illness is really serious, they may stay for a longer period of time, or if it is less serious, they may just stay for a day or two. If you are going to the hospital to have surgery, you will need to stay in the hospital until you are strong enough and you can eat on your own. Some surgeries are called outpatient surgeries because they can be done in one day, and you do not have to stay overnight in the hospital.
So remember, a hospital is just a special place where kids stay when they are not feeling well and where doctors and nurses can help them get well. I’d say that is pretty cool!
http://www.kidshealth.org/teen/your_body/medical_care/anesthesia.html
Copyright 2007 MD Kiosk
