bsusanmb
Childhood sweethearts married on the Magic 6/2/13
- Joined
- Jul 11, 2004
- Messages
- 2,078
Bless your heart...I get so upset with physicians who rush through explanations and don't understand the impact on the person receiving the information. I am an RN, BSN since Methusala (sp) and have worked in outpatient surgery among many other areas...a hernia, as you probably know, is a weakness in the abdominal muscles that allows the bowel to protrude through...kind of like thinking of a hose that has a bulge in it...the hose isn't stong in that area and the water causes a bulge in it...the procedure is a very simple surgical procedure with a tiny incision and then the baby wears a belly band afterwards to help with healing. The anesthesia they use today is so safe and fast acting, wears off immediately. Little ones don't have a lot of pain, they usually are out of sorts for a day due to the medication and going through something stressful like going to the hospital. I wouldn't worry about the trip to Disney...just see that surgeon to give you peace of mind. Write down your questions before you get in there or you will forget what you wanted to ask in the anxiety of the moment. If you don't understand something...ask. When our surgeons explain a procedure to someone, I go over everything with the family after the surgeon leaves in layman's terms and draw pics etc...in this day and age, any good surgeon will have writtin information for you...such as what to expect, what you will do after the surgery with your child etc. I say ask a nurse when it comes to physicians and their practiced. We are in there and see things first hand and know how patients recover, how physician interact with kids and parents, and who has infection rates, return to surgery rates and things that those outside of the hospital don't. Of course, it is against our practice to recommend someone....but you know what I mean...when someone asks me, I will say, oh, they are great and why...or I might say have you heard of so and so, or my grand just had surgery with so and so....My daughter had her 15mo. check up today and I showed the Dr. a little bulge she has in her tummy a couple inches above her belly button- the Dr. said it is a Peri-something hernia and she will have to have it surgically corrected. Surgical- like they have to cut my baby open- what- wait a minute, that's the only way, it won't close on it's own. She says no but it is not an emaergency and I am given a referal to the pediatric surgeon. We won't see him until next friday. I say should we be concerned, we are leaving for disney in about 2 weeks. She says just make sure you see the surgeon before you go. I am hoping he says it will close on it's own, but not very optimistic that this will be the outcome. My poor little girl I just don't know how to prepare for this, no one I have talked to has even heard of this before so I thought I would bring it to you- Have you heard of this type of hernia?? Any advice, tips, experience will be welcomed. I have been so bummed all evening and I still have so much left to do before we leave(both at work and home), but this just took the wind out of my sails. And I'm going to worry for the next 10 days until we see the surgeon. I know it I might be over reacting a little, but they are talking about putting my baby to sleep and cutting her open to fix her and it is freaking me out. Thank you all for your time. I'll let you all know what happens.
Nicholas has had lots of hospitalizations and some horrid tests done, including a wire down his tiny nose into his stomach for 24 hours to measure the amount of acide reflux and at the same time oxygen in his nose for a sleep study with both hands tied down on boards...it was awful. He had anesthesia prior to putting the wires down his nose/throat/stomach, and that part was ok. But when he couldn't suck his thumb to self soothe...that did him in. Let me know how your baby does. Hernias are very common...like someone else said...and at a young age, after it is fixed things should be A ok.
Hope that this has helped you. I know it isn't easy to be calm when it is your baby.
Blessings,
Susan (the insomniac)...and I have to get up for work in a few hours...