The Night Before...???

[Kaybo]

So this weekend I was with a friend that I don't get to see very often and one of my SIL's.  My friend commented that she would never forget the day I called her & told her that I had a brain tumor and how she was FREAKING out & I was very calm and reassuring.  THEN she told about how she remembered calling me the night before the actual surgery and what I was doing...Remember that it was 13 1/2 years ago so many things that we have now, we did not then.  Late the night before, after we all went out to dinner, I was trying to make Ruby Red Slippers for my two little nieces (the kind that you can readily buy at Target or WalMart now).  Little did I know that I could market them and they'd be a HUGE hit.  I had out the spray adhesive and LOTS of RED glitter and it was very important to me that I get these done because I knew that they would love them for a Christmas present from me...my friend just couldn't believe that the night before I was to have brain surgery, I was glittering up shoes!

SO, it got me to thinking...what did you do the night before YOUR surgery (or treatment)?? 

K 

PS - The reason why we were together this weekend - my SIL & niece (that I was making the shoes for) brought Kendie back to me from Grandma's - I met them in Abilene...they were bringing my niece out for FRESHMAN orientation!!

[Keri]

... time flies. I can't believe I'm a 6 month postie! Can't believe you're 13 years!

OK, I remember the night before posting on the forum in the wee hours of the morning. I felt like I was catching up on EVERYTHING that had to be done before a trip. I had church work to do, bookkeeping work to do (have 2 part time jobs), school stuff for kids to leave notes about, this all took forever. According to my post I had a small glass of wine at 12:07am (7 minutes past my deadline of no liquids) and then I remember being so thirsty because I couldn't have anything. I think I stayed up til 3:00am and had to get up at 4:00am. I remember taking comfort in the fact that I could sleep all day the next day. So, I had wanted to spend a relaxing evening listening to music and stuff like that, but it just didn't happen! I was too busy to get nervous; I thought that would come at the hospital. But that was busy too. Then you get that medication to relax you and... all is well.

Great, creative question Kay!

Keri

[moe]

I flew into Seattle from Corpus Christi TX a couple of days before my brain surgery. (Husband had been transferred to Bremerton, WA and I was still in TX with  the high school/early college kids).
We went to his favorite  restaurant and had a lovely romantic  meal. I was thinking, "  Wow I'm having brain surgery in the morning!"
Little did I know about what was to come!!!!
Back in the "old" days, they would admit you the night before.... Kind of weird that you do such normal things before a major operation.......
Maureen

[Lilan]

I was in L.A. and my aunt and I took a rather long cab ride to and from the Grove, where I'd been with Nancy and LADavid, to stroll around and have dinner outside.

At first I wasn't sure I had the energy for it after the very long day of pre-op appointments, but I decided we'd have plenty of time to hang around the hospital campus, it was a beautiful night,  and my aunt deserved one pleasant night out on the town since her upcoming few nights were sure to be significantly less enjoyable 

Of course I was so glad we did it! I ordered a flatbread pizza that arrived in the shape (and nearly the size) of a flying saucer (my aunt finished off the rest of it a day or two later), and we shared a delicious beet salad. It was lovely out, and there was great people-watching.

Once we got back to Seton, I drank some Cherry Zero (Coke) knowing it was my last caffeine for awhile -- figured I might not sleep much anyway! And of course prayed, texted, took phone calls, finished readying things, etc.

As Moe said, it all seems very "routine" when such a huge thing is about to happen to you!    But that's probably a good thing -- you can almost convince yourself the world isn't ending after all! 

[epodjn]

Hmm, this is very stange for me but I really have no recollection of "the night before". It was December and I know I was franticly buying and wrapping gifts, knowing that after surgery I most likely woudn't be in any shape for that kind of stuff. We probably did something with our family, but I really don't remember. Ya, did I mention I'm having short term memory problems, haha.

[leapyrtwins]

Nothing special really - same old, same old.

I was strangely calm - even in the morning waiting for the docs to knock me out.

I guess I was just totally confident in my choice of doctors and in my treatment decision; plus I couldn't wait to get the little bugger out of my head and get on with my life.

BTW, great topic, Kaybo!

Jan

[CHD63]

I was trying to remember what I was doing the night before surgery.  I do not have a clear remembrance of anything special.  I was staying with my sister who lives close to Duke and as far as I can remember we simply had a quiet supper at her place.  Like Jan, I was surprisingly calm once the shock of the diagnosis, the overwhelming research process, and the decision on treatment was made.  I knew I had the prayers of many friends and family across the country and it was rather like a soothing "all is going to be OK" feeling.

If I had still had children at home or still working, my reaction might have been different .... I don't know.  I was just relieved that the thing was soon going to be out of there and I could get on with life.

Good topic .....

Clarice

[lori67]

Well, the day before, we went food shopping, out to one of our favorite places to eat (with kids) - Chicken Nick's.  Came home, got Paige's outfits organized for school for the next week or two and then at midnight, had to drive to the airport to pick up 2 of my sisters, whose flight from NJ had been delayed.  We stayed up until about 3am while I gave them instructions for the kids.

I actually slept quite well that night and did not want to get up at 4:45am when that alarm went off.  Lucky for me, I got to sleep all day that day!!!!

Lori

[Jim Scott]

K ~

As I recall, I was pretty calm - and none too ambitious - the night before my AN surgery, although a bit apprehensive, of course.  I know we watched a favorite movie on the DVD that night but I can't recall what it was.  I went to bed before 11 P.M. (early, for me) because I had to get up at 4:30 A.M. to shower, dress and be driven (by my brother-in-law) to the hospital in New Haven, which is over 30 miles from my home.  I guess I was determined not to let this surgery become too huge an event in our lives, although it actually was. 

Frankly, after 3 years, it seems so far 'away' that I can't imagine what I'll remember about it  in another decade.  Well, at least I can always look up this thread to jog my memory. 

Jim

[epodjn]

I felt extremely calm also. My husband and mom were the most anxious, especially my husband. I never thought I would not have a good outcome and go on with life as usual, which is almost true. I'm very grateful that all has gone as well as it has but don't think about it much really. On the other hand, my husband says on a routine basis, "I'm so glad you are still with us." I think it must be a lot harder to be on the other side of this experience.

[Kaybo]

I hadn't thought about it at all until my friend reminded me...I remember that my parents had come in at some point (we all stayed with my in-laws the whole time) and we all went to eat at Biaperetti's (sp?) in downtown Houston and then I came home and was trying to do the shoes...I think EVERYONE else was MUCH more upset than I was.  Remember, this was just a week after I was diagnosed, this site was not around, and NO ONE knew what to expect - we didn't even know that I would lose my hearing!!

K

[nancyann]

I didn't think much about it - just another surgery,  all would be well - OH BOY ! !
So I've coped as best I can,   got back to work after 2 months & haven't looked back.
Always good thoughts, Nancy

[Adrienne]

Guess I have an advantage here being it's only been 5 weeks! (thankful for that since my memory stinks!).

I played my last game of soccer with my spring league.  I stunk at it (double vision) but had a blast trying, and it was a great distraction.  I was very calm that evening, and the next morning.  Wasn't freaking out at all like I thought I would.  And I slept! Slept right until my alarm went off.  Couldn't believe it!

Adrienne

[Soundy]

My son and DIL came over around 9 ... they stayed with the girls while I was gone and husband was
running back and forth from Nashville to home every day ... the other twin came over ... in times of stress
whether my DIL likes it or not they are going to be together

around 10:00pm my mom called from work about 2 hours away and asked if I wanted to go shopping
or something the next day ... I told her no couldn't do it cause I had a brain tumor and was gonna go
get it taking out in the morning ... she didn't know up until then about the AN and didn't believe me ...
we talked a little bit about weather and stuff then hung up ...

a couple hours later I was talking to a friend in Mosurey... he was worried I would die on the table ... told
him I was too mean to die and we talked about weather ... was on the phone talking to him on th porch
when a car turned in the drive way ...told him I had to go cause my Mom was here to kick my butt ...

Mom came in and knew it was real when she saw us ... she told me she wanted an explanation and wanted it
now and I told her she didn't get informed before because of the way she was acting right then and there ...
I am not a child and haven't been for years ...but she thinks I am and being a nurse makes her worse because
she knows better than my doctors what is wrong with me ... (just wait until she finds out about my lupus ...she
 just thinks I need more vitamin B and Orange juice    I will probably get grounded when she finds out )

she was making me nuts so went and cuddled with husband but didn't go to sleep... I had to be at hospital at
5 but told Bo 4 because he makes us late for everything ...and I wanted to be on time for this ... when it was time
to leave I snuck in and kissed each girl ... they woke up enough to say our  I love you's and fell back to sleep ...
hugged the twins ,mom and DIL and we were on our way ...got there about 30 minutes early ...


I was calm and it made me uneasy in a way that I wasn't nervous ... I think that since I had over 2 years to think
about it helped... if I had followed the advice of first doctor I saw when AN was found and went straight into
surgery instead of the watch and wait approach , I would have been a wreck... I need time to investigate things
and get my head around what I'm getting down ...

[msmaggie]

Hi to all,
I wasn't nervous at all.  Because my surgery was 12/10, I took advantage of the fact that my whole family was there and prepared a giant Christmas dinner the night before.  MY son and DIL were going to her folks for Christmas, so I wanted to have Christmas while I still had all my faculties!  The evening was amazing--lots of love and laughter.  I went to bed tired but happy, and I slept like a baby until I had to get up at 5.  I figured I had plenty of time to catch up on my sleep later!

Priscilla