Bill .....
Before my retrosigmoid surgery, I had pre-op tests the day before ..... including a consultation with the anesthesiologist. Many of my questions were answered then, plus the sheet of written information I was given.
Many questions cannot be answered beforehand because there are many variables that can occur that even the neurosurgeon does not know until he gets in there ..... actual size of tumor, whether it is a sticky tumor, whether it is stuck on other nerves, etc. If you have a normal, uneventful surgery and recovery, some questions that come to mind are:
In a normal circumstance .....
1) how long would you expect my hospital stay to be?
2) how long will I be in the ICU?
3) can my family be with me?
4) who will do any follow-up care needed?
Beyond that, you may have questions specific to your particular situation. I had many questions for the anesthesiologist about nausea and vomiting fears (that I had experienced with previous surgeries). The anesthesiologist was very reassuring and indeed, I had no nausea or vomiting. I wish I had asked the hospital about the diet I would be given. (At first it was liquid, of course, but the bland diet for 3 days following that were awful. My normal diet is lots of whole grains, vegetables, and fruit.) When I finally could not look at another piece of white bread, they sent a hospital dietician up to me, who quickly amended my diet and all was well. Isn't it always the little things in life ..... ?
If you have specific questions, ask them here and somebody will tell you their experience as to whether or not you should ask it.
Clarice
