I am no longer counting days, but hours....and go from being excited to feel better to completely TERRIFIED of the surgery and not waking up. Is this normal?? Those of you who have had surgery, were you freaking out inside? I keep asking everyone "I am going to wake up, right?? I'm not gunna die, right??" Please tell me I am not totally off for getting so scared.....
Yes I would have to say from my experience with surgery that you are not crazy. I think I’d be more worried if you didn’t have fears of surgery. I went thought the same thing leading up to and then the worries after. Just take a breath and try to have positive thoughts.
I was wheelchair dependent most of the time before my surgery. I like to say that I rolled into the hospital and walked out( a little "gimpy"but I did it). Don’t get me wrong the recovery was a little rough but completely worth it. Hang in there. It gets better. Right now you are having “stage fright”. I look back at how I was feeling in the days and hours that lead up to surgery and really wonder about my sanity at that point my thoughts were just every where on every possible outcome, I find it kind of humorous now. It is totally normal.
Relax you deserve it!
My prayers are with you
Barb
No I think we all were scared at least I know I was.The scariest part is that is it going to work or did you go thru it for nothing.I had my decompression on May seventh.I am now 6 mo Po and I have arm neak and shoulder pain back.It is nothing in comparison to what I had.I would do it agin.Im walking reaching and I can tip my head back.The surgery helped me and now Im having my lumbar worked on.Gee Lol Maybe someday Iill be bionic Hee Hee.God bless and don’t worryIf It’s your time. Put it in Gods hands and relax.Hugs and love to you
Gunna,
It's perfectly normal. I was so bad before mine if I could have ran to the operating room I would have and I was still worried. You will be fine. You will be sore but you will be fine. : ) The doctors and nurses are going to take good care of you. Your family will be surrounding you with love and prayers and when you start to recover you will feel so much better. Pretty soon you will be on the other side of the operation and on the road to recovery and the worry will be over. We are all here for you. I will pray for you. You're going to do great.
Wendy
I am terrified of surgery. I'm currently too fatigued to REALLY function, but I also don't think my symptoms are 'severe' enough to warrant surgery. I can still walk and stuff.. even though I get dizzy a bit. I 'manage' my symptoms best by not DOING anything... as much as possible. It's not much of a life and if I can't get disability approval we're going to be in real trouble, but as a single mom of 3 I can't afford to get worse and THEY can't afford for me to not be here....
Just saying I can totally relate to the fear. My first appointment w/ the NS is on Friday though... We'll see what happens.
Prayers for tomorrow!! :)
i will be 3 weeks postop tomorrow and i totally understand where you are at. i actuallyhad a list of what to do/give in the event i did not wake up. keep in mind i am 62 so i saw more surgical risks. about a month before surgery my dh told the ns(whom we dearly loved/trusted) "she thinks she is going to die in surgery" to which the ns replied with a smile "well then i dont want to do it because i have never lost anyone in this surgery' it gave me something cute & positive to think of often. i felt that calm emmaline spoke about above. i know it was God because only He gjves it at the exact time you need it most and my entire family had prayed with me the day before. if you havd children ask them to pray -their prayers go straight to heaven -no detours. you dont need to ask them tk pray you dont die-that may frighten them but perhaps some small thinv like pray for the doctors and nurses. i had everyone i know praying for my ns and his staff. and plsase know you and your family will be in my prayers. hopd ylu have someone who can post on here o let us know how you are doing. lots and lots of hugs :) june
I am a RN, working in the perioperative area. I see patients pre-op and immediately postop. I can tell you this is normal. I can also tell you that I have had the same concerns during different surgical procedures throughout my life. If Dr. Oro thinks I need surgery, then I will soon be in your shoes. I will pray for peace for you. Keep us posted.
I’ve done it 3 times this year and it is scary…especially the first time…you will be fine I’m sure and I will say a special prayer for u tomorrow…many blessings my fellow Chiari friend and no you are not gonna die but i know those thoughts do go through our heads…only good positive thoughts now 
sorry in advance for the longwindedness or long windedness (in my world its a word)
i came on here today wondering these same questions- i am not online as much as i would like to be but my surgery is scheduled for the second of nov... i don't let myself think about the pain of recovery or the seriousness of the surgery yet- the only thing i really can think of currently, is whether or not i will regret going into this- i have pain every day- some days better than others- some have me taking the dreaded but needed pain killers and i crawl back into bed- the surgeon is confident that this decompression surgery will relief my pain- it's not that i don't believe him, per se', but i wonder if i should just go on the way i am. hell i know how to deal with the pain etc, i've been doing it so long it has become a life process- as y'all on here fully understand. so i came on here for the first time since i have had my appts and had the surgery scheduled for some help/support.
the kind of help/support that those around me can't give me. My fam/friends keep telling me that i should stop coming online and reading blogs/discussions because they don't want me to fall into a depression about what i am dealing with. i know they are trying to help, however there isn't a single one of them that can understand just what i mean by my head is in a vice and my brain feels like it is being squashed, or there is soo much pain in my neck and shoulders that i can't even move them etc etc- i know that here i don't even have to try to come up with the words of description to have someone TRY to understand and for that i am thankful-
i would love some of you that have gone through the decompression surgery to advise me on just what to expect- at the beginning of this year (months before i was diagnosed) i decided that my motto of the year would be KNOWLEDGE IS POWER- and never has it been more true than these last few months. i want to know as much as possible going in. I have pre-op set up for the 1st of nov but until then i won't talk to my surgeon to find out specific details- i don't even know how much if maybe all of my hair i will have to have cut let alone how long the surgery is- some of these questions i have will have to wait till the 1st as i have a cervical MRI scheduled also.
and i thank god for each and everyone of you that is here on this site- i never thought i would have a whole site of people who understand EXACTLY what i am feeling before i even begin to explain, to me that is amazing! its been a long road to get to this point- but i am 37 yrs old and have so much of life left and i would like to have my life back- i just hope that this is the right road to travel down to get that to happen.
i hope to be checking this site many times before my actual surgery as i know the advise and support y'all can give me will be like no other. i wish nothing but great days for all of you!
Lisa
thank you so much, everyone! I am now down to about 10 hours and staying up late. I want to sleep in so that I have less time to think about it when I wake up!
Lisa, please post as often as you can. This site has been my chiari SANITY...I have been such incredible people who just know, who have been there, who are positive, honest, and loving..not to mention funny. I love laughing about the same stuff!
all of you, I have absorbed every word and placed it in my heart! I will see if someone can post for me!
love to all of you!
Kelly
Good luck, it’s natural to go through the nerves then the calm then you wake up and it’s been done! I had mine five weeks ago, wishing you all the best. Hugs
I know being absolutely terrifed is normal. I am hoping and praying that your surgery is over by now (it is Monday evening), and you are either in recovery or in your room. I am also confident that everything went well and that your prognosis is excellent!! Let's know how you are when you are able. (((hugs)))
Carla
Great !!! Still praying for Kelly & Lisa.... Surgery is terrifying because we worry about the unknown. We have many Members that have positive Surgical & Recovery experiences. Please know we understand. Ask any questions you may have. Don't worry alone. Please????
you are in my thoughts!! good luck!
Beeba-thanks for keep us updated. I'm so thankful she is doing well. I'm still praying for her.