Sharon's surgery went well and she is doing fine. Part of me can't help but fear the worst when someone's going under and it's such a relief when it's done.
This wasn't a surprise, but she hadn't wanted me to mention it until I was able to say it was all done and successful (she doesn't like to worry folks). It was a Roux-en-Y (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gastric_bypass_surgery#Gastric_bypass.2C_Roux_en-Y_.28proximal.29) that was scheduled quite a while ago.
BTW, thank heavens for a combo of provincial and employer's health insurance! I caught a glimpse of some of the paperwork: the bed alone is worth something like $4000 a day!
I hope she has a speedy recovery and it works out wonderfully for her. I have had great success with my gastric band and don't regret the decision to have that surgery for a moment. Unfortunately insurance did not cover it, but I still think it was worth it.
Honestly, the general anesthetic is the part I fear most about surgery. Cut me all you need to, but I worry that I won't wake up. I remember when I had my jaw surgery, they were telling me how they were going to detach both jaws blah blah blah and all I could think about was, "yes, fine, but what about the anesthetic?"
I know what you mean about the anesthetic, Steve, cuz it's always a non-zero risk. I just tell myself that I take a bigger risk every time I drive my car or cross the street.
In either case, it's not like there's no logical reason to worry at all, but if you let yourself focus on those possible-but-unlikely events and worry about them, you can paralyze yourself into not living. You have to just choose to let it go. You can do it about driving, you can do it about anesthesia.
Logically I agree with you, John, but the fooling-myself part of my brain tells me that I have some control over what happens when I drive, but none at all when I'm under anesthesia.
You can do it about driving, you can do it about anesthesia.
The issue for me is probability. Not all risks are created equal. You ignore the low risks, and focus on the relatively high risks.
Most people never develop any sense of this, though, and instead just fear what they can most easily imagine.
So after 9/11 -- which meant two weeks of watching planes fly into buildings and blow up -- an incredible percentage of America was afraid to fly, in flat defiance of the probabilities. Meanwhile they had no problem smoking and driving.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
branchandroot
no subject
Date: 2011-11-25 02:14 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-11-25 03:01 am (UTC)BTW, thank heavens for a combo of provincial and employer's health insurance! I caught a glimpse of some of the paperwork: the bed alone is worth something like $4000 a day!
no subject
Date: 2011-11-25 03:11 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-11-25 05:25 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-11-25 01:01 pm (UTC)I'm glad she is doing fine.
no subject
Date: 2011-11-25 01:37 pm (UTC)In either case, it's not like there's no logical reason to worry at all, but if you let yourself focus on those possible-but-unlikely events and worry about them, you can paralyze yourself into not living. You have to just choose to let it go. You can do it about driving, you can do it about anesthesia.
no subject
Date: 2011-11-25 03:18 pm (UTC)Did I mention I'm a bit of a control freak? ;)
no subject
Date: 2011-11-25 04:24 pm (UTC)The issue for me is probability. Not all risks are created equal. You ignore the low risks, and focus on the relatively high risks.
Most people never develop any sense of this, though, and instead just fear what they can most easily imagine.
So after 9/11 -- which meant two weeks of watching planes fly into buildings and blow up -- an incredible percentage of America was afraid to fly, in flat defiance of the probabilities. Meanwhile they had no problem smoking and driving.
no subject
Date: 2011-11-28 09:01 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-11-28 01:16 pm (UTC)