Freaking out

My surgery is on Feb. 4th and I am totally freaking out.  I am having the hardest time concentrating at work today and the past couple nights can not sleep and the other night I even started to cry a little thinking about everything.  I sure wish I could have had this week off work.  Anybody get this way or am I just over reacting?

I think everyone would agree that we all did the same thing. I was an emotional wreck. I cleaned my house, wrote letters to my children (just in case), let my husband know all of our financial stuff. It was really difficult. I almost backed out the morning of surgery after my surgeon went over the risks again and got consent. This is a very difficult decision, not without risk, but the benefits are great!! Good Luck to ya.

LOL....I basically just repeated what you said!  Guess I should read the responses of other first huh?

Hi Nicole, Don't stress too much, you are definately not overreacting!   What you are getting ready to do is potentially life altering (for the better of course).  Stress comes from both positive and negative sources such as marriage, childbirth, loss of family, loss of job, new house, etc.  You are actively choosing to change your life for the better and it's simply stressful and showing!

Although my surgery was less invasive than RNY, I had pretty much the same reactions about 2 weeks prior to surgery.  Another OH board had a thread on this subject just last week.  They refered to it as the "two-week-freak period." Most of the people on there talked about their emotional roller coaster ride and doing things such as power cleaning, power shopping, paying bills a month in advance, showing the husband where financial records are kept, writing letters to loved ones (just in case) and so on. My personal freak included making a short list of approved female friends that my husband could take up with if something happended to me.  In my head I knew who I did and didn't want to be my replacement not only for my husband but for my daughter!  Hubby humored me and said he'd get a Mrs. Doubtfire or Alice (Brady Bunch) type to take care of them since wives are much more work! Good luck, have a good cry and go easy on yourself

I had LB, which as another poster said, is much less invasive than RNY. However, that didn't stop the freaks from occurring. When I get scared, I get grouchy so you can imagine what a week that was. To top it off, the night before my surgery our youngest son came down on orders to go back to Iraq, and all I could think was "If something happens to me maybe he won't have to go." Macabre, huh?  I've heard that the best actors always get stage fright, no matter how well prepared they are for the role. So we'll just be actors, do our homework, research our character, and then get the show on the road!

Thanks for the post.  I at least I know am not the only one.

I was the same way, Thought I could work up to the day before surgery....WRONG. So it is perfectly normal you are feeling this way. Best of luck to you, you will be fine. I know its easy for someone else to say. Best of luck. Missy

Hi Nicole... You definitely aren't over reacting!  I think  it's very normal to be anxious, nervous, excited, scared...and every other emotion you can possibly think of!  I remember being so excited and yet so scared at the same time that I didn't know whether to laugh or cry at times that I'd end up doing both at once.   I'd try to concentrate at work and end up doing the same thing over and over again.  I couldn't concentrate to carry on a conversation because all I could think about was my upcoming surgery.  Basically....I was a basketcase!   You are having surgery and it's not to be taken lightly.  No surgery is without it's possibility of complications....however....also know that you have, in my opinion, the absolute best surgeon in the world in charge of your care.  You know Dr. Tom is going to do everything he can to make sure your surgery goes well and will take the best possible care of you.  The nurses will be there to take care of you before, during and after surgery....they're the best!  My advice is to keep busy.  The more idle time you have to think and dwell on the surgery...the more time you have to drive yourself crazy!   

Thanks Chris!

I couldn't have said it better...There is nothing I could add to what Chris has said here...hang in there this week, you will do great! Brenda