MarcoAviator
06-30-2006, 09:13 PM
I used the same techniques I use to calm myself down to reduce anticipatory anxiety before a flight.
1 - The "bad thing" is not happening now ... it's not happeneing in the next 5 minutes. Don't think about what you need to do past the next 5 minutes. For the next five minutes you are ok.
2 - you got no choice, you have to go through with this, it's outside of your control, accept it. Accept it. Accept it.
3 - people don't die of this.
4 - trust the doctor (pilot).
"Have a seat in the chair." the nurse said.
That kept me in check until I sat on that chair, then I had a TOTAL moment of panic. I sat down and had to literally jump up out of it.
The nurse was checking my chart and whipped around startled.
"What's the problem?" she asked.
"I am really scared" I said without mincing words.
"Oh? Why?" she squealed in total surprise.
Two nurses were standing outside chatting. They stopped and looked at me.
My face was answer enough.
"I haven't had surgery in almost 30 years ... and I was 6 last time I had it. So I am really nervous"
the 2 nurses outside rushed in with one more in two.
All 4 practically tagged teamed me:
"There's nothing to worry about. Your operation will be easy. You have no major problem. It's only two teeth" One of them said.
"What are you scared of? The anestesia?" said another and I gaped at her ...
"Yes" I said, my voice trembling.
"Trust me, you are going to LIKE the anestesia. A lot of people ask us if they can take it home!!!" and she laughed.
The other took my hand and helped me seat down all the while holding my hand.
The doctor comes in.
Big, rough looking guy.
"So, what's going on here. You ready?" he barks.
"No I am scared" I said. (But feeling better already. Somehow the words of the nurses are a clean cold shower).
The doctor whips around. His tough guy face a mask of wonder and ... concern?
"Why nervous? There's nothing to be nervous about ..."
"He's scared of the anestesia" One of the nurses says.
"Ohhh ... I will take care of that myself." he approaches my left side.
"Here, this is a cold spray that will anestetize your arm. I'll put some extra of it, so you won't feel it".
He sprays for a good minute. Then I squeeze my eyes and go "Ngggghhh" clenching my fist.
"Ah ... it's done already. Needle is in."
"Oh?"
"yep. there, did you feel it?"
...
I don't answer. All of a sudden I am not scared anymore.
I don't feel the need to ....
...
I don't ...
Time slows down around me. Instead of a movie ... I am looking at a slideshow.
A nurse gives me a green triangle to bite on to keep my mouth open.
"I should be scared of this" I think.
I am not.
And other slideshow shot. A nurse putting cloth around my neck.
Another ...
...
I open my eyes for an instant. Strong pain coming from my left side. Distant voices. The I can't see anything but arms and I can feel someone pulling from the left side of my mouth.
I moan.
But it's a reflex. It's distant. It's pain but I don't care. It doesn't affect me. It's happening to someone else.
Voices. I don't know what they are saying.
Should I say something?
Voices .... again.
"You can get up now."
"Ok" I say.
I can talk. I can function. I am awake. I am not disoriented. I am not nausous. I am not sick. I know they are done. I know that time went by.
I am not surprised or startled. I just know that i just had the operation and it's over. As naturally and as calmly as you please, I get up and follow a nurse in another room.
"We'll bring your wife in"
"OK." I say again. Docile like a puppy. This is the drug talking. I feel relaxed. I feel no pain. I feel happy. I feel relieved. And I accept that for 30 minutes I was not there while people pulled teeth out of my mouth.
It's ok. I don't know why ... but it's ok.
My wife comes in.
"How are you doing?" she asks smiling.
"Pretty good!" I answer happily.
The slideshow continues.
I am getting into the car but I don't remember how.
Then I start crying ...
"Why am I crying?" I ask my wife.
"It's the anestesia. It's normal"
I get home and get in the bed. I expect to puke, go nuts. Pass out. Anything.
It's just a calm, solemn, relaxing slideshow.
I start laughing. I am relieved. I am past it.
Then I fall asleep.
I take painkillers ... I remember my wife giving me water.
I swap the gauze in my mouth.
It doesn't hurt. I am really relaxed. I am not thinking about work ... or money or anything.
Nothing matters. Is this what being "stoned" means?
...
It's good ... but no offense, I prefer flying. :D
More exciting.
Today I am better. I am using no pain killers, no medicines other than antibitotics and I am on a strict diet of chockolate milk.
Yeah ... today is a good day.
Most importantly ... I can't believe how much pressure those teeth were putting on my jaw. I feel that somone removed 2000 pounds of weight from it.
I feel normal. BETTER than normal.
PS: the doc complained to my wife that my teeth were really hard to get out, one in particular (probably the one that wouldn't come out).
"Does he drink a lot of milk?" he asks "He has increbily strong teeth ... and bone"
"Yeah he does ... chocolate milk, milk and cereal, coffe and milk, you name it"
"Ah ... that explains it". He chuckles.
1 - The "bad thing" is not happening now ... it's not happeneing in the next 5 minutes. Don't think about what you need to do past the next 5 minutes. For the next five minutes you are ok.
2 - you got no choice, you have to go through with this, it's outside of your control, accept it. Accept it. Accept it.
3 - people don't die of this.
4 - trust the doctor (pilot).
"Have a seat in the chair." the nurse said.
That kept me in check until I sat on that chair, then I had a TOTAL moment of panic. I sat down and had to literally jump up out of it.
The nurse was checking my chart and whipped around startled.
"What's the problem?" she asked.
"I am really scared" I said without mincing words.
"Oh? Why?" she squealed in total surprise.
Two nurses were standing outside chatting. They stopped and looked at me.
My face was answer enough.
"I haven't had surgery in almost 30 years ... and I was 6 last time I had it. So I am really nervous"
the 2 nurses outside rushed in with one more in two.
All 4 practically tagged teamed me:
"There's nothing to worry about. Your operation will be easy. You have no major problem. It's only two teeth" One of them said.
"What are you scared of? The anestesia?" said another and I gaped at her ...
"Yes" I said, my voice trembling.
"Trust me, you are going to LIKE the anestesia. A lot of people ask us if they can take it home!!!" and she laughed.
The other took my hand and helped me seat down all the while holding my hand.
The doctor comes in.
Big, rough looking guy.
"So, what's going on here. You ready?" he barks.
"No I am scared" I said. (But feeling better already. Somehow the words of the nurses are a clean cold shower).
The doctor whips around. His tough guy face a mask of wonder and ... concern?
"Why nervous? There's nothing to be nervous about ..."
"He's scared of the anestesia" One of the nurses says.
"Ohhh ... I will take care of that myself." he approaches my left side.
"Here, this is a cold spray that will anestetize your arm. I'll put some extra of it, so you won't feel it".
He sprays for a good minute. Then I squeeze my eyes and go "Ngggghhh" clenching my fist.
"Ah ... it's done already. Needle is in."
"Oh?"
"yep. there, did you feel it?"
...
I don't answer. All of a sudden I am not scared anymore.
I don't feel the need to ....
...
I don't ...
Time slows down around me. Instead of a movie ... I am looking at a slideshow.
A nurse gives me a green triangle to bite on to keep my mouth open.
"I should be scared of this" I think.
I am not.
And other slideshow shot. A nurse putting cloth around my neck.
Another ...
...
I open my eyes for an instant. Strong pain coming from my left side. Distant voices. The I can't see anything but arms and I can feel someone pulling from the left side of my mouth.
I moan.
But it's a reflex. It's distant. It's pain but I don't care. It doesn't affect me. It's happening to someone else.
Voices. I don't know what they are saying.
Should I say something?
Voices .... again.
"You can get up now."
"Ok" I say.
I can talk. I can function. I am awake. I am not disoriented. I am not nausous. I am not sick. I know they are done. I know that time went by.
I am not surprised or startled. I just know that i just had the operation and it's over. As naturally and as calmly as you please, I get up and follow a nurse in another room.
"We'll bring your wife in"
"OK." I say again. Docile like a puppy. This is the drug talking. I feel relaxed. I feel no pain. I feel happy. I feel relieved. And I accept that for 30 minutes I was not there while people pulled teeth out of my mouth.
It's ok. I don't know why ... but it's ok.
My wife comes in.
"How are you doing?" she asks smiling.
"Pretty good!" I answer happily.
The slideshow continues.
I am getting into the car but I don't remember how.
Then I start crying ...
"Why am I crying?" I ask my wife.
"It's the anestesia. It's normal"
I get home and get in the bed. I expect to puke, go nuts. Pass out. Anything.
It's just a calm, solemn, relaxing slideshow.
I start laughing. I am relieved. I am past it.
Then I fall asleep.
I take painkillers ... I remember my wife giving me water.
I swap the gauze in my mouth.
It doesn't hurt. I am really relaxed. I am not thinking about work ... or money or anything.
Nothing matters. Is this what being "stoned" means?
...
It's good ... but no offense, I prefer flying. :D
More exciting.
Today I am better. I am using no pain killers, no medicines other than antibitotics and I am on a strict diet of chockolate milk.
Yeah ... today is a good day.
Most importantly ... I can't believe how much pressure those teeth were putting on my jaw. I feel that somone removed 2000 pounds of weight from it.
I feel normal. BETTER than normal.
PS: the doc complained to my wife that my teeth were really hard to get out, one in particular (probably the one that wouldn't come out).
"Does he drink a lot of milk?" he asks "He has increbily strong teeth ... and bone"
"Yeah he does ... chocolate milk, milk and cereal, coffe and milk, you name it"
"Ah ... that explains it". He chuckles.