Saras World

Previous article: A voyage to myself

What could be in your opinion be the easiest step in this context? The decision to do it? The selection of the surgeon? The procedures selected?

IMHO, it’s the step I make into to surgical center! The step that gives my decision it’s finality, that very step that signs my pact with the devil. Yes, this is the easiest step to do. All other decisions have been taken: the procedures, the surgeon, the extent of it all, the country, the follow-up procedures, … This very last step, most probably dressed in a clinic’s gown yet, is the easiest, as it is the sum of all decisions, it’s the conclusion of it all.

Oh, we all are aware of what we are doing, theoretically. But are we conscious of what is to come really? Despite the fact, that I felt ( and was ) extremely well informed by my surgeon, who didn’t leave a single fact to hazard, who explained everything, down to the last stich to me ( and god knows, they are legion ), down the last med to take, down to the last post-op procedure, I feel, now that all is over and done, that nothing can anymore be reverted, that I missed something.

What did I forget aboutl? Well, that I am European, and that many many things are so different outside of home. I don’t hesitate a single second, when it comes up to the qualification of the surgeon, the nurses, and and and …

… but I missed something.

The fact that we are used to a giant comfort in our hospitals with our made on purpose beds, our practical showers ( YES, just think about that !!! ), with all this staff of nurses, with our constantly dropping IVs, with all our system based on solidarity, where there will be no limit to the help we will get when post-op. The fact, that we needn’t prepare anything, but our little bag. No need to find a hotel, no need to rent a nurse, no need to shop for the meds in advance, no need to shop for food in advance, no need, most of the time, to learn a new language. In fact, we are taken over by a system, that frees us from most, if not any problems. 

And what do we do? Run straight into the problems! Why? Because we want to be with the best surgeons. Oh, it’s not a life threatening condition, but it ( deeply ) impresses us nevertheless. It’s for the more adventurous fraction of us. Kind of clinical "outdoorers".

Let’s not make this the easiest step, but the most complicated of all. For, if we don’t, we will face many problems, many unexpected situations, many discomfort, many frightening feelings, that will be in opposition to our aims.

Let’s face a simple fact: when I came to the US, I found myself in such vast a country, that I nearly panicked, feeling alone ( clearly in the back of beyond ) and in the wrong hotel. ( As my surgeon said: she freaked out ). Nothing terrible, but it can lead to problems unexpected. Thanks god, my surgeon was so gentle and so helpful, reachable by phone 24/7! What was my problem? Well, the size of the suburbs, for example.

There are many things we shoukd make a point of, before we take a decision, before we believe we make an easy decision, and that it comes out, it was the most difficult decision to handle, the most complex situation we had to live.

We never should undergo such an adventure unaccompanied! We must think of an accompanying person as well. This person will be the most important one to our recovery! And what if this person is undergoing the same procedures as we will? Will she be prepared? Are WE prepared? Are WE able to give MOST of our energy into the recovery of another person, despite the fact, that we really need it all for ourselves?

Was this really the easiest step?

Previous article: A voyage to myself