# Post Party? No. Pity Party. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 19, 2000, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-party-no-pity-party/30002 "2000-08-19T23:55:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Anniz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/cc9497/32.png) [@Anniz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anniz)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2000, 8:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-party-no-pity-party/30002/21 "2000-08-20T08:39:00Z")
Gratulerar(congratulations) to your 5000. I have had some big back operations, but to do them they where no choise of what to take, I had to take anesthesia totaly, but I was so scared for it. So if I could haved chosen I go with epidural. My best wishes and good luck.šŸ™‚ ---
**Author:** ![MysterEcks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f475e1/32.png) [@MysterEcks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MysterEcks)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2000, 9:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-party-no-pity-party/30002/22 "2000-08-20T09:13:46Z")
I had surgery on my ankle two and a half years ago, and I had an epidural. I mostly slept, but every so often Iā€™d come out and hear a high-pitched whineā€“the doc grinding off pieces of my disintigrated ankle bone, I suppose, though I never asked afterwards. But I was in a dreamy state, and I didnā€™t really careā€¦as you probably wouldnā€™t, **David.** (Yeah, I know, itā€™s the weasel-word ā€œprobablyā€ that bugs you. But in medical procedures you only _get_probably.) Whichever way you go, chances are itā€™ll be just fine. So good luck and a speedy recovery. Oh, yeah, happy 5000, too. ---
**Author:** ![Danielinthewolvesden](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce7236/32.png) [@Danielinthewolvesden](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Danielinthewolvesden)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2000, 10:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-party-no-pity-party/30002/23 "2000-08-20T10:38:50Z")
Davie: 5000!!!?!!. Sheeesh. Well, congrats & many more. And I have Arthritis also, in my fingers, and I am only ā€œa fewā€ years older. šŸ˜ƒ ---
**Author:** ![ultress](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/7c8e57/32.png) [@ultress](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultress)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2000, 11:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-party-no-pity-party/30002/24 "2000-08-20T11:44:58Z")
Congrats on the 5000 David. So sorry to hear about the surgery. Anytime you have to get the body readjusted is scary. Best wishes and hope everything goes well. ---
**Author:** ![David\_B](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/51bf81/32.png) [@David\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_B)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2000, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-party-no-pity-party/30002/25 "2000-08-20T12:47:52Z")
Thanks for all the messages, folks! I went to my regular doctor last night (theyā€™re open 9-9 every day) for another reason and we discussed my situation. He verified the ortho docā€™s diagnosis of psoriatic arthritis (I have pitted fingernails, which is another sign). We discussed the anesthesia options and, in part because of my asthma (another wonderful diagnosis I got within the past 6 months or so), he said I might as well have the epidural and remove any possible problems from the general. So, right now, thatā€™s where Iā€™m leaning. Of course, if I get to the hospital and end up with an anesthesiologist who isnā€™t comfortable doing epidurals for this type of surgery, I could be overruled. šŸ™‚ I canā€™t reply to all of the messages here, but here are some selections. **Aha** said: > [@](#): > > When your facing something like this at some point in time you gotta have some faith Yeah, 'cus thatā€™s one thing Iā€™m great at ā€“ having faith. :rolleyes: šŸ˜‰ **tbea925** said: > [@](#): > > Anxiety before surgery is fairly common. Manny times before giving a general, they will give you something that will make you more ā€œrelaxedā€. Yeah, the nurse said Iā€™d get that either way (unless I really wanted to be alert to see everything ā€“ which I donā€™t!). **TVeblen** said: > [@](#): > > Best of luck no matter what you choose. (Hint: milk the convalescence for all itā€™s worth. Might as well salvage some perks out of this.) Oh, believe me, I plan to! šŸ˜‰ ---
**Author:** ![David\_B](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/51bf81/32.png) [@David\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_B)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2000, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-party-no-pity-party/30002/26 "2000-08-20T12:49:53Z")
**Daniel** : How does your arthritis in your fingers affect your typing ability? I speed-type. I can type faster than my secretaries. This has probably been a factor in my ability to reach 5000 messages here. Itā€™s also a factor in my ability to write articles and get paid for them. The thing I am most worried about with all of this is that it will spread to my fingers (the psoriasis itself already has, but not the arthritis, as far as I know). ---
**Author:** ![tatertot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c37758/32.png) [@tatertot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tatertot)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2000, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-party-no-pity-party/30002/27 "2000-08-20T12:59:02Z")
Best wishes to you **David** , if it makes you feel any better, Iā€™m only 26 and Iā€™ve got arthritis in one of my toes. I guess I win the youngest old geezer contest. Iā€™ve had an epidural before, and it wasnā€™t so bad. The worst part was having my husband in the room and him saying ā€œOh my god, thatā€™s the biggest needle Iā€™ve ever seen.ā€ Thanks a lot, hon. Chances are, Mrs. B, is much more sensitive than Mr. Tot, so youā€™ll not be having that problem. Take care, Tracy ---
**Author:** ![tatertot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c37758/32.png) [@tatertot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tatertot)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2000, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-party-no-pity-party/30002/28 "2000-08-20T13:02:42Z")
**Danalan** mentioned Versed, if that is the same drug they gave me for my D & C, I would highly recommend it. I donā€™t remember a thing, and I went home the same night and just slept & slept (a very good thing). Also, when you get your IV, make sure they give you a numbing shot before they start trying to insert it. Makes a world of difference! ---
**Author:** ![David\_B](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/51bf81/32.png) [@David\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_B)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2000, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-party-no-pity-party/30002/29 "2000-08-20T15:31:38Z")
Arthritis in one toe? Iā€™ve never heard of it being so specific. šŸ™‚ And Mrs. B wonā€™t be anywhere near the room when they give any shots. She _hates_ needles. ---
**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2000, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-party-no-pity-party/30002/30 "2000-08-20T16:28:12Z")
David, IMO being put out in a ā€œchemical sleepā€ is too close to death for me. You close your eyes, you open them, and no time passes (cold shudder). Given my intense fear of death, there is no way I would go under, unless it was for something REALLY major, like heart surgery. ā˜¹ In which case, I would probably be close to dying anyways at that point. Now Iā€™m scared just thinking about it, and itā€™s not even ME that has to have it! ---
**Author:** ![Whammo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8dc957/32.png) [@Whammo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whammo)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2000, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-party-no-pity-party/30002/31 "2000-08-20T16:34:49Z")
I never go to Great Debatesā€¦ Whos this David B person? Does he ever venture out to other forums? šŸ™‚ ---
**Author:** ![Rysdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7cd45c/32.png) [@Rysdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysdad)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2000, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-party-no-pity-party/30002/32 "2000-08-20T21:18:57Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Danalan \* > **They will give you Versed, and you wonā€™t remember a thing. It will just be a pleasant blank.** They gave my son about a capful of that before his (third) ear surgery. Thatā€™s about the fastest working goofy juice Iā€™ve ever seen. Inside of 10 minutes, he was pretty zoned. When I carried him into the operating room, his eyes were closed, but he was grinning. He woke up happy, too. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ecccb3/32.png) [@Lord\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Jim)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2000, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-party-no-pity-party/30002/33 "2000-08-20T23:31:53Z")
David B, I had the surgery. Take the general. When I had mine, my cartilage was torn in half, but between the time of the exam and the time the surgery actually took place, my knee popped again. This time half the cartilage went entirely out of the knee joint and flipped behind the femur part of the knee joint. When he went in to my knee he couldnā€™t find the part that needed repair. Trust me, hearing things like ā€œwhere the hell is it?ā€ or ā€œturn off the tape, this is going to take a whileā€ or ā€œis his wife in the building somewhere?ā€, are not what you want to hear while your legs are numb. The typical 1/2 hour surgery that you are up and going in a day or so, turned into a 2 1/2 hour surgery that took 6 weeks to fully recover from. There are somethings you just donā€™t want to know about. Jim ---
**Author:** ![logamanth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/5fc32e/32.png) [@logamanth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/logamanth)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2000, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-party-no-pity-party/30002/34 "2000-08-20T23:59:36Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by David B \* > **But, what could I talk about? I donā€™t have anything mundane and pointless to share.** Donā€™t sweat it. You seem to be doing just fine in those departments. Welcome to the hang-loose side of the board. Come back more often, why doncha? ---
**Author:** ![logamanth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/5fc32e/32.png) [@logamanth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/logamanth)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2000, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-party-no-pity-party/30002/35 "2000-08-21T00:04:58Z")
I guess I should explain. If you want to know how pointless ā€œmy operationā€ stories are, and how much they have in common with ā€œmy vacationā€ stories, you should work with old people more often. The categories become interchangeable. ---
**Author:** ![jab1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ee7513/32.png) [@jab1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jab1)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2000, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-party-no-pity-party/30002/36 "2000-08-21T14:31:38Z")
**David** , I sure hope your operation goes well. Iā€™ve never had a serious operation in my life, just some dental work. My mother had cataracts, so they removed the lenses of her eyes and replaced them with artificial ones. She was anesthetized, but wide awake through each procedure. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![TwistofFate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cdc98d/32.png) [@TwistofFate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TwistofFate)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2000, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-party-no-pity-party/30002/37 "2000-08-21T14:36:21Z")
David, If you dont go under, how are you going to have a N.D.E. convert and start witnessing in GD? best of luck brother! ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2000, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-party-no-pity-party/30002/38 "2000-08-21T14:55:33Z")
Way to go David B! 5000! Wow, wish I was more like you. Hey, be sure they do a video of the operation & maybe put it online for us so we can watchā€¦ I think this might be the 500th posting party Ive seen on the board šŸ™‚ ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Zero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c4cdca/32.png) [@Saint\_Zero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Zero)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2000, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-party-no-pity-party/30002/39 "2000-08-21T15:37:24Z")
I havenā€™t had general yet, but I did have a lot of Nitrous Oxide and 5 shots of xenocane for a tooth once. My last root canal only took two shots, by example. ---
**Author:** ![aenea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c68b51/32.png) [@aenea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aenea)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2000, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-party-no-pity-party/30002/40 "2000-08-21T15:45:53Z")
Huh, hey SaintZero, try 14 entire cartridges of Lidocain in my upper jaw when they took out my front teeth. It took about 36 shots to deliver it all. My face was so swollen from all of the unabsorbed fluid I looked like a chipmunk.:eek: Hey David B, canā€™t you just get them to give you liquid Valium? That is some great stuff, really. You wonā€™t remember a thing about the operation, but you are awake enough to talk to and cooperate with the doctor during the surgery. I donā€™t like going all the way under myself, and this is a good alternative. Aenea [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-party-no-pity-party/30002.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-party-no-pity-party/30002.md?page=3)