have date for surgery -so nervous now

[ruralrob]

Hi all.I have just recieved my letter from the hospital ,telling me my surgery for the cornea graft is on the 15th Dec ,I am pleased as it has come through a lot quicker than I expected .However I am so nervous about the whole thing now,I know its the right descision for me to have this ,and I have read a fair bit on the internet about what to expect before and after .But I am still anxious about the whole procedure.One question I would like to ask is how much time to have off work .I am a waking night support worker in a care home so my job is not very physical ( i can sit and rest for a lot of the night if needed ).I have arranged to go back to work 1 week after surgery .My shift pattern is 4 nights on 4nights off .

Any tips /advise would be appreciated

many thnaks


Rob smith

[chris1972as]

I do hope everything goes well for you, im on the waiting list so know how nervous you feel, i was told to expect three weeks or more off work when i have the operation, well do hope all goes well

[Anne Klepacz]

People vary as to how much time they need to feel fit for work. But a week sounds a bit ambitious to me! Medics say that it takes 10 days for a general anaesthetic to clear out of the system. I felt very tired and dopey for a couple of weeks after each op. I took 3 weeks off each time though some people here have gone back after 2 and others have taken more.
All the very best for 15th Dec.
Anne

[GrandPaClanger]

Good luck for the 15th Rob. I had my graft back in May. It went smoothly enough. I work in IT so I took two weeks off. Although I was able to work from home and took a few calls and emails within a couple of days. I had another operation on Tuesday to adjust the sutures. It was done under a GA and I felt very lethargic all week and couldn't settle. Up to you but if you can I would take a couple of weeks.

Ian

[GrandPaClanger]

Also forgot to mention Rob if you have to pay for your prescriptions it may be worth looking at getting a Pre Paid Certificate
http://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/HealthCosts/2131.aspx

I am currently having to take four lots of eye drops + cholesterol tablets so would be paying out £35 a month. The certificate works out at £10.40 over 10 months so it's a big saving. Obviously you will need to be getting more than one prescription a month to make it worth your while but you will be on steroids drops for a while

Ian

[ruralrob]

Thanks guys for the responce and your good wishes .I guess i am being a bit optomistic about going back to work after a week ,but I really can rest for most of the time ,im only a night worker in a care home for young people ,think I will inform them i may need 2 weeks off though . .Thanks Ian for the tip on precription fees ,sounds a good idea .Glad your opp went ok .I have had KC for about 27 years now with virtually no vision in my left eye and over the last few years the white scar has got really big ,so cant wait to get rid of that .I had surgery last january to correct a squint which had developed over the years ,so I know it does take a few dat to get the GA out of the system .Thanks again Rob

[DAWNANN]

Hi, good luck with the op. I too work in care as a support worker. I had my op in June and had my stitches adjusted 10 days ago. I would reccomend 2 weeks off but see how it goes. Try not to worry, its the fear of the unknown. I was in tears as I went for my op but now I look back and realise I didnt need to have been that way, I didnt feel a thing. Have whatever pain releife they will give you, I had some discomfort after but nothing that paracetamol didnt take care of. Make sure you stock up on antibac gel, get a nice small cool bag and a couple of ice blocks to keep your drops cool whilst out and about. Dont go anywhere without mine. Think what life will be like afterwards. I could not see the large A on the chart before and im now seeing 5 lines down. My life is transformed and I just hope it stays that way, gotta be constantly aware of changes after and seek advice if you are unsure of anything. Stay in touch and let us know how things go. XX