Surgery tomorrow! Any advice to calm the nerves?

I woke up this morning with the most jittery-awful feeling.  I am so nervous that I think I'm giving myself heartburn (haven't eaten yet).

What do you do to calm your nerves? 

Also, I haven't packed yet (for the hospital).  Doing that today.  Any suggestions on what to pack?
What I know to pack so far...

1.  loose fitting clothes to wear home
2. a small fan (don't know why, but it was on my list)
3. toothbrush, toothpaste, haribrush
4. my weight loss binder from doctor
5. reading material (or will I be too tired?)
6. ipod (someone suggested this to me... helped this person at night drown out the quiet hospital noises and sleep)
7. Insurance card and ID


I have also heard of people bringing their own pillow and a heating pad.  Is that necessary?

Any advice?

Just breathe. I know its hard!

Your list looks good. I might add chapstick and don't bring the ipod unless you know that there is a secure place to put it.

--Christina

Hi there, I'm still pre op, but I kept a copy of someone else's very thorough list:

• Lip balm / chap stick…for the dry lips when you can’t have ice chips
• Baby wipes or antibacterial wipes to freshen up
• Trial size baby lotion or favorite lotion
• Small shampoo and conditioner
• Brush, hair ties
• Toothbrush and paste …the hospital provides some but it tastes horrible
• Deodorant
• Insurance card and living will or health care proxy, medication list
• Your own pillow w/colored case (this will be handy for the ride home too)
• Loose clothes to wear home and a good pair of non slip sole slip on shoes…you will hate to bend over to put on shoes
• Camera in case you want to document the journey …this is an optional item
• Phone numbers in case you want to call family/friends
• Sanitary napkins (a lot of women will start their cycle right after surgery)
• Eye covering (if light bothers you), earplugs (if noise bothers you)
• Pictures of family or loved ones…This is an optional item
• Small fan …this is an optional item
• Get some type of long wooden spoon or something you can wrap toilet tissue around. If that doesn't work, get a family member to help wipe.
• A robe and house shoes to walk in the hall after surgery
• Some reading material like magazines…you won’t get through a book with all the drugs they have you on.
• CPAP machine (if Dr. requires it)
• Albuterol rescue inhaler
•  
• The only advice I can think of is KEEP YOUR EYE ON THE PRIZE AND REMEMBER WHY YOU'RE DOING THIS.
• Is it for better health, with the bonus of looking and feeling better?  Well that's what you're going to get.
• Good Luck!

lip balm is the only thing i'd add to the list. for reading materials, something light and fluffy, maybe even just magazines.  i could not focus long enough to read myself, i mostly roamed the halls with my IV cart and slept.  there was some internet access but it was difficult to use, and tv was a joke, but again i was really too tired to even focus on that stuff.  the minute i was feeling better i was like, LEMME OUTA HERE!!!!

my surgeon told me nobody he's ever done the surgery on has ever had any regrets.  i kept repeating that to myself.  and reminding myself of why i was doing it, and how i was feeling about myself and my life before WLS became an option.  i truly would have given a limb to lose 80 pounds.  i would have traded ten years of my life for a trim, fit body in a heartbeat.  WLS has its risks but not like obesity which is pretty much a guarantee, for me anyway, of a life like hell on earth.  

deep breaths, prayer if you are the praying sort - i prayed right up until they took me in.  i said if this is not what i'm meant to be doing, please help me to know it and do something about it.  but the truth is aside from the jitters i was so excited.  i was the happiest person in the operation prep room.  there were like six other people in there who looked absolutely miserable.  i was reading people magazine and chatting with the nurses and just on top of the world (and trying not to be too obnoxious about it!).

think positive!

I would really like to say that you are all such nice people. 

Thanks for the list!  I will get all that stuff ready today.

I'm glad I found this place.  Even with my extremely supportive husband and family, I feel so alone.

Does that make sense?  Feeling alone with I have so much support?

Thank you all!

it's different to be supported by people who have been through it, don't you think?

good luck... mines is the day after yours so I have no advise on how to stay calm.. I can barely sit still myself...  let us know as soon as you can how everything went..

Thanks!  I know we are having different surgeries, but a surgery is a surgery... right?  I will be looking for your posts as soon as I get back on here and we can compare notes!

Good luck to you too!

thanks!!

I was so excited for the surgery I really was not jittery the day before.  Just think of how great your life will change after the surgery.  (numbers below are comments on yours above) then 8 and on are additional suggestions

1. I wore the same thing to the hospital as I wore home (loose fitting sundress and sandles)
2. It was cold in my hospital so I did not need a fan
4. I did not take my weight loss binder just papers needed for the hospital (that might be what you mean)
5. I would not bother with reading material when your not resting you will probably be walking the halls.
6. Ipod (the hospitals are not responsible for things getting taken so just be careful if you take an Ipod) my room was very quite it was a single room.
8. Capstick
9.  I took a pillow (left it in the car for the ride home) it really helps when hitting bumps in the road.
10. slippers for walking the hall

I took a robe that I did not wear because I had the IV and could not get a robe on.  They will give you another gown you can put on backwards to cover yourself up for your walking.