In autumn 2004, my husband and I had been dating a few months when I begged him to drive me to the ER with unrelenting intense pain in my side. The next thing I remember, a surgeon announces I need an emergency cholecystectomy. I was 23, in agonizing pain, and unprepared. No one wants to hear “emergency surgery” but as a Type 1 Diabetic special precautions need to be taken to ensure a good outcome. I prefer to stay on my insulin pump during surgery, but with the urgency, I realized there wasn’t time for negotiations.
I asked if the surgeon had consulted with an Endocrinologist. He assured us all precautions would be taken and he’d successfully operated on many T1 diabetics. I failed to confirm his “precautions” included the consult – a dangerous assumption. During surgery, he removed my pump and didn’t include anything about resuming insulin on his post-operative orders. While in recovery, I wasn’t quite lucid and it never occurred to me I wasn’t receiving insulin through the IV. I was sick and confused, but who isn’t following surgery?
My future husband was completely untrained in how to handle the situation – but he got a crash course! It wasn’t long before he realized something was very wrong. I developed Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA), a life-threatening condition resulting from lack of insulin. By sheer luck, MY endocrinologist happened to be doing rounds and recognized my name. He literally saved my life when he glanced over my record, realized the amazing oversight and rushed to get me the needed treatments. What should have been a simple overnight stay turned into a week in Intensive Care and several weeks of complications.
Fast forward 13 years and many surgeries later. My husband is an educated advocate when necessary and we have a general game plan. My last surgery was about 2 weeks ago, and I’m happy to report it was smooth sailing. Simple steps we take to partnering with medical providers prior to surgery for the best outcome:
Let each Specialist know of the exact nature of the procedure and if there are any concerns relative to their areas of expertise.
Bring these and any concerns you may have to your Pre-Op appointment. Ensure they are addressed to your satisfaction. Re-confirm the day of surgery.
Have an emergency plan. We have a simple checklist should we not have the luxury of time to ensure the most important bases are covered.
What tips do you have for partnering with your medical team?