Before Surgery
Talk to your parents about your surgery and why you are having it. Remember it is always OK to ask questions. If you wear contact lenses, be sure and bring a case along to take them out once you start to get ready for surgery. You can bring your CD, MP3, Game Boy ®, or any other hand held electronic game. You can also bring other comfort items such as pillows, blankets, etc.

Morning of Surgery

• Bring a contact case for your lenses
• Remove nail polish and make-up
• Remove body piercing
• Wear loose comfortable clothes

Surgery Day

• It is always OK to ask questions
• Be honest about how you feel. You know your body better than anyone.
• We will respect your privacy as much as possible.
• We will ask you to remove all body piercing.
• We will have special hospital clothing for you to wear during surgery.
• All female patients 10 years of age and above will be asked to take a pregnancy test by giving us a small urine sample.

Surgery

• You will be escorted to surgery while your parents wait in the waiting area.
• Monitoring equipment will be placed on your body to help the medical staff know your body is doing OK during the surgery. This will include heart monitor patches, blood pressure cuff, pulse oximeter, and an IV if it hasn't already been placed.
• You will be given anesthesia or "sleepy medicine" to help your body drift off to sleep.
• You will stay asleep the entire time of your surgery and will feel nothing.
• When surgery is complete, the "sleepy medicine" is stopped and your body starts to wake up.

Recovery

• You will go to the recovery room to wake up.
• The recovery room nurses will let you sleep until you start to wake up. At that time, your parents can be permitted to join you.
• Tell the nurses how you feel. The nurses want to keep your discomfort level low and again you know your body better than anyone. Medicine will be given through the IV.
• If you are staying in the hospital, your parents will accompany you to your room.
• If you are going home you will be taken to the discharge area, where discharge instructions will be given.