www.incontinentsupport.org

That's what I'd do. If I felt it might be relevant at any point, I'd speak up, but until then, it's just alternative underwear.

Based on you saying they have to rebuild your tendons, it will not be a simple 2 hour surgery, and you will most likely not be awake for it. I have had many, many, way to many, different surgeries for all kinds of problems. Some have been for urinary problems, others for my my knees, legs, spine, nose, sinuses, tonsils, and on and on. With each surgery I have always been up front with the pre-admission personnel that I wear a diaper. They note this in you chart so that the surgery prep nurses don't end up insisting you strip naked (except for the gown), and so they will know to re-diaper you afterwards. However; I have still had to remind a few of this at times. One quick look in my chart and they happily comply.

In each surgery they always ended up removing my diaper and catheterizing me. The catheter is sometimes removed and I am re-diapered before I wake up (unless it actually needed to stay in as part of my urinary problems/recovery). Sometimes this is done immediately after I wake up so I can help them re-diaper me by moving as needed. I have never once been given any grief or trouble for wearing a diaper into the operating room, or for being re-diapered afterwards.

Don't worry about telling any of them you wear a diaper. Doctor-patient confidentiality still applies to the administrators and nurses alike, and it will not be something that could come back to embarrass you outside of that hospital. Plus, if you have a legitimate need to wear a diaper, and that could include you needing to wear one into the OR, then that medical team along with your doctor actually does have a need to know in the first place. And besides, patients needing to wear diapers is quite common to begin with. Most won't even bat an eye with someone being a diapered, let alone cause some sort of scene that might embarrass you enough to get them fired. That just doesn't happen so you should worry about it either.

Hello All, The surgery I'm definitely getting done is the good old carpal tunnel release. That's for sure. The part that I'm up in the air about it What's known to the hand doctors as Opponensplasty. It involves cutting the tendon from the ring finger and redirecting it to the thumb to pull the thumb back into position. Apparently I waited too long and the median nerve is either dead or severely compromised. When that happens the muscle that opens your thumb dies. That's where I'm at. The muscle is nearly all gone. The doc feels the damage is bad enough to necessitate this surgery. UGH. I'm not a big fan of this though and am currently opting for just the carpal tunnel release. We'll see what he says. I watched the surgery on youtube and it's probably less than an hour. I was surprised. Either way I'll be going safe, not sorry.

Hope the surgery goes well!

_________________
When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive - to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love.

Marcus Aurelius