Hi, my name is Annie.
I'm a child life specialist at the Johns Hopkins Children's Center and
this is my friend Finn.
In this video you'll hear from kids like you who have had
surgery at our hospital.
>> What do you think the kids out there want to know?
>> Lots of kids have questions or
are just curious about what the surgery day is like.
But before we get started, get your mom and dad to join us.
They may have questions too.
Take it away Odin.
>> Hello. My name is Odin Epson.
My dad is an anesthesiologist here at John Hopkins.
His job is to make sure kids are safe while they're having surgery.
Come on I want you to meet some of my friends.
Thank you for being here today.
>> Welcome.
>> I'm having surgery and I'm really nervous.
Is there any advice you could give me?
>> I'd say just not to worry about it.
I knew that I wouldn't feel any pain if I was asleep.
And all the doctors made me feel good.
>> Today I have a few questions for you.
>> Okay.
>> How long does it take to knock somebody out with the sleep
medicine?
[LAUGH] >> Well,
usually it depends upon how we're doing it.
Children will fall asleep in really just a minute or two by breathing.
And they'll fall asleep even faster if we use an IV that's all ready in.
>> Annie, what's an IV?
>> Well Finn, there are two ways to fall asleep.
One way to fall asleep is through medicine through an IV.
An IV is a bendy plastic tube placed in a vein to give medicines.
The sleep medicine is put into the IV.
Kids say it can feel warm going into the vein.
This way to fall asleep only takes a few seconds once the medicine is put
into the IV.
The other way would be for
you to breathe in the sleep medicine through a mask that looks like this.
>> Do you see how the mask is kind of squishy like a balloon?
>> The mask itself smells like a beach ball.
The medicine smells stinky.
You can pick a chapstick flavored to make it smell better.
It can take about a minute to fall asleep by breathing this medicine.
Some kids say it feels a little strange almost like
a floating feeling.
>> Cool like me.
>> Once you are asleep, you do not feel, hear, see, taste, or
smell anything while you have that sleep medicine.
Everything from head to toe is in a deep sleep
until the sleep medicine is taken away.
>> When they gave me the laughing gas and
they started telling me jokes.
>> Why didn't the skeleton cross the road?
Didn't have the guts.
>> The drugs were terrible.
>> What happened during the time the patient gets there and
the patient falls asleep.
>> Get to meet all the people that are going to be involved in helping
to take care of you.
The nurses,
the surgeons, the anesthesiologists, people from the operating room.
So everybody get's to come out and say hi and make you feel
comfortable, so you'll know whose going to be taking care of you.
>> Wow Annie, this looks like a spaceship.
>> I know Finn it's pretty high tech in here.
See all those monitors?
They give the team all the information they need.
Like these gooey EKG stickers that check your heartbeat.
This sticker for your finger is called a pulse oximeter and
it has a red light, see?
Kids say it feels and looks a little like a band aid.
>> Let's go see what Odin and the kids are talking about?
>> Is there anything you want kids to know before they come
to the hospital?
>> What I've found is that most kids are scared when they come for surgery
>> What I've also found is that
after we take care of them and do the best we can to take care of
their pain and feeling yucky, most all kids when they wake up find
out that it was a lot less scary than they thought it was gonna be.
>> It didn't feel anything, just remember waking up.
>> Who was with you when you woke up?
>> I woke up from the anesthesia.
I saw my dad right next to me, and my mom.
>> My grandmothers were saying are you okay?
And I just love that they were there for me.
>> So looking back on this whole experience,
how do you feel about it?
>> I was completely okay with it.
The doctors made me feel a lot better.
>> So just focus on like something else.
Just take a deep breath, look at your mom.
Talk to her for a while.
Maybe play the Wii.
>> It's just one day and you'll get
through it cuz a lot of people love you and they're there for you.
And once you wake up they'll just be there.
>> So that's it.
I hope this video helped you.
Good luck with your surgery.
I know I'm ready for mine.
>> Come on Odin. Are you ready to go?
>> Yeah. [LAUGH].
>> Finn and I hoped you enjoyed this video to learn more about what it is
like the day of your surgery.
>> The kids know so much.
I never knew I might want to bring my favorite activity or
even a stuffed animal with me.
>> Yes, those items and other things like listening to music,
telling funny stories or
jokes with your family can help you relax before surgery.
If you have more questions please remember to ask your doctor
or nurse.
And check out information on this website.
Take care!
Goodbye!
>> Bye bye!
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