No problem with having anesthesia able to cancel any surgery any time. Surgeons, with their "chance to cut, chance to cure" mind-set may schedule surgery for someone with a concurrent illness (upper respiratory illness, uncontrolled diabetes, heart disease, anemia, etc.) that increases surgical risks to unacceptable levels. So put a hold on, let the patient recover, stabilize, benefit from further evaluation.So when anesthesia asks to talk about my planned San Lucas surgery, it seemed routine.
"Do you have access to blood if a transfusion is needed?
"Do you have a specific (i.e., name and phone number) back-up for delayed postop complications?
"Do the sponsoring organizations know what you're doing?
These are valid issues for overseas medical missions and always play a role in patient selection, but I felt that I might as well have been asked, "Do you have a silver stake for the vampire?"
Bottom line: no gyn surgery. I think the real issue was not wanting a gyn patient to bump a podiatry patient. After all, this was podiatry mission, with four podiatrists and a team organized to support them; I was just an self-invited guest. I'm okay with that. Just be open about it.
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