Example - Colonospy
I need 5 yearly colonospies. I am a survivor of anal rape.
I brief my surgeon before the operation that the operation can't be done without being retraumatised
and so I arrange post op support
I have found my surgeon's to be supportive.
however in finding a new surgeon after my surgeon retired
I rejected some centres as I found the responses to be cold and clinical focusing on rapid turn arounds.
Example 1970 and 1971.
longer stays in hospital helped. this was when my memories of csa were locked away
the second operation when I got home I cried.
Early nineties.
my surgeon arranged for me to stay overnight a good outcome
I can't recall if or how I was or was not retraumatised.
the day in a private room alone may have helped me stabolise
Day surgury unit. at least three colonospies.
The first one I was retraumatised waiting in the reception area for a long period
at one point I walked out and rang the rape cricis centre. they were understanding and helpfull
the surgeon mentioned scaring which was put down to "straining at stool"
I can't recall what post op was like
other than as soon as I woke up they rang my son to come and take me home before I was ready.
maybe that was the one where after arriving home I closed our bedroom door and rang a sexual assault service for support.
The second time I had a conversation with the anethestist ( husband of the surgeon) before the operation.
after I got the paper work done he took me upstairs where I sat alone
I coped better than waiting in the waiting room with many other patients.
this time they agreed to let me wait until I was ready to leave.
My son drove me to Wattle Place to see the duty counsellor
this time I asked my surgeon for a report of her observations
I may have mention I am a survivor
she reported a 3 cms scar. this was validation for me as when I was raped at 4 I bled.
the next time post op I caught a taxi to Wattle Place
although I sadly found the duty counsellor going through the motions
almost but not quite dismissive.
I had arranged for my son to collect me and drive me to my remedial massager for trauma release
it was very helpful.
I had seen him before and found massaging of the glutz muscles released tense muscles
and released trauma.
Around August this year with my new surgeon.
he arranged for me to stay overnight
this was very helpful and recomended.
the Tuesday before the Thursday operation I went to a church worship / prayer night
I had no post op trauma this time.
2022 hernia operation.
I had a terific surgeon
I had pre op and post op physio with a specialist physio who even rang me two days after the operation
although the exercises started after going home
the post op pain and trauma was horific
and I had constipation from the thursday to the Monday night
pasing at 1am after ringing two support services
after sheer determination fearing I had exhausted support
I passed at 1am
and rang the rape crisis centre the counsellor was elated at my sucess
staying in hospital for two days in a private room helped
as I could ring 24/7 sexual assault support services ( I have several numbers in my mobile directory)
and two Pastors rang me
and my trauma informed psychotherapist rang the day after the operation.
I apologise for the brievity of my notes
developing trauma informed dental treatments - a survivor of oral rape
pre opening the memory vault
I spontaneously bit. a dentist put in a chock but I dry reached
my poor dentist wondered what was happening
I built a splint to control grinding during the night
once I had to have treatment from a root therapist dentist as that procedure was complex
each of the two procedures went for an hour or more
I saw darkness the whole time
after the opening of the memory door I disclosed to my new dentist
he is understanding
I am less retraumatised
he puts in the chock although I spointaneously swallow and bite less
however glentching my teeth day to day and my bite etc
has caused many caps to fall out
sometimes he obses me getting traumatised and he once talk me to shake my hand
I had explained shaking as a trauma release ( see Peter Levine's work)
he is very trauma sensitive
and very helpful
Optometrist
I'm not up to writing this up tonight
but the day at the age of 2 when I said no
mrs perp came in and held me down
before "impact" at a certain point one eye blurred and the other looked to the right
once when my remedial massager was massaging the back of my head
looking at the ONE down light
it has a coloured rim
a second light etc
I saw my optonetrist who wrote the technical terms
two behavioural optometrists were unhelpful
a new optometrist at my normal practice is patient
we are trying to find remedial therapy
my eyes are fine
but my sight gets traumatised
if I concentrate I can get most of the eye chart correct
I'd be happy to investigate further
physio and remedial massage
if trauma informed
I found it extremely helpful in releasing trauma
I can send in copies of reports written
Impacts - Redress application
I can provide copies of my 23 documents I sent in over a two year period.
I said "this is the first time I have been asked to state the impacts"