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It’s NOT a great day when you wake up and cannot have coffee! Not even a scone, a donut, or anything else. I am fasting, which means looking at food and drink with deep emotional attachment but without any physical contact.
Fasting before a surgical operation is mainly to reduce the risk of aspiration.
When you’re under anesthesia or heavy sedation, your normal protective reflexes—like coughing, swallowing, and keeping stomach contents down—are reduced. If there is food or liquid in your stomach, you could vomit or regurgitate it and accidentally breathe it into your lungs. This can cause serious complications, such as aspiration pneumonia, airway blockage, or lung injury. Fasting also helps:
• Reduce nausea and vomiting after anesthesia
• Make anesthesia safer and easier to manage
• Lower the chance of needing emergency airway interventions
Typical instructions often include no solid food for several hours before surgery, while some clear liquids may be allowed up to a shorter time beforehand—but the exact rules vary depending on the procedure, your health, and the type of anesthesia.
We worked in the office until 9:00 am, then got ready to go to the hospital.
