The transplant coordinator has asked me to read several booklets about the surgery and what will happen afterwards. They even want me to take a tour of the intensive care unit. I don't like to think about what it will be like after surgery. Is all this really necessary?
This is a complex question to answer. There is no doubt that there are things that you must learn to assume the responsibilities of a transplant recipient. The coordinator will typically give you booklets to read when your name is first placed on the waiting list for surgery. The team's goal is to provide you with an opportunity to prepare yourself for what is ahead. Some candidates find it helpful to know in advance what will happen to them. Unfortunately, others find that it makes them more nervous.
You might speak with the coordinator to find out what is most necessary to know. Consequently, you can read some topics now and leave others for later. But you might also consider why you hesitate to follow the coordinator's suggestions. Likely, you are uneasy about what lies ahead. Nobody finds it comforting to think about what it will be like to recover after major surgery. Some prefer to know what to expect. Others, like you, may wish to not think about it until the time arrives.
By not preparing yourself, there is a greater risk that some unexpected occurrence will catch you by surprise. Since you must face surgery and recovery eventually, you might think of some ways to be more at ease with what is to come. Later chapters in Surviving Transplantation suggest ideas. You will have enough to deal with after surgery without having to deal with surprises that you could have prepared for.