Reviewed by Chinazo Anozie for Readers' Favorite

What to Expect and How to Prepare for Your Surgery: A Patient’s Guide to Undergoing Anesthesia and More! by Fei Zheng-Ward, MD, MPH is a concise guide with helpful information for patients about to undergo surgery who want to learn about what happens to them before, during, and even after the procedure. The book focuses on the process of administering anesthesia for surgery, the types of anesthesia, its history, different purposes, and the risks involved. In this book, we learn why it is so important to follow doctors’ orders or requirements before surgery and why it is crucial to be honest with healthcare providers before a procedure.

Although I’ve never had surgery, I have a sister who has, so I was thrilled to come across What to Expect and How to Prepare for Your Surgery. It is also important to stay informed and educated. I particularly appreciated that Fei Zheng-Ward explains why you are always told not to eat eight hours before surgery and the risks non-adherence to this requirement could pose. The author even went further to provide a list of foods and the corresponding times that need to pass before you can go in for surgery. Fei mentions other ways to be prepared, such as a checklist of personal items to bring to the hospital. I especially appreciated learning about the anesthesia given to pregnant women. The author emphasizes that this book should be read in addition to medical advice and should not replace what doctors tell you because different medical conditions and advice vary on a case-to-case basis. I found this book very informative, and I highly recommend it.