There are times when there is no other option and it's anesthesia for a procedure or you will die. I had a bronchoscopy 2 years ago with general anesthetic because I had a massive cyst on my right lung and by the time they put together a team my lungs were full of pus and my right lung had collapsed. A day after the procedure I felt really good and would have been better off if they had sent me home after a few days rather than to "rehab" at a skilled nursing facility. I didn't need physical therapy, I just needed to get up and start walking, because Kaiser and the rehab did not get me up to walk for 11 days and all I needed was to get home and start walking. I was really weak and weighed less than 90 lbs, but the food at the rehab was inedible, and I was not going to get better if I couldn't eat the food. I think Kaiser does this because they can't discharge you if you are showing progress so they don't even get you up to walk so you can be discharged to skilled nursing, which Medicare pays for, not Kaiser. I'm going to try to put this in the Q & A to see if this a Kaiser thing, or if other types of Medicare supplements do the same thing.

I have emphysema and had chest tools Anastasia was fine infection frome the tools almost killed me but that was when we discovered my lung cancer

I just had one last year. Yes they highly take into considerations our COPD. Make sure the pulmonologist give approval and any extra information for the anesthesiologist. If they even think there could be a problem, the anesthesiologist will not do it, and your surgery will be postponed. I had to go for some extra tests before my Dr would approve.
But I am just recently stage 4 and they give you all the warnings about surgery.

I think that doctors take all your health issues into concern and if they think your body can handle surgery they will go ahead with it but if you can't handle it,they will tell you that but of course your full of anxiety which is normal and scary to be under for so long ,,may God give you the strength and courage to handle the surgery,thank you God,I am grateful that Jodi will make it through and gain strength! Have a blessed day Jodi and it might help if you voice your concerns with you doctor ,,best of luck .... Debbie in Nova Scotia :)

I had open heart Surgery in 2019 & during surgery my left lung collapsed. And I my lungs are just covered with emphysema. The surgery was a do or die situation. And it was a very risky one. COPD makes surgery risky for us. Thank God for prayer.