It’s been a week so I guess I should let you all know that I am still alive and doing well. I still have pain from the hysterectomy but it’s under control and I’m generally moving around ok. Going upstairs is still a challenge but I try to plan so I only do it once a day.
Here I am at 5:30 the morning of my surgery, wondering if I really have to go through with this.
When you arrive at Carle for surgery around 8:00 am people are alarmingly friendly.
I was incredibly nervous. It’s not that I was terrified of the surgery itself or the result, just a different experience for me being on this side of things. The only other time I had surgery was my c-section with Owen and hell, I ended up with Owen so it was just fine.
I went to registration. I swear registering for surgery used to be more time-consuming, now it’s just like checking in for an appointment. We walked to the other end of the hospital and headed up to surgery. I gotta say, they have the waiting room processes down…it’s really slick. They got Ernie’s phone number and texted him when I should go back so off I headed. I got undressed and into bed and immediately got sleepy. My technique was to sleep through as much as possible. Got my IV, answered a million questions. Ernie came back to sit with me, saw the anesthesiologist, saw the doctor, kissed Ernie goodbye and off I went. The last thing I remember is being transferred from my bed in the OR.
The next thing I knew I was half awake and standing there was Owen and Ernie. My GOD but they looked beautiful. Leo was at work but Owen had come to sit with Ernie in the waiting room and I was so grateful. They said goodbye and they rolled me off to the observation unit.
I was supposed to stay overnight for observation. I was picturing a hospital room. Uh, no. It was an observation unit which meant a bunch of open bays with just curtains. One of the most miserable nights of my life…not worst, mind you, just miserable. The curtains have mesh at the top so there is no way for your room to every be dark. Here is my room at 1:30 am.
The curtains also provide no protection from noise. To the right of my room was the water and ice machines, to the left, with a door that closed with a thunk was where they retrieved medication. I also could hear every conversation between patients, nurses and every damn phone call that people made telling people at home all about it. It was also incredibly hot. Honestly, I didn’t mind the interruptions and the pain. It was just the rest of it. It quieted down between 3 and 5 in the morning but it was not a restful night.
Fortunately, I was home before lunch. More to follow but need to rest. Thanks for all the kind support and love.
Sail on, Silver Girl! Your time to shine has come! Glad it’s over!!!
I was in my usual fog when I wrote that comment. It’s been an incredibly difficult week for me and I’m kind of out of it. My comment makes no sense. I meant that I was glad your surgery was over and not “your time to shine.”