Unshelved by Bill Barnes and Gene Ambaum
comic strip overdue media

Monday, December 06, 2004

Miss Me?

Feeling: Sleepy

Yep, I'm alive and well, although my cast keeps hitting some bizarre combination of keys that turns on Microsoft Narrator, meaning that the computer starts talking to me. I guess it's decided that a bum hand=bad eyes. Since I've been doing searches on bowel continence in spina bifida, it's been a little weird, but on the other hand it's easier to spell with some audio feedback.

The surgery itself, if one can say this, was actually a good experience. I've never really been taken care of by a group of people determined to ensure my good health. D and I had to go very early (6 am!) because I had to be the first case with the latex allergy. Everything went really smoothly. All the people I encountered were very nice and professional, whether the information greeter, office staff, nurses, or doctors. I really have to say, St. Joseph East is definitely my choice for anything like this in the future.

After completing the paperwork they took me back and I changed into a gown, cap, and little booties. Then I got up on a stretcher where they put warm blankets over me--I felt positively pampered. I had to have two IVs. One attempt did 'blow' and I've got a lovely bruise on my left hand as a result, for which the lady apologised immediately, but they numbed me before putting any in, so it didn't hurt. They gave me meds to keep down nausea, which also helped with my jittery empty stomach. The IV included Keflex to keep down the possibility of infection. Then they got another site ready for a local pain block. They took my vitals and checked my blood sugar. I got to talk to the surgeon and the anaesthesiologist. Then it was time to take me back. I remember looking at the giant eyeballs of operating room lights above me, and they put an oxygen line on me and then the anaesthesiologist said he was going to give me something to relax me, and the next thing I know, I'm in bed with a cast and they're checking my blood sugar again. I was awake, just apparently euphoric and giggly, thanks to versed and a little extra phenergan and benadryl in the mix. Apparently I made a happy drunk. D says she and her husband were there for about 20 minutes before I really came to and I was laughing. Apparently I was going on about the Christmas party and how I hoped I was this happy then, and well, a little bit about my concern for using the bathroom left-handed. (Dr O'Neill was sure I'd work that out on my own). Once I could get up, D took me home and tucked me into bed.

I did go to the Christmas party, and enjoyed it, but most of the time from Thursday morning through Saturday was spent sleeping, eating, taking meds, repeat. I got a lot of rest, got to do a lot of experimenting (taking a shower with a bag over my hand, the same bag D had saved from where they'd put my clothes during surgery), putting contacts in one-handed, driving, etc. I also did a little reading. Yesterday I was able to go to a friend's, play in the game, pick up my dog, and watch TNT's 'The Librarian' which was hokey but fun. (My favourite exchange, at least paraphrased:

Noah Wyle (the over-educated son with no direction in life): These books speak to me.
Olympia Dukakis (the mother): They speak to you? What do the say? Do they tell you to do things? Do they tell you to start fires? You shouldn't listen to what they tell you, especially if they have you do bad things or hurt animals.

Have I mentioned that it also had Bob Newhart and Jane Curtin? Hilarious, although someone really ought to encase the Ark of the Covenant behind glass...they probably lose more janitors that way....

So today I'm back at both jobs and doing pretty well (except for the mistyping) but I'm a little tired, which I suppose makes sense. I get the cast off December 15th. Then at some point in the future we do this all over again. Yay. But I will say, even with stitches and occasionally gesticulating unwisely and causing some pain, my hand hurt worse before the operation than it has since (and the lortab is doing wonderfully with what pain there is).

Hope life is treating you okay. 'Bye for now.

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