Yesterday

"All problems become smaller if you don't dodge them but confront them." ~ William F. Halsey

Well, yesterday afternoon I finally got the surgery done to patch up my hernia. I had waited so long for the procedure (over a month-and-a-half of this pain!) because my OBGYN had wanted to be there to look over the large hemorrhagic cyst on my right ovary and he and the surgeon had to coordinate their schedules so they could be in the O.R. together.

Well, as it turned out, my GP, Dr. M. had me do another ultrasound on both my ovaries and uterus again last week. The results from the second ultrasound had shown that my hemorrhagic cyst had shrunk considerably in size. So, in the end, my OBGYN decided he didn't need to check it out when my surgeon opened me up - so an unnecessary amount of pain was endured, for that long period of time, for basically no reason!

Okay, I let it go and was just happy to be getting some relief from my pain with the surgeon's procedure.

I always get nervous before they wheel me into the O.R. but the nurse anesthetist shot me up with some thing to relax me and then asked if I felt it, no, I told her, so she shot me up two more times which by then I definitely was feeling relaxed as they were about to put me under.

You know, in a unfortunate and fortunate way, both - this being my fourth operation there in the last year-and-a-half - as well as being with my mom there when she had her gall bladder taken out (within that same time period of time), it was interesting.

I say, unfortunate and fortunate both, because it's unfortunate that you had to have surgery so many times you end up knowing, on a first name basis, most all the O.R. staff! And I then, I say fortunate, because having been through so many surgical procedures there, you do know the staff on individual basis, and they you, which always has the effect in helping, at least me, be less nervous about going under, and the feeling of being extremely well taken care of (though I am sure these professionals treat every person with such good care).

Just to give you an example, one of the O.R. nurses, PA, has a beautiful smile and I have told her previously that just seeing that smile, as you are wheeled in and then getting prepped for surgery, makes for such a calming feeling to me. But this time when I finally was rolled in to start the procedure, PA, already had her mask covering her face. I asked her, as I was moved from the patient room's bed to the surgical bed, "PA, could you please lower your mask and let me see your smile?" And not only did she follow through with that request, she came over and gave me a big hug, held my hand, and said, "Everything will be just fine." Very shortly after that, the mask went over my face and nose, and I was "gone" - no memories until I awoke in the recover room.

Now, I suppose I'm "fixed," but, gosh dang it, I am still in so much pain from where the doctor cut me open, that I feel like I have to take my pain meds at every opportunity! Maybe things will ease up on me tomorrow, after all it is just my first day after surgery. So, that is what I am concentrating on; each day will be less and less pain, and each day will better than the last.