The big day arrives

My surgery was at Baylor Medical Center at Uptown (Dallas, TX).  My daughter and I arrived at 5:30 a.m. for the 7:30 surgery.  I had already been pre-admitted and early that morning I just went straight to the surgery suite and checked in, got my hospital bracelets, went over my allergies (again) and gave my consent (again).  While we were waiting, I realized that I wasn't really nervous.  Big milestone for me.  I was ready for this surgery!  I was more excited than fearful.  I kept hearing Dr. Royer's words, "This will be a good thing for you."  I rested in that, and in God.

I was called back to pre-op where I was instructed to take off all my clothes and changed into a large navy blue hospital gown that tied in the back and had a pocket in the front.  The nurse had me put a tight white compression stocking on my good leg and when I was all dressed (or should I say "undressed") she started an I.V. flawlessly, thank goodness!  It was then that they let my daughter come in with me.

[At this point, I have had to ask Dana some details about what followed because I was given some Versed and couldn't remember some things.)

The Anesthesiogist, Dr. Kwan, came in and put some Versed in my I.V.  I didn't feel a whole lot different afterwards except that now I have a little memory loss about some of the events.  Other Anesthesiologists came in and had me roll over on my stomach because they were putting a block in my left leg which would go down to my foot. The Doctor said that my leg and foot would be twitching and moving but not to worry because it would be him doing it.  It seemed like 3 Doctors were working on that leg and they attached a pump of anesthesia via a small tube that would deliver the medication. When they were finished, I turned on my back.

Dr. Royer came in and said Hi and met my daughter.  He asked me which leg we were working on and my daughter said that I lifted my left leg.  (Ha!)  Then he put a mark on it with a Marks A Lot.  (Really???) Soon, they were finished and escorted my daughter out and me into the O.R.  Getting in there, I remember looking around the room and seeing the Operating table.  They asked me to scoot over onto the table, I did, and then the Anesthesiologist put a mask on my face and I WAS GONE.

When I woke up in the Recovery Room, the first person I saw was Dr. Royer.  My first words were "How did it go?"  He said, "It went great."  I was so happy to hear those words.  I didn't feel any pain from the block they had put in my leg and after a while, my daughter got to come in and see me.  Soon, I was transferred to my room.  I had a huge bandage around my foot and leg with a drain and with a board and foam that I can feel in the back. Cotton is stuffed all inside to make it very tight and yet cushy.  In my room, I was offered morphine via a pump but I declined it.  I have had morphine before twice and it makes me throw up, so I opted to take Hydrocodone.  It worked like a charm without the nausea.  After I was settled, I realized that I had a very dry mouth and I was extremely thirsty.  Also, I had a very bad sore throat.  I asked the nurse if I could have something for my throat pain and she suggested that I suck on ice.  It was from the tube that was down my throat during surgery.  I drank all kinds of liquids, and soon ate jello and had a normal meal that night. I felt a few twinges of pain in my foot that first night but luckily I had my little anesthesia pump that would deliver some numbness to my foot.  I used it religiously.  Soon it was 11:30 p.m. and was still awake watching TV and a sleeping pill was offered and I took it.  Now the thing about hospitals, you are awakened about every 3 hours for vitals.  So I had sleep, but interrupted sleep.  Thus ends the big day of surgery.