Then John took a shower and I sat down to read more of my book. Steve Berry's "The Alexandria Link." I had read it before but it was my get away. Mindless reading to pass the time. We left the house at 8:15. Stopped at Skymart for gas and the Tupelo paper. Got 3 copies of the Tupelo paper because my name was in it for achieving my National Boards.
Now, I have to say that we had been having wintery weather all week. Mostly sleet and freezing rain, but for today the forecast had called for snow. Since we live in the south, snow is still the best thing ever for winter. If it barely sticks to the road there is no school and usually a run on milk, bread, and wine. About 5:30 on the 17th it had started to snow. And the flakes got bigger and bigger.
The reason I am mentioning the snow is because I took this as a sign that I needed to calm down and everything was going to be ok. See, since I was a little kid I have always loved the weather, but snow is my favorite. The conditions have to be perfect to make the flakes. They are delicate and beautiful. And snow is the only precipitation that is silent.
When I was little my Daddy would turn on the patio light and put a chair in front of the door so I could watch it snow. There is nothing prettier than snow. I remember doing this the night my sister way born.
So, the snow was sent to me and it made me smile even though I had never been so scared in my life.
Thank you God for the snow!!! I really enjoyed it!
So we get to the hospital. check in, sit and wait. My parents show up and we all realize that everyone is dressed all matchy-matchy except for me. I just had on jeans and a gray fleece, but everyone else had on a off shade of green: Daddy's sweater, Mama's jacket and John's fleece. Mama kept her jacket off most of the time because she did not want to look like her and Daddy purposely dressed the same.
Brother Johnny comes by and we talk and wait. Then we pray and he must go see someone else. We thank him. I have to say it is weird to be the focus of prayers and hear them. They are so heartfelt that I cry even now when I think of them.
So I might just list out here the order of things and not make complete sentences and just remarks because the 2 or 3 people that read this are probably bored. So
Finally , go back and I change - disappointed to know I have to remove my underwear, but happy to get the disposable undies - if you have had a baby you know - they are great!
sit around and wait - to blood pressure, temperature, and then get IV - which took a while because my left arm sucks and they can't use my right - took two people and hurt and it gave me a big bruise - but they were very good nurses.
sat a bit and then it got quiet so I listened to Pink Floyd comfortably numb - because I was going to be that way soon and that song makes me relax
finally go to radiology to have a guide wire inserted into the tumor - I loved having Tabitha there!! She came to be with me to do this and it made all the difference. It did not hurt - doc came in and do it. The weird part was this table was huge and I had to lie pretty much face down and then place my right breast through the hole in the table and then have like a mini mammo to stick the tumor. Nice way to make a first impression with the radiologist whom I had never met.
Then to surgery- this is where I got silly. I sent my glasses back to John. So I was riding blind in the wheelchair. I apologized to the nurses in the back that I was squinting at them because I could not see. They were both pretty funny because they walked up and showed me there name tags and spoke very slowly - so we were all acting silly.
Met Dr. Morrison - the anetheisiologist - nice guy. He asked me if I had ever been put to sleep and had any problem, so I went into this long story about the time I had surgery and in recovery I saw some mayo and tomatoes on a sandwich and then I threw up. I told him I did not know if it was the drugs or the mayo and tomato, but that I really did not want to throw up. He said he would give me something for that.
He also gave me something to take the edge off. By this time I was talking 90 to nothing about everything and everybody. I even almost fell trying to get on the rolling bed from the wheelchair. The nurses commented that I did not need to fall because if I hit my head that would be a lot of paperwork to fill out.
So I get to rollin' to the OR and I remember moving onto the operating table. I was covered up with blankets and then strapped down. I think I asked them if people roll around a lot. At this point I do not think I had a voice inside my head. Everything came out so when they strapped my arms to boards coming off the table I asked them if I was being crucified. So I am pretty sure that they were getting tired of me asking stupid questions, but the straw that broke their backs was this question.
"Why are you putting egg crates on my hand? Do you think I will hit you in surgery?"
After this I was given the mask thingy and told to breathe deep. I think I was still trying to talk and I was told to breathe deeper. I think the nurse had a tone this time! But I did not care....
I had become comfortably numb!
No comments:
Post a Comment