SURGERY DAY

Surgery day

The big day.

They made it easy. We didn’t have to arrive until 10 a.m. for 11:30 surgery. Of course many more forms to fill out and then back to the prep area.

Such nice people. I was relatively relaxed. First thing they do is put you in a gown and then mark the shoulder they’re going to do. I was glad they did that. 

Of course, it didn’t make that much difference, because about ten minutes later Jonathan came in to paint my arm from neck to hand with iodine. I’m thinking I could use this product to color my hair, because my arm and hair are the same color.

John sat with me and they brought me some nice warm blankets, which I really appreciated, and wrapped my red arm up in blue napkins so it wouldn’t stain the sheets. Eventually Dr. Weber came in to see me and ask if I had any questions. I had just started worrying about maybe not being under and not being able to communicate that. He told me I could worry about Syria or the election or world hunger or a dozen other things more productively.

 

Then Dr. Hughes, the anesthesiologist came in and told me that among other things, I wouldn’t be paralyzed for this surgery, so they would KNOW if I wasn’t under. So then I stopped worrying about that. I told her I had a cold sore and could she keep it lubricated. She said she was keeping me alive and wasn’t messing around with any grease that interfered with her tape that was keeping the tube in.

She gave me a relax drip in the IV, I waved goodbye to John and Lynda, and don’t remember anything until I woke up with my crowns intact (always a slight danger when they’re putting tubes down your throat) and a lot of pain in recovery. And, of course I was cold. They gave me some warm blankets, including around my head so I looked like I was wearing a burka, but I warmed up, and then they gave me some morphine for the road and sent me out with a big smile, because I was feeling no pain.

The doctor said I didn’t have a complete tear as was thought. He repaired the bicep that was out of place, ground off some bony pieces that rub against the muscles, and removed a bunch of scar tissue which he says is my main problem.

I’ve got a charming little vicodin for home, with light fruity overtones and a slight aroma of licorice. I enjoy it every three hours. I had so little pain during the night that I only took some half ones, but in the warm light of afternoon I can see that that’a not really enough, so I’ve gone back to the full ones.

I make a fist and turn my arm several times every hour and move my elbow out of the sling. Three times a day I take my arm completely out and let it hang and swing like a pendulum. That’s the really important one, and it’s to keep the scar tissue from reforming.

He gave me a video of my surgery. A lot of scar tissue. That seems to be where they spent most of their time.    Fortunately, it's too long to upload, but I find it interesting.