7 Quick Takes (vol 17) The Surgery Edition

Well, what else do I have to do but put my feet up, recover and give you all 7 quick takes related to my surgery. My life is an open book and this week people have actually seen INSIDE me and lived to tell. Life is just a barrel of laughs, or will be when I stop hurting.

-1-

It is amazing to me that even in pre-op the Lord provides divine appointments for us if we are open to them. He had one planned for me with the pre-op nurse and I am still shaking my head about it. I had no real reason to tell her that I had had a Cesarean section and then two vaginal births afterward (VBAC) but I did. She stopped suddenly and asked what my experience with them had been like and would I be willing to talk to a young friend of hers that was struggling with the decision. The Lord placed the two of us together on Tuesday morning. Cool right.

-2-

When you go into the hospital for surgery you need to just understand that all dignity goes on vacation for a few days. People you don't know are going to see parts of you that you usually don't show to people. You might not be aware of it because you will be under general anesthesia but it will happen. And then there are those lovely hospital gowns that they have you wear. The ties around the neck don't stay tied when you want them to and the back is always open. And then there is always someone coming in and asking to see your incision. I have flashed so many people in the last two days that I am expecting to have the local police show up at my door.

-3-

Having to rely on others to do even the simplest things, like picking something up from the floor, is a humbling thing. I don't ask for help well. I am usually the one to say, "I'll do it myself". But in this instance someone just has to do the stuff for me. I can't just hop in the car and go to fill my prescriptions, someone has to do it for me. Someone even has to walk up and down the stairs with me for the first day or so! When you are used to being independent then to rely on others is hard and humbling and that is good I think. No man is an island, despite what Simon and Garfunkle might tell you.

-4-

When you have been told that you can't lift anything heavier than a 5 pound bag of sugar it is amazing how many things in your life show up that are so much heavier than that. Just scooting my chair and me into the table is a no-no at the moment. For the love of Pete! Can't pick up my little suitcase, can't pick up the laundry basket that needs to be moved, can't even cart around the package that arrived for me. Today I might have trouble with the 5 pound bag of sugar for that matter! Vacuuming is a no-no but I can't say that I am really crying about that one. Oh Bother! (to quote Piglette)

-5-

If they say that you have narcotic pain relief available to you then TAKE IT. I don't like the way that narcotics make me feel. You know that sort of out of control, woozy, the world is fuzzy feeling. But, I am still going to occasionally take that Percoset because I just really have to. Don't like it but I understand the need for it. I can certainly understand why some people would like the feeling of being slightly disconnected from the world. Perhaps that is why they do drugs to begin with.

There are other side effects of narcotics, ones that we won't discuss here that are of a shall we say, scatological nature, that I have to deal with. But then there are other medications to take care of that. It is a never ending drug cycle around here.

-6-

I met all manner of people during my two day stay in the hospital. I love talking to people! There was the nurse anesthetist who had on so much "bling" that I was afraid she might short circuit something during my surgery. There was my "housekeeper" Adriana who recognized me from my short hospital stay two weeks ago. She of the many ear piercings. I always enjoyed talking to her and she could talk! Then there was the nursing assistant Cheryl who was so eager to take out my catheter. She practically ran into the room with all the equipment. Far be it from me to dampen her enthusiasm for a rather mundane and unpleasant job.

The nurses were great and all unique. There was Robin, who was always hustling and bustling up and down the hallway, always smiling even when doing a less that pleasant job. There was Linda who kindly DIDN'T wake me up to do my vital signs on my second night in the hospital because I was sleeping. I have never understood why we nurses have to wake up a perfectly sleeping person, who is well on the way to recovery, just to do some vital signs. Linda checked on me but didn't wake me up. Thank you Linda. Then there was my nurse on my last morning who REALLY wanted me to take a Percoset before leaving to go home. I didn't want one. "Well how about HALF of one?" NO, I really don't want one. In retrospect I should have listened to her and taken one. But don't tell her that.

-7-

I just have to say that when you have been told that you CAN'T drive for two weeks then all the things that you think you are up to doing involve driving. Now in my head and my body tell me that there is no way that I could get behind the wheel of my vehicle but that doesn't mean that I don't look at the keys for my Subaru with longing. It's the little things in life you know. Oh well, for the moment my mom will have to drive me around. That just means that I can tell her where to go and get away with it. Hehehehehehe.

See you in two weeks since next week is Good Friday.