Today

[onib]

Many of you who also follow Amy's journal know that our oldest cat, Penelope, passed away this week. Amy & I have cried together a lot and also distracted ourselves a lot. Right now, I'm still not up for talking about it publicly

Comments

[naltrexone]

Hooray, a John-post!

You should borrow the iPod and listen to the song while the procedure is underway! I found that having something distracting to listen to during the procedure was a Good Thing (TM). Not sure if your doc will offer, but if s/he does offer a mirror so you can watch the procedure, you might consider saying yes. I said no, but I now regret not having taken the opportunity to see surgery on myself as it happens.

[onib]

Actually, I was pretty out of it. They put me on a drip IV with some twilight-type stuff. They say I responded and interacted with them during the procedure, but since the drugs they used also included stuff that has amnesiac qualities, I don't remember anything at all from the time they wheeled me into the room.

[naltrexone]

Whoa, that's trippy. They did mine under local. Offered some Xanax or something but I didn't end up taking it. I wonder why the difference...

[onib]

Well, I know I had the endoscopic procedure done, but they also had a anaesthesiologist on hand. So, I guess he was permitted to doll out the good stuff. They put me on antibiotics a couple of days before and I'll be on them for a few more days. I had to stop taking my vitamins and any pain relievers for a week before hand to prevent any blood-thinning agents.

From what I saw looking at local doctors, almost everybody does the procedure a little differently. I mean, when my brother had his done, his doctor pulled the vas defrens out to show him and offered him the opportunity to cut it himself.

[naltrexone]

Yeah, sounds like there's a lot of variation. Wild! For mine, they pulled the vas deferens (startlingly far) out to do the procedure entirely externally. Didn't offer me the chance to cut it myself. Don't know if I would take them up on such an offer- makes the metaphor a little heavy-handed. I was more okay with helping cut the umbilical cord for my kids.

How's the soreness doing for you? Meds wearing off?

[onib]

The meds are still doing well. When I get to feeling too uncomfortable, I take a new one and it makes things better for a while. This morning, taking a pill before eating, I got to feeling pretty nauseous. So, I'm being sure to keep something in my stomach if I'm going to take some.