Pre Op and Friendship
Well, I had my pre op today. The night before, I prayed to The Gods that things would all work out and it wasn't bad at all, though I had to get up very early for it. So I got up at 6:30, took a shower, dressed and we went to the hospital for my 8 o-clock appointment. I was not allowed to eat anything, beginning at midnight. But I was more anxious than hungry. So much so that I thought I barely gave a drop for the urin test. Fortunately, I was told it was okay. After Mom helped me sign in and the woman at the desk took some information, Mom and I waited. She made me laugh like crazy over the chairs. She has this thing about wanting everything to match and to be coordinated and she kept saying "these chairs are driving me crazy! And I can't move them because there are people in them."
Then, the nurse, whose name was Valary, took us into another room with what she called a bed, but reminded me of one of the long examining tables. She put the turnicate on my arm and began drawing the four tubes of blood needed. I was shocked that Mom was still in the room, as she has an extremely serious fobia of needles, but she soon went to take a walk. The nurse and I had a pleasant conversation, in which I told her the story of my adoption and how I love my mom with all my heart. We started laughing about the chairs too, which relaxed me. Then, once the blood was drawn, I asked her about the anaesthesia. Truly, Hermes and Asklepios blessed me, as she turned out to be one who works in the operating room. I told Valary about my experiences with alcohol, and how I was so afraid that the anaesthesia would do the same thing. She assured me that delirium is very rare and usually happens in men. She said I'd basically feel groggy and that was it. The versed, she said, is good, as it relaxes you but it's not necessary. After that, I answered some basic questions about my health and medical history and we were done. I was advised not to smoke at least a day before the surgery as it could make me cough. I actually might stop two or three days earlier, just to get the nicotine out of my system, as I'm not sure if it'll interact with the drugs. Just for the record, yes, she did tell me not to smoke at all. We laughed at that one, as she checked the box off stating that she had said it. I told her that I'm a smoker's rights advocate. But that I knew she was just doing her job and I respected that. "If it's any consolation," I said, "I don't smoke around people if they ask me not to and I don't smoke in people's faces." Truly, Valary is the kind of woman who really should be a nurse, kind, caring, funny and able to put someone at ease. She said that she might be at my operation and I hope so. It's actually being performed at 7:30 in the morning, so I need to be there at 6!
After that, Mom and I went to the cafeteria to eat breakfast. Never, anywhere, have I tasted worse food. The grits were okay but with no salt, butter, milk or sugar, though they did give butter. The eggs were disgusting and tasteless as was the dry biscuit and I don't know if they burnt the hashed potatoes (it wasn't a solid hash brown) or if they put something nasty on it or what. But the worst was the sausage! You'd figure, that with all the bland stuff there, it would be similar. But no! It was so hot that I didn't know whre to go. I don't like hot food as it is so that wasn't a pleasant experience. But the coffee was okay. It was green mountain and was flavoured. Finally, I just had Mom get me a doughnut, which was actually very good and hot. I took another cup of coffee and we went to wait for Joanie to come and pick us up. I read a bit of my Zanth book in the meantime. Thank The Gods I'd decided to bring my computer or it would've been terrible.
So that's it. Now, I'm just waiting on the 27th. But Mom made a very good point. I think that, instead of having Spiros take Mom and I, Joanie should do it. She really wants to and Spiros would have nothing to do while i'm being operated on and then for the 45 minutes when the doctors need to monitor me. Not even Mom's allowed there then. So he'd only get to see me in the last hour, when they feed me. I think that it would be much better to have him come to the house, once the operation and recovery phase I was over, let himself in and wait for me. I'll need him there more than in the hospital. Tonight, when I told him, he understood and agreed I figured he would, as he's very relaxed, but that still made me feel much better.
Once I got home, I stayed outside, reading, eating and taking it easy. Grandma came up at five to play some dominoes, but after the first game, I was too tired to continue to the second. But I did win 10-9. On Wednesday, I'll be eeting with Kathleen, a new friend of mine from Craigslist. She seems like a really nice person, is into several of the fun activities that I am, such as cooking, reading, going shopping etc. and she lives pretty close. I've spoken with her on the phone and we've e-mailed and talked on messenger quite a bit, so I trust her enough to invite her over. Grandma will say hi so they could meet and then it's back up here for a nice picnic lunch! But now, I'm off to take a nap. I got involved in Zanth again and shouldn't been napping over half an hour ago.
Then, the nurse, whose name was Valary, took us into another room with what she called a bed, but reminded me of one of the long examining tables. She put the turnicate on my arm and began drawing the four tubes of blood needed. I was shocked that Mom was still in the room, as she has an extremely serious fobia of needles, but she soon went to take a walk. The nurse and I had a pleasant conversation, in which I told her the story of my adoption and how I love my mom with all my heart. We started laughing about the chairs too, which relaxed me. Then, once the blood was drawn, I asked her about the anaesthesia. Truly, Hermes and Asklepios blessed me, as she turned out to be one who works in the operating room. I told Valary about my experiences with alcohol, and how I was so afraid that the anaesthesia would do the same thing. She assured me that delirium is very rare and usually happens in men. She said I'd basically feel groggy and that was it. The versed, she said, is good, as it relaxes you but it's not necessary. After that, I answered some basic questions about my health and medical history and we were done. I was advised not to smoke at least a day before the surgery as it could make me cough. I actually might stop two or three days earlier, just to get the nicotine out of my system, as I'm not sure if it'll interact with the drugs. Just for the record, yes, she did tell me not to smoke at all. We laughed at that one, as she checked the box off stating that she had said it. I told her that I'm a smoker's rights advocate. But that I knew she was just doing her job and I respected that. "If it's any consolation," I said, "I don't smoke around people if they ask me not to and I don't smoke in people's faces." Truly, Valary is the kind of woman who really should be a nurse, kind, caring, funny and able to put someone at ease. She said that she might be at my operation and I hope so. It's actually being performed at 7:30 in the morning, so I need to be there at 6!
After that, Mom and I went to the cafeteria to eat breakfast. Never, anywhere, have I tasted worse food. The grits were okay but with no salt, butter, milk or sugar, though they did give butter. The eggs were disgusting and tasteless as was the dry biscuit and I don't know if they burnt the hashed potatoes (it wasn't a solid hash brown) or if they put something nasty on it or what. But the worst was the sausage! You'd figure, that with all the bland stuff there, it would be similar. But no! It was so hot that I didn't know whre to go. I don't like hot food as it is so that wasn't a pleasant experience. But the coffee was okay. It was green mountain and was flavoured. Finally, I just had Mom get me a doughnut, which was actually very good and hot. I took another cup of coffee and we went to wait for Joanie to come and pick us up. I read a bit of my Zanth book in the meantime. Thank The Gods I'd decided to bring my computer or it would've been terrible.
So that's it. Now, I'm just waiting on the 27th. But Mom made a very good point. I think that, instead of having Spiros take Mom and I, Joanie should do it. She really wants to and Spiros would have nothing to do while i'm being operated on and then for the 45 minutes when the doctors need to monitor me. Not even Mom's allowed there then. So he'd only get to see me in the last hour, when they feed me. I think that it would be much better to have him come to the house, once the operation and recovery phase I was over, let himself in and wait for me. I'll need him there more than in the hospital. Tonight, when I told him, he understood and agreed I figured he would, as he's very relaxed, but that still made me feel much better.
Once I got home, I stayed outside, reading, eating and taking it easy. Grandma came up at five to play some dominoes, but after the first game, I was too tired to continue to the second. But I did win 10-9. On Wednesday, I'll be eeting with Kathleen, a new friend of mine from Craigslist. She seems like a really nice person, is into several of the fun activities that I am, such as cooking, reading, going shopping etc. and she lives pretty close. I've spoken with her on the phone and we've e-mailed and talked on messenger quite a bit, so I trust her enough to invite her over. Grandma will say hi so they could meet and then it's back up here for a nice picnic lunch! But now, I'm off to take a nap. I got involved in Zanth again and shouldn't been napping over half an hour ago.