Surgery
So for anyone wondering, here's how it went:
In fact, it was rather comfortable. I had taken 5 mg of Valium before even going into the med center, so I was, if not quite as high as a kite, at least as high as the tops of small trees. So I went on back and had a little chat with a nurse, who asked me (again) which eye was to be done, and then wrote "yes" in magic marker under my left eyebrow.
They were all very kind and understanding about my needle phobia; in fact, it was written right on my chart, "does not like needles!" Although the lady who'd called me back said Aaron couldn't come with me, when I asked if he could come back and hold my hand while they inserted the IV, an orderly was sent out to get him. They even gave me a topical anesthetic before putting the needle in. What wonderful, lovely people.
They gave me an oxygen tube under my nose--it was cold, and I remember being concerned that it would dry out my nose and give me nosebleeds, but that seems not to have been a problem. At some point, Aaron says he kissed me goodbye, but this seems to have slipped my mind...I remember saying I was cold, and they got me socks and heated blankets. Have I mentioned they were wonderful?
Eventually I was wheeled into the operating room--riding the gurney flat on my back was sort of fun in a surreal kind of way, but maybe that was the drugs. They put some kind of white plastic drape down over my other eye. I could still see shapes and light through the left eye--I remember seeing the doctor's head, and a long thing that might have been a swab. I said, dreamily, "I can see you. I don't like that. It scares me." To which he replied, "Don't worry, in a minute you won't be seeing anything." So I guess that wasn't a swab after all--I think I must have been seeing the anesthesia needle, because a minute later, yep, he was right, not seein' nothin'. Light, still, but nothing else. And then they must have pumped in some more feel-good drugs, bc I seem to have dozed off right about there.
Later I remember being in a curtained off recovery area, and Aaron was kissing me, telling me it was all done and he was going to get the car. The nurse brought me a cup of tea and helped me into a wheelchair, and I was ushered like royalty to the doors. I then went home and slept for several hours, and woke up ravenous.
And now I have this new fashion accessory. I'm going in tomorrow at *sigh* 9am to have the bandages removed. I haven't had any pain except for a faint eye-orbit headache that may simply be the result of my stubborn insistence on reading and websurfing with only one eye. I've taken some Tylenol, but haven't had any need for the hard stuff. I'll see if that persists, and decide tomorrow if I'm going to work or not.
In fact, it was rather comfortable. I had taken 5 mg of Valium before even going into the med center, so I was, if not quite as high as a kite, at least as high as the tops of small trees. So I went on back and had a little chat with a nurse, who asked me (again) which eye was to be done, and then wrote "yes" in magic marker under my left eyebrow.
They were all very kind and understanding about my needle phobia; in fact, it was written right on my chart, "does not like needles!" Although the lady who'd called me back said Aaron couldn't come with me, when I asked if he could come back and hold my hand while they inserted the IV, an orderly was sent out to get him. They even gave me a topical anesthetic before putting the needle in. What wonderful, lovely people.
They gave me an oxygen tube under my nose--it was cold, and I remember being concerned that it would dry out my nose and give me nosebleeds, but that seems not to have been a problem. At some point, Aaron says he kissed me goodbye, but this seems to have slipped my mind...I remember saying I was cold, and they got me socks and heated blankets. Have I mentioned they were wonderful?
Eventually I was wheeled into the operating room--riding the gurney flat on my back was sort of fun in a surreal kind of way, but maybe that was the drugs. They put some kind of white plastic drape down over my other eye. I could still see shapes and light through the left eye--I remember seeing the doctor's head, and a long thing that might have been a swab. I said, dreamily, "I can see you. I don't like that. It scares me." To which he replied, "Don't worry, in a minute you won't be seeing anything." So I guess that wasn't a swab after all--I think I must have been seeing the anesthesia needle, because a minute later, yep, he was right, not seein' nothin'. Light, still, but nothing else. And then they must have pumped in some more feel-good drugs, bc I seem to have dozed off right about there.
Later I remember being in a curtained off recovery area, and Aaron was kissing me, telling me it was all done and he was going to get the car. The nurse brought me a cup of tea and helped me into a wheelchair, and I was ushered like royalty to the doors. I then went home and slept for several hours, and woke up ravenous.
And now I have this new fashion accessory. I'm going in tomorrow at *sigh* 9am to have the bandages removed. I haven't had any pain except for a faint eye-orbit headache that may simply be the result of my stubborn insistence on reading and websurfing with only one eye. I've taken some Tylenol, but haven't had any need for the hard stuff. I'll see if that persists, and decide tomorrow if I'm going to work or not.
