I’m going to get a gown that will cover your fat ass. She came back with the gown while I was off trying to get a decent urine sample and cursing myself for having peed before I left the house. I stripped, gowned up, and settled on the bed and chatted and giggled with Fred for a while. They came and took blood, then started my IV, and the anesthesiologist stopped by as did various and sundry other people. Some time after 8, Dr. Dang stopped by to let us know she was there and what would be happening. Have I mentioned how incredibly sweet she is? I really like her a lot, and if anyone’s in Huntsville and needs an ENT, I highly recommend her. Too soon, they came to take me to the operating room, and the nurse who came to get me told me to give Fred my glasses and "get some sugar." Fred nervously took my glasses and kissed me, then told me fourteen times that he loved me. Which is funny, because he’d made a point of telling me that he loved me earlier, so he wouldn’t have to in front of other people. Once in the operating room, I shimmied from the table I was on to the operating table, and suddenly at least six people were bustling around me, tucking the blankets in around me and checking my ear and doing various other things. They put an oxygen mask over my face, then gave me something to make me sleepy. Finally, the anesthesiologist told me I’d be out soon, and I could feel my heart pounding and the overwhelming thought in my head was Oh, shit, why am I doing this? Why did I want to be put to sleep?? Is it too late to stop it?! When I woke up, I was coughing and my throat hurt. They intubate you every time they put you under, and usually extubate you before you wake up. I lay in the recovery room for half an hour or so, the nurse asking every five minutes How’re you doing? I don’t remember exactly what she said, but I let her know that the sooner I went home, the better, because if you’re going to feel like crap it’s much more comfortable to feel like crap at home. Finally, they wheeled me into a small post-op room and told me that if I kept down some crackers and soda I could go home. By the time they showed Fred in, two or three minutes later, I was feeling almost as good as I had before the surgery, and was more than ready to go home. So I went home. I took a nap this afternoon, and I’m feeling fine except for a little achiness in my ear, which Tylenol helps a lot. I think I’m going to drag myself away from the computer now and go read for a while. Thanks again for all your emails; I truly appreciate them. ]]>
02/28/2000