So you wait, and wait.... and wait and wait... then wait some more and then it's here... finally.
I was scheduled to be at Sewickley Hospital at 8am. I get a call about 6:15am... "Janelle? We had a cancellation this morning... can you come in early?" Sure! Let's Do This! I was truly excited... and relieved almost. Normally, you get to the hospital and hurry up and wait (are we noticing a theme here?) but I knew since there was a cancellation, this would go a lot faster. No waiting around, taking their time getting me in there, starting the iv, waiting for anesthesia, waiting, waiting, waiting. All giving me time to get nervous. Nope - we were ready to rock.
I had about an hour drive so by the time I got up and out the door, down to the hospital, parked and got to where I needed to go, it was already about 7:45am. Not that early. But we were in business. I was checked in almost immediately, shown to the waiting room where Mom and Chad got to hang out but my butt never hit a chair... they took me right in and started the process. Blood pressure, temp, oxygen level thingie on the finger... here's your gown, go pee in a cup, we'll be in to start your IV.
This is cool... express lane please! Then it slowed down a bit... I'm a shitty blood draw/iv stick. UGH. I was more upset/nervous/pissed about the labs/iv than the damn surgery itself. 4 Sticks later they have their labs and iv in... wonderful... finally. I had tried to talk them into putting in a central line for their lab draws/medicine pushes while I was going to be in surgery, especially since I'd be in the hospital the next few days but that didn't really fly because no one actually believes the patient needs that until after she's already become the human pin cushion... more on that later.
SO... gown on, iv in, consents signed... check, check, check. Let's go! .......oh wait... the family! "Get the family now... they're waiting for her" So Mom comes in all emotional for the typical pre-surgery lovin's. She's almost in tears and I proceed to tell her "If you're going to cry, get your butt outta here! I'm gona be fine!" Everyone laughs and I get my hug and kiss and my moment with her where she tells me she loves and and is just worried. I reassure her again and she swaps places with my hubby. Kisses, Love you... you're going to do awesome... Love you... Love you..." Annnnnd now we're good! Off I go!
They wheel me into the ridiculously cold operating room with some really great people. Anesthesia and nurses and all. Everyone was wonderful (except that one pain in the ass pre-op nurse who wouldn't listen to me when I told her she wasn't getting an IV where she was trying... but that's besides the point). The one nurse (with anesthesia, maybe?) who wheeled me over asked about my hubby since we were all lovie-dovie before they swept me away. So I tell them the readers-diagest version of how we met and that we have Aiden... you know... the random small chit-chat they get you to have as they're giving you some rockin' drugs and trying to make you forget the fact they are about to cut you open and re-route your insides. They then advise me this 'thing' is going to inflate around me so I don't have to physically get up and move myself from one bed to the OR table. Let me tell you.... this thing was COOL. It Literally inflates completely around you and they slide you easily onto the OR table! Yes, you read that right... they Easily Slide someone from table to table who is big enough to qualify for Gastric Bypass. Told you it was cool!
Then the really good drugs hit.... I think I asked them if they just gave me the "good stuff" cuz anytime I get those meds to officially knock you out... the tiles on the ceiling start to move backwards and sure enough.... back they go...! I think next that I told them not to have any "Oops's" while I was in here... and then Nightie Ni...... off to sleepy land I went!
After surgery, there's not much to write about. Grogginess takes over from the anesthesia. I woke up... kinda... in recovery and they wheeled me back to my room. I remember the nurses checking on me periodically and my Mom and Chad being there with me but I was mostly down for the count. I remember hating that I couldnt fully wake up... the pain wasn't that bad, but I thank the nurses with drugs for that. After a few hours, I did wake up enough to talk some and then the wonderful MattMatt came to visit and brought a beautiful bouquet of flowers with him. After visiting for a short while, my eyelids won and I was back asleep. Pretty much in and out of it all evening, as to be expected.
I remember at one point having the thought... "Wow... I did it" and smiling as I drifted back off to sleep.
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