Short Stay

Where to begin... the beginning?

Got to hospital last night. They now have a form for you to check off anything you don't want to eat. Hooray, didn't have to look at ham. Green soup, pork cutlet, mashed potatoes, cheese and apple/strawberry sauce.

The first bad news is that I'm scheduled for surgery the next day at 3:30 in the afternoon. I can have a light breakfast at 7:00 a.m. ("toasts" and tea) and then nothing further to eat or drink. After my breakfast, I went back to sleep, which got me through most of the morning.

At 1:00, I took my second Betadine shower and put on my fetching navy blue hospital gown. About 2:00 I was given a sedative. I read for a couple of minutes, then the next thing I knew I was being wheeled to the surgery floor by a really cute guy.

He left me and I nodded and dozed until the anaesthetist, Dr. Koala, came by to say hello and drop my folder on the bed. Then the surgeon, Dr. Latil, came by and did the same.

Then all hell broke loose. A surgical nurse was running down the hall past me with a phone to her ear screaming, "Dr. Latil! Dr. Latil!" Other people began running. They kept running.

This went on for quite awhile, although, occasionally, someone would stop next to my bed and say, "We didn't forget you." I wasn't worried about being forgot. I was worried about my surgeon having killed someone.

Eventually, Dr. Latil came by and explained that all the anaesthetists were called into surgery and he was having to wait for information. At least it wasn't his patient that had had the relapse.

An hour or so later, bored out of my mind and having finished reading my medical records that they'd left on the bed (I'm doing very well), Dr. Latil returned to explain that there was no anaesthetist and they'd have to reschedule my operation. Like, in two weeks!

I asked if I could go home and he asked if I didn't want to stay for dinner. How kind. No, I wanted to go home. All the surgical staff dropped by with apologies and the cute guy wheeled me back to my room.

There, the staff wanted to know if I didn't want to "stay and have dinner with us," and, when I declined, insisted upon a snack, so that I wouldn't leave with an empty stomach. All the nurses came by to say sorry, wish me luck, and say goodbye.

Nick came to get me and I'm home. Tomorrow morning, I'll call for a new appointment. Stay tuned.