Showtime

Finally, it is showtime... surgery date has arrived and I have no choice but to be prepared.  I am not fearful, but wondering what to expect. I follow the pre-op papers that instruct me to find my way through the Covid19 screening from the front door of the hospital to the pre-op surgery registration.  You would think I was trying to get through the airport onto the airplane.  I guess that is my best frame of reference for it because I have never had surgery, never had to stay in the hospital.  

Once registered for the surgery, I am given a hospital gown and housecoat, and blue surgical slippers for my stay.

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I am in the surgery waiting room.  I am dressed now.  I have been given my dancing pole partner which is not attached to me because the nurse couldn't get the IV in and quit trying after two holes because I said I was getting an IV for the epidural I will have inserted into my back for surgery.  I have been given some pain pills to help with the next phase of toward the operating room.  She asks me further questions about my situation and questions me about what procedure I am having done today.  I find out she is also a farmer's daughter... we bump elbows as she wishes me luck.  The cancer word has come up a few times as I explain my symptoms, what medication I am taking, why I am here today, and what is expected to happen to me.  I am released back to the waiting room once this information is recorded.

So here I am sitting in a room with many other people, just waiting for the airplane to take off... well it feels like an episode of LOST where you look around the room to see who else is on the airplane so you recognize these people when you crash later.  Of course, I make a joke about waiting for the plane to take off soon and it loosen up the room a little.  Apparently, there are 11 operating rooms and 9 of them are in use today.

I am called again, and this time I am getting that much closer to the operating room.  I get the epidural in the back.  This will administer pain meds after my surgery is completed.  I am put on a stretcher, and wheeled into another room.  This is where the mask goes over my face.  

Next thing I know I am in my room.  No, not the recovery room.  I bypassed having the tube inserted and removed (thankfully).  I have a nurse on my left, and my doctor on the right.  Asking me how I am feeling.  She explains how the surgery went, then I am talking to Michael on the phone.  At this point, my surgery is over.  I am without a uterus, ovaries, and the cancer has been cut from my body.  I don't feel any pain.  She is pleased that it seemed like a clean extraction and the cancer was isolated to my uterus and protruding through the cervix.  I am told I will need radiation to get the residual cancer cells in the top of the vagina area.  

I am alive, I am safe, and Michael is now able to tell my mom and dad that I am ok.  My sisters and brother know that I am ok.  They brought me supper, and I am not hungry.  I am barely awake from the operation.  My roommate is also awake from her surgery.  We will be up and down all night.  Nurses in and out checking on us.  I was talking too much, and I got sick.  Good thing for sick buckets.  I will rest after 1:30am when the nurse comes to give me blood clotting injection.  They are checking my blood pressure, temperature and pulse every hour.  Not much rest tonight, but I am getting wonderful care.  Rachel, my nurse is the the sweetest girl.  She looks so much like another girl I know from my 4-H kids, Elizabeth.  

I feel like I am living in a dream and not much makes sense.  That is how September 3rd surgery day turned into Friday, September 4th...