pre-op

Some people need to gain some interpersonal skills.

Yesterday, morning I had my pre-admission appointment at the hospital.

First I checked in with admissions, gave them my insurance info, requested a private or semi-private room, if available and declined to rent a TV or phone (note to self: make sure to pack phone and charger and load up tablet with mindless videos).

Next we went to the pre-surgery unit (not it's official name but you get the idea) where we met with a bunch more people (last time, I remember going from room to room instead of having folks come to us but my memory of the last time is extremely untrustworthy). I got weighed, peed in a cup, had blood drawn (they aren't allowed to access my port so had to get a vein my arm to work - ouch!) met with a pharmacy tech, a couple of nurses and an anesthetist.

I'm not allowed to take vitamins on the day of surgery (fair enough), no "herbals" for seven days ahead of time (that includes my precious tea with valerian and melatonin) but I can pretty much go nuts with the Ativan. 

The surgery will be about seven hours long (give or take. Last time they said six hours and it was nine. This was extremely hard for those waiting to hear how things had gone. I was oblivious, as this thankfully not the kind of brain surgery where you need to be awake). The nurse with whom we met says she thinks I'll probably be Dr. S's only patient that day. I guess this is a good thing.

We were at the hospital for almost three hours. When we were done, we went out for lunch and then I came home and (despite many cups of coffee) slept like the dead for almost two hours. It's also a treatment week but this appointment really knocked the stuffing out of me.