Guest blogger report : The waiting game

Ever since the
postponement
of surgery
from
February 8th,
it has been a
waiting game.





First – to find out a new date for the surgery
Second – to learn whether or not new blood tests would be necessary (not)
Third – to await the call the day before the surgery, to “confirm it is confirmed”
Fourth – to try to sleep through the “night before the day” and get ready to go

Tuesday February 23rd, 2010
Info: 9:00am arrival for 1:00pm surgery
8:45am Arrival at hospital
8:55am Andris (together with Anda) deals with paperwork
9:05am Andris goes in to be “re-“prepped; Anda brings Andris’ boots to car, gets Tim’s coffee (to be enjoyed out of Andris’ sight)
9:55am Anda allowed to come in to help Andris wait
10:30am Dr Dickie(!) the anaestheologist introduces himself and suggests upping Andris’ pill sedatives from Feb 8th, as Andris didn’t feel that groggy last time and because he (Dr D) will go home after the surgery, where as it will be easier for the nurses to do their thing if Andris is more “out of it”...
10:40am Helen says she will prepare a special potent pill cocktail for Andris to really knock him out– then goes and does other work
10:45am Wait once more
11:30am Andris and Anda discuss what time he will be brought down and was someone going before him.
11:50am Andris comments that the pre-op unit closes for lunch at noon, and that likely he won’t be taken downstairs until closer to 1:00pm
11:52am a gurney is brought in and although the nurses seem surprised, they say it is for Andris, and quickly give him the pill cocktail.
11:58 Anda accompanies Andris as he is wheeled to the OR floor, and tells him that, though he won’t see her, she will see him after the surgery.

Andris on the gurney is wheeled off behind the closed doors
Andris waits for the meds to kick in and for the anaestheologist to do his stuff –not to see his surgeon.
Anda heads for a family lounge for 4-6 hours to wait and see the surgeon.