Thank you to all of you who dropped by with jokes or just positive thoughts. Surgery turned out to be more fun than I thought. In pre-op when an intern asked, “Do you mind if I examine you?” I said, “Sure, doc, have a ball!” which made him, the anesthetist, and a nurse laugh. Then in the operating room the doctor assured me that everything would be fine and I said, “Great, let’s put on some music and everyone have a drink on me.” No one had a drink but a tech in the corner did ask if I wanted some music. “Yeah,” I said, “what have you got?” He had a computer with, I think, internet access, meaning he could supply me with just about any music I asked for, even though I barely had time to enjoy it. With three deep breaths from a plastic mask I was gone. Earlier in the day I’d been listening to David Bowie. This may explain why I have vague memories of being barely conscious and saying, “Ashes to ashes, funk to funky, we know Major Tom’s a junkie” and several people laughing. This may or may not have really happened. Sordid details following.
So glad you had a good experience, Christopher! Nice to have you back! 🙂
Thank you. A good surgery experience would seem to be a contradiction, but I won’t complain. The best thing would be not needing surgery at all, but I’ll settle for everything going according to plan.
So glad all went well. And it sounds like you woke up in a better mood than I have in past surgeries. Twice I woke up sobbing like a distraught young child; I was told that my response was not that unusual. Another time I apparently had a long conversation with my surgeon, who was Japanese, and I’m afraid I may have made some kind of inappropriate comment about Japan or something. I really don’t know because I have ZERO memory of talking to him. Which is a bit disconcerting…
He’s probably used to patients saying weird or even offensive things while still under the effect of anesthesia. I’ve had two surgeries now where I’ve recited song lyrics while regaining consciousness. Then again the operating room staff has always laughed at that, so maybe it’s a weird thing. Sobbing doesn’t surprise me. They knock you out and slice you open and rummage around inside you. The weird thing would be if you didn’t wake up from that in some distress.
So happy all went well. And, what awesome employees for accommodating you!! You should send them little Labyrinth figurines of David Bowie.
That’s a brilliant idea–at least one of them did have the power of voodoo. Or rather the power to knock me completely unconscious. Now I want a Labyrinth David Bowie figure of my own. Thirty years later he still rocks that big hair. Then again Bowie rocks everything.
I’m so glad to read that you have returned — without any malpractice-worthy humor-ectomies — from the magical land of fun surgery.