a cute appendics IV - final instalment

So they told me I would be having surgery later in the evening. I told my friends that I had to pee, and so off to the toilet I went. While I was inside, I heard a faint knock on the door. I thought probably someone needed to use the ladies. Just then I heard the nurse called out my name. I was like, "Eh, why you call me?" Then she said, "Are you ready? Surgery now." I think I became more 'gan cheong' and said, "Wait..I need to pee... again!"

So after I had finished my business, I opened the door and the nurse came in and asked me to change into the gown. I looked at my left arm and yes, the last I checked, the drip is still there. So I looked at her helplessly and she said, "Ok, I help you." A few minutes later, I walked back towards to my bed and there it was, a trolley waiting for me and all my friends were looking at me. I waved them byebye and climbed onto the trolley/bed. Of course at this point of time, my utmost concern is not to expose any body parts while my friends are still here! ('coz the surgery gown is quite unsecure) So I kept asking the nurse, "How, can? No expose?" I think she must had been laughing at me.

So I lay on the trolley, and they pushed it into the lift, towards the surgery ward. I was thinking that this felt just like in the movies... where your view is just those overhead lights flashing as you are being wheeled in. Also, if I die... will these be my last memories?

So after a few minutes, we reached upstairs and they told me to wait for the anaesthetician (is this spelt correctly? If not, must've been those few brain cells lost after the procedure..) After a while, a handsome but slightly aloof Dr Torres came by. He asked all sorts of question prior to surgery. For example, "Any jewelleries, fake teeth etc? Have to take 'em off. That's because during surgery, sometimes the person will bite the tube that we'll be putting into your throat to help you breathe." Actually, after hearing so many things plus anticipating the surgery.. I am quite dazed at this point in time. He asked many more stuffs such as, "Do you exercise often? How many flights of stairs can you climb maximum?" Heck! I didn't bother to count la! I think he was trying to make me feel less bored as the surgeon is not here yet.

So after the questionaire, suddenly they said, "Ok, let's go!" So into the surgical ward and it looked tiny with at least 5 people in it (excluding me). The lady doctor/nurse was like undressing me in front of these 4 guy doctors, and I was thinking... being sick has no room for modesty I guess... So okay, I exposed certain body parts which I'm sure they'll be seeing anyway... but I did wish she'll do it after I've been knocked unconscious... sigh.. Soon someone pushed an oxygen mask over my nose and asked me to take deep breath. So I did and the gas did smell different, so I guess this is it... time to sleep...

"I want to pee..." Yup, that's my exact words after I woke up. Then somewhere I heard the nurse said, "There's something wrong with her catheter... have to wait for doctor." So I lay there, with this strong urge to pee but didn't dare to because I didn't want to dirty the place... So we waited. Soon after another nurse came by and said to the other nurse... "Why is she on cathether? No need mah..." I was getting more bewildered by the minute.. After a while, a young doctor walked in and the nurse grabbed him and explained her suspicion. He pulled and pushed the cathether and pronounced, "Looks ok to me" I was in pain when he did that and I felt like giving him a punch at that time. Then the nurse asked why the urine couldn't flow out. And he couldn't explain why, so he took out this huge syringe that is filled with water. He just said that he is going to inject the stuff into the tube. But he didn't tell me what I should be doing. So while he was doing that, I felt the urge to pee again so I asked weakly.. "can i pee .. now...." So somehow I managed to.. and all is well again.

Back to the ward, and all familiar faces again. I felt like a beauty queen as I waved and smiled weakly at them. Haha! We talked and chatted for a while and I slept that day at 8pm... must be due to the drugs. But was plagued by bouts of high fever throughout the night. The most difficult hour was after 2am. Couldn't sleep, couldn't move and the back was very painful due to sleeping in the same position too long.

I felt that the worse part after surgery was the part where I couldn't pass motion nor pee without experiencing any pain. I was so afraid that these simple functions couldn't return to normal. So now, I am utterly and totally grateful for small things that we can perform. If everyone holds this belief.. the world could be a better place then.

So all in all, this was my adventure. Take care and see you soon!