Nova-SURE!

Today was the day! We headed off this morning bright and early- of course, everyone in the hospital registration area knew us (even though we didn't know them!)... it was fairly quiet, except for this poor fellow who was working at the Pig when a loaded pallet jack rolled backwards over his foot. ouch. He was being all stoic, but his coworker was "just wait till he gets in back! He's scared of blood and needles and will cry like a baby" (hehehe...don't we all? Anyway, the coworker- a largish black lady- knew Charles somehow, the admittance clerk knew us, and basically every one we saw... more on this in a bit).

Oh- the picture is the tool-thing they use, and the procedure is like an internal microwave.

Charles's mother was there earlier (for some reason his Dad mixed up times and told her that I had to be there at 6:30.... she came back later, along with Dad who had to be there anyway for a conference call or something) I'm not really a 'everyone come visit' person when I am sick, but it was really touching that they came by- and later gave the manz cucumbers, tomatoes, bagels and lovely Madeline cookies to make me feel better.

The manz- couldn't of done it without him! He teases everyone and had us laughing so hard in the prep room that everyone ended up laughing right along- even 'crystal dawn' the very scared low-beam girl in the cubby next to mine. And put up with me asking 20 kazillion times if he had my maggie bag (which is my take-along security object, full of stuff I knew I wouldn't need like my sketchbook, camera, a novel, all the black ink pens in the world and assorted art supplies), would fill my prescription and phone everyone, listened to my operation dream about rolling down I-40 on my hospital gunnery.... he asked the dr. to give me copies of my operation photos for my sketchbook (it looks like a planet!) cause he knows I like things like that, told me I was beautimus in my backless gown and grey hospital socks.... good care all around. Love the manz!

Of course, a good thing bad thing happened that I *knew* would happen.... no clue except for intuition.... the bad thing was that my gyn surgical nurse- the person who see's *everything* was a former student of mine. (there are some things students, even ex students who are nurses, should never, ever see) The good thing is that she is one of my smarter ex students, who always liked me and who is by nature, kind. I was in good hands... and thank-god for post-op amnesia that happily erases everything from leaving the prep room (and waving at the waiting room in general.... ) to waking up in recovery to scarf gingerale and crackers which I promptly threw up when we got home. (Madelines and strawberry icecream are successfully easing my road to recovery)... and the I-40 dream which I was apparently babbling about to the recovery nurses. (one of them said "this is fun. no-one ever remembers their dreams!"

and now I am all dozy and writing happily- I took a loooong nap when I got home, followed by a short nap.... and my kazillion pills (still taking shingles meds as well, so am quite the floaty gal)

Grendel has popped in to check on me and keep me in toxic water, and the manz brings me treats and meds and snuggles......all the good things.

and it doesn't hurt much, or at least that I can feel, so that is nice as well. I am going to actually listen this time to the manz and mother and rest for a few days- bed and book and writing- thinking about high hopes for the future~!