The First Operation

12 Nov 2008

When the doc mentioned that he would take out the lump on 12 Nov I was thinking and silent for a while. I asked him, if it's 12 Nov, when will STO be? He looked at me and smiled and told me that was ages ago when STO was needed. He'd give me soluble ones so I do not need to have any stitches removed. Then I told him, I'm going on a holiday on 16 Nov till 20 Nov. He said, that's fine, no worries.

Sis and Bro-in-law sent me to SGH. Registration was at 7am. I couldn't sleep the night before. The butterflies in my tummy wouldn't settle down. What was I afraid of? I should be trusting God that everything will go fine but faced with immediate circumstances, I was getting fearful. It didn't make matters easier that the kids were home 'cos it was meet the parents' day for Tiffy's class. I also missed Toby's meet the parents' day 'cos of a medical appointment at Clinic 'C'. Thinking about my illness and kids make me sad.

We got there slightly past 7am. I was supposed to be the first op of the day. After registration, I went up to the ward and waited. The nurses were changing shift. There were others waiting too. I couldn't tell which were patients and which weren't. All anxious faces.

I saw the doc while we waited and he waved, smile on his face - good sign! Sis, BIL and I tried to make small talk while we waited. If I was anxious in the car ride, I was even more so then but I tried to be civil. It's only a 30-minute procedure, I was reminding myself repeatedly.

The doc came up about 8.05am and said, we're late. It was then that I knew that the op would be at 8.30am. There was a rush to process me so I could be brought to the OT on level 2. Going backwards on a gurney made me dizzy.

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I woke up in the recovery room unsure of what happened. It was like I lost time. One moment I was awake in the OT, the next moment I'm awake in the recovery room. I don't even remember losing consiousness. The nurses assured me that the op was over. Thank God!

There I lay, hooked up to the drip and monitors. Thank God the blower was still blowing hot air under the blankets. Beeping monitors and hushed conversations and many people washing their hands. That was what I could hear since I was placed feet facing wall in a sectioned area, till this lady was wheeled in and moaning loudly that she wanted to die. On and on she moaned, that it hurt and that she wanted to die. I wanted to sleep while I waited to be sent back to the ward. I didn't want to lie there listening to her moaning. She quietened down after a while and I got bored. Wasn't easy to sleep. The doc dropped by to check on me. He seemed happy with the op - good sign! I waited and tried to sleep again.

More than 4 hrs later (by my estimation), I was wheeled back to the ward. Apparently someone made a mistake and sent me to another lady's bed 'cos someone was waiting for her sister at my bed, and they brought the other lady's food to me. I found out later that she got my food and it was ok. I guess, same food. I changed back and tried to eat. I remembered SL saying not to drink in case I threw up and ate the porridge instead. After fasting from dinner the night before, my first meal at 6pm of porridge and sliced chicken was like an ice-cold coke on a hot sunny day. Thank God for great tasting hospital food :-)

Another doc dropped by and wanted to be sure I could walk steadily before I could be discharged. I tried my best and passed. I didn't want to stay. It was already past 6pm. I was dizzy but it was manageable.

Sis arrived around 7pm and passed me the medicated oil. Great stuff, this medicated oil. Just a drop or two and I felt so much more clear-headed. While the journey was ok, it got very bad when I got home. I was so dizzy that I went to sleep without changing; sweater and all. Just lie down and didn't want to move again.

When I finally woke in the morning, I was no longer dizzy. Surprisingly, the op site didn't hurt as much as I expected. Thank God!