11.16 as i remember it.

It has been a week (really?) already? I guess so since Thanksgiving is just 2 days away, but to me I am still stuck in early November... counting down the days to my surgery. I am not sure if it has really sunk in that it is over and I am on my way to healing.  Except for the fact that I am already sick of laying in bed and watching TV.

I will do a quick run-down as i remember it-

You all know i didn't sleep well on Monday night. I kept replaying Boardwalk Empire on tivo to drown out my snoring dog and my overactive thoughts and fears going thru my head.  I woke up at 5:03am and showered.  (with that red purel like surgery soap) - finished packing things up, sat onlline for a bit, idling to decide just what to post on facebook.  Then my girls got up and wandered into my bathroom for hugs.  I told Ryan - and then Mia that they could climb in my bed (they were cold) and i would come hug them and say goodbye.  WOW, THATS hard.  I knew the clock was ticking.  Johns parents were downstairs (they had the morning shift - taking the girls to school) it was 6:14 and we said we would leave no later then 6:10.  I gave tearful hugs and kisses and more hugs and kisses and said goodbye.  got downstairs - quick hug to cindy... and to darwin and out the door. John was a grump.  It was 6:20 (whooops)  He was driving like a mad-man.  By the time we made it to the interstate i told him to knock it off.... "i was saying goodbye to the girls and you have no idea how hard that was! "  i then reminded him that we may be late, but they HAD to wait for me.  yes, his biggest pet-peeve- but nothing we can do now - we will be late.  lets not get our heads out of the game over it.   so - 6:34 we parked and walked in to the hospital. (traffic and all)  Lots of paperwork and then waiting.  I was called back about 6:50 .... john and my mom stayed behind to wait.  I did all the quick tests.. pee in a cup - starting IVs, changing into an ugly gown.... getting comfy in bed.  i was trying to remember the healing blue light, the fact that i was being operated on my a specialist who knew very well what he was doing, and that i had so many loving thoughts, prayers and well wishes all over the world. (well, the U.S., and Australia)  :)

The night before the anesthesiologist had called and asked some questions about my history with surgery and being under.  I had no history.  None - not even with my wisdom teeth, i just had a local to get them removed.  He was kind of beside himself, i could tell this meant he had a bigger job ahead for himself.  I met him a little before 8 that morning and i could tell he had done some extra homework, or at least taken a little extra time to prepare me for hours of surgery.  We discussed that I would get a cocktail of drugs to make me happy and then we would move back to the pre-op room where they would prep me. 

Dr. Oro came in (you have seen the pictures that John posted) that was really emotional.  I was so glad to see him there, and WELL and able to operate on me and "cure" my Chiari.  He told me that he was ready, I told him I was (gulp), ready.... and he said he was going back to check out the operating room.  He told John he would send someone out during the surgery to tell my family and friends how it was going, but that he would not come out until it was over.  

saying goodbye - john and i walking in to the hospital - healing blue light - me awaiting surgery

Moments later I was saying goodbyes and I love yous to John. (my mom had been in earlier) and then I got that happy cocktail.  I don't remember anything after that moment.

I opened my eyes to (what i remember to be) a lot of chaos.  People moving me every which way, a nurse talking to me- telling me I was waking up from surgery.  I had so many cords which seemed to be wrapped all over me. Some they were unhooking and some they were rearranging.  The entire room was blue. bright streaming blue rays of light.  I hadn't thought about at the time but that is the moment that my angel left me.  That was when everyone was looking over me and unhooking me and smiling and telling me how good I did and that it went well.  Everything seemed to be moving really fast.  They introduced me to my pain pump and hooked it all up - I think I used it at that very moment.  The nurse said that she would be moving me when my ICU room was ready and my pain was better.  I asked her what time it was because I was wondering how long everyone had to wait to hear the good news that I was out of surgery - and I was wondering if Alice made it to school in time to tell Mia I was OK, and to help in kindergarten.  I think she told me it was around 2:30. That made me nervous that something had gone wrong.  My surgery was scheduled from 8:30am - 12:30pm.  so, 6 hours under?    I asked the nurse if something was wrong that it went longer and she said everything went fine.  (i didn't really believe her)  .. I would wait to ask John when I saw him in ICU.