Today's the day!

Here it is ... it finally came... my surgery date. My new birthday.... I'm a wee bit nervous, but a lot more excited. This is going to be great....

My husband drives me to the hospital. We get there at 5:30 A.M. I get checked in and we wait for someone to call me......

....and wait.....

....and wait.....

It is now 7:30 A.M. and I haven't been called to surgery prep. Every time the door opens, my head pops up in anticipation. Frustrated, Husband starts asking questions. "Why hasn't she been called back there?! We have been here two hours and nothing!"
The female person with the Sharpie eyebrows who checked me in, calls the bariatric nurse. Then hands the phone to me.
I am told that I have to register and wait until my surgery. Regardless that my surgery is at 11:30, I am to be there in case they can take me early. How muffed up is that?! Somebody will come get me two hours before cutting to prep me.

Hubby and I go back to the wait room. Well, at least I can just relax until 9:30. I dozed. I texted. I dozed. 9:30 comes and goes.....10 o'clock.....10:30....
Hubby's skin is turning green and his pants are stretching, bursting at the seams, he is growing larger in size...oh, wait, that is the Hulk...Hubby flings open the door to pre op and barks at the desk nurse......
Apparently, they don't have a bed for me. They are waiting on a bed. WE have been sitting in this stupid hospital for FIVE hours now.

Finally, someone calls out my name. Just in the nick of time, too, because some old guy decides to tell my husband about his wife's procedure and the big family from Utah and blah blah blah blah...Poor husband.

Anyhoo, I strip down and put on the hospital gown. At least they have gowns large enough for bariatric patients!! I think it is a 10X or something.
I have to wipe myself with antimicrobial wipes. Then a barrage a questions whilst another nurse tries to start an IV in my arm. Kinda hard to find a vein when I haven't had anything to eat since Saturday or anything to drink since the night before. A third nurse comes in and finds a vein in my hand. OUCH.

I got my hat on, my gown and my booties. Just kicking it. Hubby is allowed to come back and see me "one last time." It is now 12:30 P.M. Yeah, an hour after my surgery start time. I am glad I didn't have any plans for that evening.

Hubby is starving. He had a breakfast sandwich at 5 A.M. My dad calls and says he is in the parking lot. I told Eddie to go and not worry about me.....GO! Make a break for it while you can!

A short time later, the surgeon comes in and makes an obligatory appearance. Tells me the anesthesiologist and the nurse will be in to talk to me also. The anesthesiologist come in and gives me something cool in my IV.

Later, I am being wheeled into the operating room. I am in and out of slumber from the IV. The nurse tells me I am to transfer myself onto the operating table. I shift my mass over and lay down. They put my arms on their own little tables and yank off my gown. I can hardly keep my eyes open. I think someone is strapping down my legs.......


......"There she is!" a female voice says in the blurriness.

I hear voices. Kathi? Eddie?

I am in a bed. Groggy. Eyeballs whirling around in my head. I can't keep my lids open. I try to use my eyes to lift them.

Scott is here, too?! How cool is that?!?
So is Max, but the "one-raised-by wolves" is not allowed in the ICU.

Figuring out that I was pretty useless to visit, the folks left. I hope they know how much I appreciate their coming to visit. Such a long way, only to see me coherent for about two seconds. My family is precious!!