Bad news! My performance for the annual B.J. Town and Country Days celebration will have to be cancelled for this year.. That’s right. My belly dancing routine is just not going to happen this year.
I must say, August has been quite different for this old gal. Sunday, Aug. 1, I had the opportunity to go "under the knife" – as some may say – to have a strangulated hernia removed from my abdomen.
Now, this is certainly nothing I had included in my list of potential experiences for the summer months of 2010; however, when emergencies happen, you just learn to go with the flow.
You know, you just kind of lose part of yourself when something like this happens. The doctors and nurses surround you and begin telling you what’s going to happen in the next few hours. And you are totally at their mercy – there’s really nothing you can say about any of it. You might as well give in and let them do what needs to be done.
In my case, the surgeon prefaced our conversation with, "You know you are a big woman." Now really, what was he getting at? I have a big mouth? Maybe a big personality? Big plans for the next few weeks?
Do you suppose maybe he thought I didn’t realize I am overweight. I wanted to look him square in the eye and exclaim," WHAT? You have to be kidding me! When did THAT happen?"
Prior to entering the operating room, knowing I was about to have my abdomen sliced open, I began thinking about the only other time in my life I had such an experience. I remember waking up at the ripe old age of 15 following my appendectomy, with my father sitting close by my side. I was thinking some horrible thing must have taken hold of my body for me to be in such excruciating pain. I distinctly remember looking up at Daddy, with tears streaming down my cheeks, asking him to make it stop hurting.
But things are different in 2010. Pain killers can make a person forget their troubles – as long as they keep pumping through your veins! I was assured all would be well.
Soon after the doctor explained what the problem was and what the surgery would entail and that I may come out of surgery with a colostomy bag – along with making mention of several other possibilities -- I was wheeled away from my gathered family members, taken to the absolute coldest room in the entire universe and put to sleep. The ultimate example of trust.
This time I woke up to the voices of a couple of very kind nurses who were working hard to get my vitals regulated and prepare me to be taken to meet up with my family again. The surgery had been a success. Now it was up to me to be the kind of patient whose light nurses and doctors don’t hate to see come on.
I think I have mentioned that I’m somewhat of a people watcher. That doesn’t stop just because I’m lying defenseless in a hospital bed.
Teams of nurses came in to help me when it was time for a potty break or time to get vitals or whatever time it was. Many times three nurses came in the room at the same time.
One was a 25-year veteran LPN. She’d been working with patients just like me for years and knew what she was doing. Then there was the beautiful, tanned, young RN who was the charge nurse. Very kind and attentive. And in charge – obviously much to the chagrin of the LPN who’s had so many more years’ experience.
Then there was the third nurse. She was the one who came in, stood on the far side of the bed, unhooked me from my IV and straightened the bed while I was up going to the bathroom. She knew EXACTLY what she was doing. She wasn’t about to try to heft me out of that bed or do whatever else had to be done after I’d been in the bathroom. Smart girl – a girl after my own heart! I definitely see myself being that particular kind of nurse.
Then there are the dietary people. The ones who come in to take your breakfast, lunch and dinner orders. The ones who say you can have a bowl of sliced peaches and then take it away when they realize they’ve allowed you to order too many carbs and your sugar is going to be too high. DANG! Those were the ones I wanted to take issue with!
All in all, my emergency surgery has been a fairly good experience. The pain in my stomach – both before and after surgery – will be gone soon. At least that’s what I’m banking on. I’ll soon be back to normal, doing my own household chores. Not having to have my husband bandage my incision or anything of the sort.
And I’ll finally be back to work where I belong. I’m afraid too much time off will make me find unnecessary things to do to fill my time. That’s not a good idea. My mother always said keeping busy keeps us out of trouble!
Thanks to everyone for the wonderful cards and phone calls during my recovery period. And I want to especially thank my family for giving me such great after-care. Who knew they could be such effective caregivers?! I mentioned they should start a care-center; however,s they didn’t much like the idea.
–Connie Goff is a reporter and weekly columnist for the Maryville Daily Forum.
