Raising the Bar a Notch

I continue to be astounded by how well everything keeps falling into place.  I did such a stellar job post surgically this time, I keep joking that Keith and Melissa will expect me to do a 'drive by' craniotomy next time.  I picture them dropping me off at the front door, advising me they will circle around the block and swing by to let me hop in our vehicle and head home straight from the operating room.  After all, I only spent 10 minutes in recovery on Tuesday.  I'm lucky they allowed the nurse and I to stop and take a picture rather than make a rolling jump into the truck.

To be completely honest, getting back into the saddle for this second craniotomy was slightly more daunting.    Being fully cognizant of what I was heading towards this time made it harder to deal with mentally  - definitely not my ride of choice.  But as the 'end justified the means' - some lack of sleep for a week or two due to understandable anxiety seemed a reasonable price to pay to be cancer free once more.


Not surprisingly, my floating in and out of consciousness in August allowed me to block certain aspects of the impending procedure.  I have no recall of even being in pre-op previously.  This time, I was fully alert when they wheeled me into the actual operating room - a pretty intimidating experience to have half a dozen gowned and masked individuals awaiting your arrival.

I started to feel anxious.  Frankly, I had to fight the urge to block my entrance thru the OR door.  I had an image of being a cartoon character and possessing the ability to clamp down on the door frame while stretching my arms & legs like a rubber band as the surgical team attempts to roll my  gurney in and me ricocheting out of there (think Wile E. Coyote from the Roadrunner series).

 

I inquired if I could be sedated before they moved me onto the operating table and placed my head in the frame.  Sorry - have to get this show on the road, have a 5 hour surgery scheduled and we are already running late.  Ultimately, I settled down and made two additional requests: could I be knocked out before my head was shaved and may I just sign the paper work with out any further discussion of the details?  Absolutely.  Off to la la land I go.

I wake up in my room and feel so phenomenal that with out the bandages on my head, I would almost doubt the procedure was completed.  This sentiment is echoed by the medical staff and my family.

Once again, I am the liveliest patient in the neuro ICU but also the hungriest.  Fortunately, after I inhale a few cups of ice chips, I have the opportunity to reject the nasty beef stroganoff and disgusting carrots I am offered for dinner and consume a fabulous cherry chicken harvest salad my daughter obtains for me.  Go Team Studzinski!