sinisterporpoise

 

[Black surgical shoes with ice packs on the foot. A red cast goes up each leg.]

I arrived at the hospital yesterday around noon. I filled out some paperwork and then was directed to go back to the nurse's station in the surgical services center at Terre Haute Regional Hospital. I was taken back to a small room and told to take off all my clothes and put on a hospital gown.  At several points, they tried to get me to take a urine test, although I was not entirely clear on what they wanted. Eventually they told me that they wanted to take a pregnancy test, until I told them I was transgender and pregnancy was not a possibility for me.  They also drew some blood, although I'm not sure why they felt the need to do this.

I spent four hours watching the television in the small room they put me in, and a nurse came to check up on me every half-hour. The surgery was scheduled at 3, but it was almost 5 before I was wheeled into the operating room.  I remember a few sentences being spoken, but shortly after they put the anesthesia in, I lost consciousness and was aware of nothing until I woke up about fifteen minutes after six o'clock.  I spent sometime in the recovery room before being wheeled back to the same room for observation.  At round seven, I had the first liquid I had in around nineteen hours.   When the housemate arrived, I got my clothes on and tried to get back up.  I managed to stay on my feet for a few minutes, but I became nauseated and started sweating. The nurse told me to sit back down. She asked if I'd be all right, and I asked for a Coca-Cola. She came back with the drink and some gauze.

After sitting down for a few more minutes, I got back up and managed to get into the wheelchair that hospitals insist on using when they discharge you.  I was taken out to the housemate's waiting car and was treated to a really good meal at a place called Bagger Dave's.  Then I went home and had ice cream with pretzels and chocolate syrup.