Surgery

I checked in to Changi General Hospital for my surgery this morning. My op was scheduled at 11 am but there were some pre-op preparations.

I had to strip & put on their hospital gown. I had to lie down & wait.

At 1pm, I was pushed into the Operation Area. I was being prepared for the op. The room was very cold. A nice nurse gave me a hot blanket. It was hot from the oven. It was deliciously warm. aaahhhhh....... She put on another blanket for me.

I was then pushed to the Operation Theater. As the nurse pushed me through the long, lighted corridor. It reminded me of the movie scenes I had seen. As I lied on the moving bed, the white lights above were flashing past. The doors closing behind ...... The corridor was empty except for the nurse & I......

Finally we reached the Operation Theater. I was asked for my name & NRIC by every nurse who attended to me & then the young lady surgeon. In case they operated on the wrong person.

My identity was confirmed several times. The part where I was to be operated on was also confirmed. The operation process was explained.

Then into the Operation Theater I go. I was transferred onto the operating bed. Above me was a huge, round light & a smaller one at the side. The room was colder. A nurse explained what she was doing as she put on a pulse monitor on my right fore finger & strapped the blood pressure thing on my left arm. Then a temperature pad was stuck on my right hip. These equipments were so cold! The fingers of the nurses were also cold. bbbrrrr......

Surgical sheets were laid out. My left leg was washed & scrubbed with a sterile liquid. Then the surgeon gave me anaesthesia around the part where she would operate. She injected 5 times before I couldn't feel anything.

10 minutes later, the surgeon announced she was ready to give the first cut. I didn't feel anything. I could feel some pulling & then sense she was cutting & slicing away. Clang, ting, dang..... were the sounds made by her surgical instruments.

There was a metal piece on the ceiling where I could see the reflected images of the surgeon at work. I didn't wear my glasses but I could make out some blur images of the reflection. Luckily I couldn't see well, because I'm scared of blood.

After half an hour, the surgeon announced that she had removed the growth & asked if I want to take a look. I nodded & she showed me a bloodied lump. AAhhhh!

Then she proceeded to close up the cut. When she started washing the cut, I realised it was over. She put on a bandage for me & told me I don't have to come back to remove the stitches as they would be absorbed after a few days.

I was pushed out to the Observation Room. Again, my blood pressure & pulse were monitored. I was there for half an hour before being wheeled back to my ward. The time was 2.30 pm. The nurses brought me a cup of hot Milo & some sandwiches. I ate & then I slept.

Jaymes woke me up & got me a cup of Milo. Then he left & I slept again.

At 6pm, the wound started to hurt. The anaesthasia has worn off. The pain progressed & by 7 plus, it was very painful. Chris came after work & he asked for a painkiller which I refused to take. The pain stayed throughout the night.....