Surgery Day

I didn't sleep at all the night before the surgery. My sister, nephew and aunt were at my house, so I spent time with them, along with my mom. After everyone went to bed, I went to my bedroom, and as funny as it sounds, I talked to my dog for awhile. I cried harder than I ever have. I wasn't scared for myself, I was scared mainly for my mom, dog and family. The next morning on 10-26-10 we arrived at the hospital and waited maybe an hour before they took me back. My mom and sister went back with me. The first thing the nurse made me do was remove the fresh polish on my toes. You're kidding me? What will they be doing to my toes? Maybe it was a distraction for what was to come. The nurse asked me if I was queasy of needles or passed out easily. Me? No way. She obviously hadn't seen my entire back of tattoos, amongst others. She starts to draw blood and misses the vein, so she digs a couple more times with the needle. I show her my good vein. She ignores it and leaves the needle in, only to return to tell me that she didn't draw enough blood. She then does a butterfly IV on my hand. Hello, here is my good vein! She digs around more and the room suddenly goes black. Yep, enough is enough. I'm running on no sleep, I'm stressed and this bitch is killing every vein I have. They tell me it's time for my CT scans before surgery, so I hug my mom, sister and nephew, which was now back in the pre-op room with me. They roll me in for the scans. The nurse looks at the first IV and tells me that it's blown. Ya don't say? I knew that! That explains why it's swollen, red and itching! I show her my good vein. She hits it the first time and starts administering the contrast. After a couple scans, I'm rolled out into the hall where my family was waiting. They let me stop so my family can come over and hug me. The one thing that sticks in my head is my nephew hugging me and looking right at me to tell me he loves me. I will never forget that moment. We were all crying, not knowing my fate. In the operating room, I'm being asked a million questions by every nurse, doctor and intern. What's your name? What kind of surgery are you having? What is Fibrous Dysplasia? How did you find out you have it? What is your date of birth? Have you ever had an allergic reaction to anesthesia? Yes, I have. Okay, we will keep an eye on that then. Kim, just close your eyes and relax. Think of your favorite things. A serene place you'd like to be. I was thinking, God, you've taken me this far. Carry me on through. The mans voice said, you will be asleep in no.......I guess I was knocked out. If only I knew what was to come.