Awake & sober

Woke up this morning after an uneasy night of rest. I guess it's hard to sleep knowing that I'm due for a surgical procedure. Got up at 6.30am and made my way to Tan Tock Seng Hostpital. My appointment was at 7.30am.

It's interesting... the things that went through my mind as I made my way to TTSH. Of course, the thought that something could go wrong is probably the strongest. How did I overcome that? Appeal to higher powers lor. It sounds wrong, but it's basic human nature I guess. While I know I'm not exactly a on-the-ball-on-fire type of Christian, I do still know that despite my shortcomings and inadequacies, God still watches out for me. I mean, what if I really were to die? Sometimes I think about that, but then I start thinking about how I may be a little too tied to enjoying life. It's just one of those tough questions. Actually the answer is pretty simple. I just choose not to see it.

Anyway, arrived at TTSH and reported to the Day Surgery ward. I must say that all the nurses are very nice. It's nice to go into the pre-op room and not feel pissed with the staff. There were plenty of good mornings... smiles... 'how are you's...

Well, the first thing I had to do was put on this hospital gown. I hate this part coz the gowns are always too small. Dun understand why they can't just spare a little bit more cloth and make a bigger gown for people like me. So I'm stuffed into this gown, like a bachang and it was obviously way too short. Had to use a blanket to cover my bottom half, otherwise, free viewing for all! So anyway, after testing my blood pressure, temperature and asking a ton of questions.. I was left to wait for the op.

They wheeled me to the prep room (the room just next to the op room) and there I waited for 20 to 30 mins. Apparently, the anaesthetist was late. sigh. Had to sit there, waiting for dunno wat.. and at the same time, trying to keep calm. Like I said, the waiting times are also the times when you tend to start thinking of all kinds of stuff.

When the anaesthetist finaly arrived, things moved pretty quickly. They wheeled me into the room, transferred me to the op bed, and stuck a needle in back of my hand (I beleive they call it a life-line). The anaesthetist simply said 'first we'll inject some medicine to prevent vomitting'.. then 'now take deep breaths' as the nurse put the oxygen mask over my nose and mouth. Then, he basically said, 'Now, you'll be going to sleep.' I dunno, I dun think I even heard the end of that sentence. I was out.

The next thing I knew, I was in the recovery room, after about an hour or so in the op room. As usual, my throat hurt. As far as I know, after I go to sleep, they put a tube down your throat to help you breathe (eewww!). Of course, more so than my throat, the next thing that kinda scared me was that I would have to start passing out the stone fragments which they had crushed. Apparently, there was a uric stone blocking my kidney flow. Hence, they had used a laser to break it andnow, I simply have to drink plenty of water and pass it all out. Yes. It is quite painful. I shall not elaborate just how painful it is. Take my word for it.

Well, after resting for another 2 hrs or so, I went home with my sis. The one thing I can feel immediately is that my back no longer hurts when I stand. When the kidney was blocked, it was swollen so I really couldn't walk standing straight without experencing pain. Now the pain is dramatically reduced. Great! I've now got to simply rest, and drink plenty of water to flush out my system. Running a low-grade fever now, it's kinda expected coz the body had just undergone some trauma. Looks like much resting and sleeping over the next couple of days...