ARCHIVES - 1996 to FOREVER

Interesting day, yes.

I got to sleep about midnight, set the alarm for 06:00; got up at 06:15, at breakfast, did the dishes, waited for the call.

Lynn called about 08:15, I was on for 13:00.

So it was clear liquids for the rest of the time at home, and in fact until about 18:30, heh.

Kim got here a little after 10:00 and dropped me off at the ED door, and I went to CT and had missie put my IV in... she did a damned fine job, #20 in the AC, didn't hardly feel it.

Went by the front desk and said hi to Lana, then went up and got registered.

I was then showed to my room, undressed and put on a gown and got into bed.

The nurse came in, and was surprised that I already had an IV, and kind of upset... it wasn't documented!

Then I suffered the thousand questions... medical history, medications, living will, power of attorney, all that stuff.

Then they left me alone for about an hour... I called Herman and he came down to keep me company for a half-hour or so.

In the meantime, I learned that the doc was going to be a half-hour late.

I called Lana and told her... I had originally told her that I would be out of the room about 15:00 or so... that was the plan.

They came and got me about 13:40, and I was on the table at 14:00, being prepped.

Drugs were next. Enough to level things out, and theoretically to make you forget the procedure... never works that way for me... I remember everything, but the time just goes so fast!

There were problems at almost every stage of the multiple procedures... firstly, getting into the arteries.

My arteries are like iron pipes, in more ways than one.

They are tough on the outside, and corroded on the inside.

Then he had trouble getting the catheter into the internal iliac;

And they were, indeed, very bad.

Finally done, I was very happy, because my back was killing me, even with the dope on-board.

And the rest of this story waits until tomorrow, for I am very tired and dopey.