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Mar. 10th, 2005
Surgery non-news
Mar. 10th, 2005 11:03 amThis morning, I paid $4.00 to button my coat.
Got Kristi into the hospital just before 6am, and they were very efficient at getting her into a room. The surgery unit at the Cleveland Clinic is about the most streamlined process I have seen, but it did rather give the impression of being on a conveyer belt. Anyway, they got us into a room, then pitched me back out into the waiting room while Kris changed and they got an I.V. going. After about half an hour, they called me back in. We were expecting to have an hour or two to kill, and so had stopped by Walgreens to pick up trashy movie star magazines, but I was only allowed in for a goodbye and off they wheeled her.
Knowing how long this surgery would take, there was no reason for me to just sit there all day, so I went back to the front desk and gave them contact numbers. Then I bundled myself back up to face the chill of Cleveland's lovely March weather.
Blast me and my buttons.
The first hour of parking is free. I pulled into the parking garage at 5:53. I pulled out at 6:54. One minute, and I had to pay the hour to hour-and-a-half rate. This lack of even a minute's cushion seems rather miserly to me, but whatchagonnado?
I called in the first time at 9:14. They were able to tell me that Kristi had gone into surgery 17 minutes earlier - right on time. I'm limiting myself to a call every two hours, so now I'm trying not to clock watch. And failing miserably. I was pretty impressed by their waiting room set-up - very roomy and comfortable, and there are large computer screens that give status updates on the patients. It looked like airport flight information: Left kidney now debarking at surgery gate 10. Still, it's better than not having any idea what's going on.
I'm working hard at convincing myself to stay at the office all day. That is less easy than I thought it would be. But there is plenty of work on my desk to distract me. Updates as I know anything.
And I did just call in. There apparently aren't updates during surgery, just when she finishes. Being that it's an eight-hour surgery, that's gonna be a while....
Got Kristi into the hospital just before 6am, and they were very efficient at getting her into a room. The surgery unit at the Cleveland Clinic is about the most streamlined process I have seen, but it did rather give the impression of being on a conveyer belt. Anyway, they got us into a room, then pitched me back out into the waiting room while Kris changed and they got an I.V. going. After about half an hour, they called me back in. We were expecting to have an hour or two to kill, and so had stopped by Walgreens to pick up trashy movie star magazines, but I was only allowed in for a goodbye and off they wheeled her.
Knowing how long this surgery would take, there was no reason for me to just sit there all day, so I went back to the front desk and gave them contact numbers. Then I bundled myself back up to face the chill of Cleveland's lovely March weather.
Blast me and my buttons.
The first hour of parking is free. I pulled into the parking garage at 5:53. I pulled out at 6:54. One minute, and I had to pay the hour to hour-and-a-half rate. This lack of even a minute's cushion seems rather miserly to me, but whatchagonnado?
I called in the first time at 9:14. They were able to tell me that Kristi had gone into surgery 17 minutes earlier - right on time. I'm limiting myself to a call every two hours, so now I'm trying not to clock watch. And failing miserably. I was pretty impressed by their waiting room set-up - very roomy and comfortable, and there are large computer screens that give status updates on the patients. It looked like airport flight information: Left kidney now debarking at surgery gate 10. Still, it's better than not having any idea what's going on.
I'm working hard at convincing myself to stay at the office all day. That is less easy than I thought it would be. But there is plenty of work on my desk to distract me. Updates as I know anything.
And I did just call in. There apparently aren't updates during surgery, just when she finishes. Being that it's an eight-hour surgery, that's gonna be a while....
Michele just called. The kidney is out, and they are reinstalling it on the other side now. Kris is doing really well.
So why am I now crying? I haven't been teary until now.
I'm debating what to do. I really want to be there when they talk to the doctor at the end.
I feel rattled.
So why am I now crying? I haven't been teary until now.
I'm debating what to do. I really want to be there when they talk to the doctor at the end.
I feel rattled.
Kristi update
Mar. 10th, 2005 11:00 pmI left work at about 4pm and headed back to the hospital. Kris was in surgery until sometime after 7. We thought we would see her in an hour, then two, then more. We finally saw her at about 10:30.
She is in a lot of pain. Because of the high level of pain meds that she has had to be on, they are having trouble controlling her pain - she's just plain resistant. It was pretty hard to see her all hooked up to the machines and struggling like that. They gave her something for nausea that was knocking her out, though, and we left her to sleep. They will move her to a room tonight, and I will take her some things tomorrow, but they said not to leave any personal belongings for the time being.
I am worn out, but jittery. Must try and sleep soon....
She is in a lot of pain. Because of the high level of pain meds that she has had to be on, they are having trouble controlling her pain - she's just plain resistant. It was pretty hard to see her all hooked up to the machines and struggling like that. They gave her something for nausea that was knocking her out, though, and we left her to sleep. They will move her to a room tonight, and I will take her some things tomorrow, but they said not to leave any personal belongings for the time being.
I am worn out, but jittery. Must try and sleep soon....