#12

Sep 10^th at 1:30 I have an appointment at our family doctor’s office.  I meet with a fellow I’ve never seen before and he goes over some info, and then performs a routine examination for the pre-op: forms are filled out, blood pressure, heart rate, that sort of thing. 

The next morning I go back to the hospital at 10:30 for more pre-op screening.  This includes an electrocardiogram, blood samples, blood pressure readings, and a few other things that aren’t really invasive. There is a discussion about my pulmonary embolism that happened after abdominal surgery many years ago (blood clots in my lungs!)  Yes, I’m scared of that happening again, so please take care of me.  We talk about the Heparin (blood thinner) needles I had to stick into by abdomen after a uterine ablation about 8 years ago.  I’ll probably have to do something similar this time too.  Why is my heart pounding so loudly? I need to hear what she's telling me. It could be important!

This afternoon is the meeting of our ladies group at our church.  I let them know about my upcoming surgery.  Most of them have been touched by cancer and they understand all too well what I’m going through.  It helps to know you’re not alone.

Sep 17^th is the day to prepare my body for the surgery.  For breakfast I have to drink a glass of PurgoDan which tastes like lemony salt.  Not nice at all but necessary.  No solids are allowed today, just clear fluids.  I can have chicken broth for lunch and PowerAde for snack.  Gross!  Beef bullion for dinner.  Yuck!  I get another glass of PergoDan with a Dulcolax tablet for dessert.  I’ve asked our occasional cleaning lady to come in today to help me go through the place: vacuum, wash floors, clean bathrooms and dust.  I won’t be cleaning anything when I get home from the hospital, will I?