#13  Prep Day

While we’re cleaning the house, I have to excuse myself several times to empty my bowel.  This isn’t very pleasant, but I’ve been here, done that, for the colonoscopy and the second sigmoidoscopy.  I’m on pins and needles waiting for the hospital to call and give me the time.  Finally, the voice on the other end of the phone says, “Your surgery is scheduled for noon and you have to be at the same day admittance office by 10 a.m.  Nothing by mouth after midnight tonight.”  Noon?  Well, at least I can sleep in until about 9, that is if I even get to sleep.

Sep 18^th is the day.  I get up around 7:30 as there’s just no sleeping with my mind obsessing over today’s operation.  I take a nice hot shower and let the water run over me for what Mike calls “forever” but it doesn’t seem long enough.  I decide to wear my plaid pajama pants and navy blue t-shirt to go to the hospital.  That way I’ll have something super comfortable for today and for the trip home in 4 or 5 days time.

We drive down to KGH and he lets me off at the door while he goes to find parking.  It’s nearly 10 and I walk at a very quick pace.  Oh shoot (substitute another word in here), I can’t be late.  I’m not late, but just in time to hand in my OHIP card and “please have a seat.”  So I wait.  There are so many people here already.  Some in those sexy gowns, some in street clothes, and others in their own pj’s, like me.  Are they as scared as I am?  Do they have cancer?  Are they being opened up today too?   Where’s Mike? 

 

They call my name.  It’s my turn.  A smiling nurse leads me to a small curtained cubicle where I strip naked and put on one hot, revealing open-backed gown.  Now at my age a woman sometimes has a problem when she sneezes or coughs.   We leak.  There, I admit it: I leak a bit of pee if a sneeze catches me off guard.  The smiling nurse finds me a pair of disposable elastic underpants and a huge maternity sanitary pad.  When things are all tucked in she leads me to another room where . . .  I wait.