Monday, October 03, 2005

A Very Tiring Day...or 2 - Monday

Today I had pre-op tests at Cleveland Clinic. Next Tuesday, I 'm having out-patient surgery there for a TVT. Basically, my bladder is prolapsed, and I'm getting a sling for it!

So I started the day driving from Independence to the Clinic - a 20 minute drive which took an hour because of rush hour traffic. How do people do that every day!?

My first test was called Urodynamics. This is why I had to arrive with a full bladder. I won't go into the gory details here. Google it and you can find out what they did to me.

Then off to see the gynecologist who will doing my surgery. While trying to pay my co-pay, I discovered that I had left my debit card at the restaurant last night! I swear, I only had 1 beer! The doctor is really nice and makes everything sound like the proverbial piece of cake. He even had a way of making a blood transfusion sound like not big deal!


Next I filled out a questionnaires on line, then the nurse went over all my post op instructions with me. This is the first time I've ever had it done before the surgery. Usually, they go over them when you're still loopy from the anesthetic, and then wonder why you don't remember them!

Off for my blood work. No one can get my blood except Trudy, the tech at my doctor's office. So the poor girl at the clinic poked a little bit, but the vein just kept rolling away. I told her just to get it from my had. That vein almost blew, but she was able to get enough before it did. She was so nice about the whole thing, and didn't lose her cool, that I couldn't even get irritated over the whole thing.

Next an EKG. The guy told me that he had just done EKG's on all the Cleveland Cavaliers! What an anti-climax I must have been for him.

And finally I saw another nurse who did the whole vitals thing. Then the internest who asked me all the same questions over again, listened to my heart and lungs and sent me on my way.

I had to stop by the restaurant on my way home and pick up my debit card, so I was an hour and a half later than I thought I'd be.

But I'm home and tired. And trying not to think about the fact that I have to drive to Cleveland again on Wednesday to see the anesthesiologist!

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Enjoy your blog...so sorry about your up coming surgery! Another joy for those of us over 40!!!

Hang in there...you'll be in my prayers!!

Sarah said...

LOL about being and anticlimax for the EKG dude! Too funny!

All this stuff is no fun for you, I know. Hang in there.

BTW: ALWAYS tell the person sticking needles in you the BEST place to do it. I always ask my patients, and they are usually right!!!!