We had the pre-op interview with an operating room nurse this morning. Short and sweet. That's the interview, not the nurse -- actually, she was very sweet, but I have no clue about her height since she had called me on the phone.
So anyway, we are all set for this Friday. We have to be at the hospital at 6 am. Which means we have to leave the house around 5:40 am. Which means I have to get her out of bed around 5:15 am. Which means the screaming may commence earlier than the surgery itself.
We'll check in at registration, and then they'll take us to the holding area. Sue (the nurse) told us that if TingTing wants to, they can wheel her back in a little red wagon. So does that mean some hot, studly hunka-hunka burning love will carry me back to the holding area? No? Oh well.
Once we get to the holding area (I am picturing a pen filled with animals ready for slaughter, or the room where they book prisoners and hand out those orange jumpsuits), they will prep her for the surgery, and the orthopaedic surgeon and the anathesiologist will come speak with me. And then they'll wheel her in. I am guessing the little red wagon will be out of the picture by then. And that's when I will begin my pacing and worrying (actually, the worrying has already started) and talking to myself (that actually has also already started, way back in 1978) and random bouts of freaking out.
The surgery is expected to last about two hours. But it depends on what they find. If all the doctor needs to do is the soft-tissue reconstruction, then two hours it is. However, if a bone fusion is required, then it may last longer.
After that, they will wheel her to the recovery room, and the doctor will come out and speak with me. Once she starts to wake up from the anasthesia, they will let me into the recovery room to be with her. They don't anticipate her staying in the hospital for more than one night, if at all, and she should be ready to go home the following morning at the latest.
And then the real fun begins ...
