Just before Banding!!

Well I have finally crossed over to the other side!! WOO HOO!! I am feeling very sore and sorry for myself.

Yesterday we dropped the kids off to school, and as usual we were all running around like headless chooks. The kids made it to school just as the siren was going. As soon as they were dropped off, i had to go and drop some bits and pieces off for a Bridal Expo I was showing at. Even though I wouldn't be there, someone was saying my speech on my behalf and I still had my folio there. After that, we dropped Xander off at Grandma's. We stayed there for about an hour and then we started heading off to the hospital. I had to make a quick stop to the newsagent to stock up on some magazines and to the chemist for some degas.

We arrived at the hospital at about 10.50 and trying to find parking was a nightmare. There were cars everywhere so we had to be on the lookout for cars leaving. It didn't take us too long to get a spot though. I checked into the main desk at exactly 11.00am. i had to wait about 10 minutes until I saw the admissions clerk. I saw her, she asked a few routine questions and before I knew it I was on my way up to my ward. We had to wait about 15 minutes in the lounge area, but then the nurse came and took me to St Gabrielle's ward (the kids ward, but no kids were there!! LOL).

By now it was 11.30 and Herbie Fully Loaded had just started on the movie channel, so we sat there and watched that. Luke and I also flicked through some magazines. At 12.00pm I had a heparin injection in my tummy and I got to put on the sexy dark blue gown and my sexy stockings. At 1.10pm I was given a pre-med, some panadol, and anti-reflux tablet and an anti nauseous tablet with the smallest amount of water to go with them. I was starting to get nervous and really anxious, but it didn't take long for the pre-med to kick in. it settled my nerves a little, but I was still shaking a little bit.

Luke left at 2.50 to go and pick the kids up from school and just as he was walking out the door they were here to wheel me down to theatre!! GULP!! The trip on the gurney is always a long one to theatre. You still have all the questions going through your head and even the occasional thought of not making it through was passing by!! I had to wait in the waiting area for about 20 minutes to half an hour. Dr Watson came a saw me and wished me luck and told me not long to go now and asked me if I had any questions, which of course I didn't have any to ask. So it was a pretty quick visit. But he really did reassure me, which was great!!

About 10 minutes after Dr Watson had been, they were back for me. It was quite a long way to the theatre. I was being operated in theatre 6. I tell you though, the operating theatre looks nothing like you see them on TV. They are much smaller and don't look all that green like you see them. They pulled my bed up next to the operating table and I had to shuffle myself onto that and lie down. I had both the arms rests out which I had to place my arms on. They put the sticky pads on my chest and the finger thing on me to do my oxygen levels. Then Dr Lumsden (the anaesthetist) came and said hello to me and told me he would be placing a needle in my left hand and that I would be feeling sleepy within 30 seconds. I had the oxygen mask placed over my mouth and I swear it was going to suffocate me. I could feel Dr Lumsden giving me the injection and I remember fighting it and then before I knew it I was out like a light!!