Tuesday, July 17 -- To the hospital.
Spent the morning sending a few last minute e-mails, having a nice pancake breakfast with HW and apologizing to the cat for the suitcases. We were still shunned.
Got on the road and made pretty good time, all considered, and arrived at the hospital right on time. Check-in and orientation were, as typical for Germany, efficient and complex.
In between all else, last minute blood work and consultations with the surgeon's assistant and anesthesiologist (we decided on a spinal rather than general and some good sleepy-making drugs that wouldn't take me completely out, but would relax me to the point of not caring. took up most of the morning.
We were finally shown to the room about noon, and found lunch waiting. Roast pork with gravy and knoedel, typically German fare. After lunch, I answered a ton of questions (that had been covered at least three times already in various interviews -- information sharing anyone?) for the floor nurse (a male nurse is a Pfleger, a female is a Schwester -- Caregiver and Sister respectively, despite the female nurses NOT being nuns).
My marginally conversational Deutsch got a real workout, and HW's super translation powers helped muchly. By the time all the wandering about and interviews and finally meeting with the actual surgeon was done, it was almost suppertime. HW went for a walk to acquaint herself with the area while I awaited a couple of shots and more chatter with nurses.
We're doing the Lucy and Ricky thing here, separate single beds, but despite that, it's very cool for HW to be able to actually stay in the room with me. In the coming days, she'd prove to be a great help and a real trooper.
(HW: I threatened to set up a tent on the grounds if they didn't let me stay. It's evidently rare for a family member to want to be around for surgery, but there's no way I could be kept away. The power of touch is the best medicine in the world, and CG and I have a very touch-oriented relationship.)
She's infinitely curious about how things will get, what will happen and how I will be affected. I'm just ready to get this done and move forward.
Spent the morning sending a few last minute e-mails, having a nice pancake breakfast with HW and apologizing to the cat for the suitcases. We were still shunned.
Got on the road and made pretty good time, all considered, and arrived at the hospital right on time. Check-in and orientation were, as typical for Germany, efficient and complex.
In between all else, last minute blood work and consultations with the surgeon's assistant and anesthesiologist (we decided on a spinal rather than general and some good sleepy-making drugs that wouldn't take me completely out, but would relax me to the point of not caring. took up most of the morning.
We were finally shown to the room about noon, and found lunch waiting. Roast pork with gravy and knoedel, typically German fare. After lunch, I answered a ton of questions (that had been covered at least three times already in various interviews -- information sharing anyone?) for the floor nurse (a male nurse is a Pfleger, a female is a Schwester -- Caregiver and Sister respectively, despite the female nurses NOT being nuns).
My marginally conversational Deutsch got a real workout, and HW's super translation powers helped muchly. By the time all the wandering about and interviews and finally meeting with the actual surgeon was done, it was almost suppertime. HW went for a walk to acquaint herself with the area while I awaited a couple of shots and more chatter with nurses.
We're doing the Lucy and Ricky thing here, separate single beds, but despite that, it's very cool for HW to be able to actually stay in the room with me. In the coming days, she'd prove to be a great help and a real trooper.
(HW: I threatened to set up a tent on the grounds if they didn't let me stay. It's evidently rare for a family member to want to be around for surgery, but there's no way I could be kept away. The power of touch is the best medicine in the world, and CG and I have a very touch-oriented relationship.)
She's infinitely curious about how things will get, what will happen and how I will be affected. I'm just ready to get this done and move forward.
Labels: Pre-surgical comments
posted by edge | 3:09 PM
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