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Thursday, September 25, 2008

In the beginning: part two

I don't know what I expected when I woke up from surgery. Not that I would immediately be lucid, but, I don't know, maybe I would have a caring nurse or doctor at my side, taking my vitals, patting me on the head with a cold washrag, asking me what I would like for my first meal after surgery....

Maybe that did happen. If so, I don't remember it. The first thing I remember after surgery was being moved down THE BUMPIEST HALLWAY ON EARTH on a hospital bed with no shocks. I also remember a conversation, or snippets of one:

Do you think I ought to tell her?

Well, I think that it is always best to tell the truth.

Yeah, I guess so.

I don't know how well she is going to take it though....


Two people were wheeling me down the hallway. And I knew, I was just SO sure they were talking about me. That was it. My confirmation. I had a hysterectomy. So, as calmly as I could, I decided to engage these individuals in a rational, emotionless discussion. "Pardon me health care professionals, but I would like to have an in-depth discussion about my surgery and how this may effect my reproductive capabilities." Which, came out as a slightly audible squeak "Do I still have my uterus?"

No answer.

So I asked again, tears streaming down my face, "Do I still have my uterus?"

I wish I could have seen the look on these two people's faces. I really do. Looking back on it now, it must have been a look of shock and horror. It's probably not that I couldn't have seen these people's faces if I wanted to, it's just that I hadn't opened my eyes. I guess in the post-surgery haze, eye opening was optional for conversation.

What I did hear was a lot of stammering and the movement of the bed to its new location sped up considerably.

The next thing I remember was one of the people saying "Oh, are you her husband? Great. She is asking if she still has a uterus. I-I-I don't really know what surgery she had. Great, you'll take care of it? Great."

I'm pretty sure I felt the rush of two people running from my room.

Then I felt my husband take my hand. I opened my eyes. "Yes, Brenda, yes you still have your uterus."

To be continued...

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