That's how long as I was in the hospital -- from the time I arrived to check in until discharge the next day. Here's me the next morning, a self portait with camera phone -->
It's been a while since I've spent any length of time in a hospital, and I forgot what strange places they can be. I was at Duke hospital but I don't think what I experienced was anything particular to them.
- We arrived as instructed at 9:30. First stop, registration and check in,then a seat in the surgery waiting area. They give you a pager (disc that lights up and vibrates, like the kind you sometimes get a restaurants)
- Susan asked me if I was stressed (I wasn't; just hungry, since I couldn't have breakfast, and tired -- no coffee!); she said she wasn't stressed until we got into the waiting room and figured it was because she was catching the vibe from the pretty packed-in group there. I think the loud construction noises and cheap crammed-together furniture didn’t help, that’s for sure
- We sat next to someone that had been told to arrive at 5:30 AM for a 7:30 surgery and she lives 2 hours away. She looked pretty beat
- The pager went off at around 10:40 and it was time to get changed into a gown, booties and hat. They gave me 2 gowns to wear, the first one backward and the second one covering the open back – which came off as soon as I crossed the hall into the pre-op area and got onto the bed.
- This was it – time to say goodbye hug and kiss Susan
Next up – into the OR.
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