.Today was nothing short of a huge disappointment. First, I'm sorry that I am about to rant but you might agree with me and would be cheesed off if you were me. Second, there is a good point of this story and my doctor made the right decision but let me start at the beginning...
Followed all of my pre-op directions to the letter; no food or drink after midnight, used the pre-surgery wipes they provided, etc. I had my last dose of percocet at 2 am on time with a few sips of water to get it down (which was allowed).
This morning we woke up and caught the cab to the hospital. I checked in before 8 am since that was the time I was supposed to report to Surgery Admission. I went through all of the steps: waiting room, vitals check, hospital garb pick-up, waiting room #2. While I waited to be called on to get prepped, I sat freezing in their waiting room but at least got a warm toasty blanket from the warming drawer. SCORE!
I don't really know what time they called me to get prepped in my styling hospital gown, robe & footy socks to get ready to walk back to the Surgery Holding Room. Doesn't that sound positively penitential? Anyway, I met with the team that would be working on me as well as some of the surgery nurses and my anesthesiologist... that was a DEAD RINGER for the cab driver from this morning!
The anesthesiologist talks to me and puts my IV in and is about to give me my knockout drugs when he steps away only to come back to tell me that there was a problem with the sterilizing of some of the equipment for my surgery. It will need to be re-sterilized and that would push my surgery back...at least another 1-2 hours.
Now, keep in mind it's going on lunchtime, I haven't eaten since before midnight, and my last percocet for my poor broken elbow/arm has now been at least 8+ hours before.
They wheel me in my bed back to Surgery Admission Center & put me in two different rooms b/c the first was needed for other patients. I finally fell asleep, arm hurting and still in considerable discomfort, hoping to have surgery to wake up to a different level of pain. I was awoken at 2 pm by my doctor who came in person to tell me the following:
The prosthetic parts for my reconstructive surgery weren't properly sterilized. If they had used them as they were, there is a good chance I could have wound up with an infection after surgery. Even after the parts are sterilized they have to wait 2-3 hours to ensure the process worked. Doctor Taylor could have signed a waiver saying he was aware of the complication but would use them anyway. But. He didn't. AND THAT'S FINE BY ME! I am glad that he was concerned about health & safety procedures to not put me at risk. But I hate that it took them almost 2 hours after prepping me for surgery to tell me and make the decision to postpone it.
Tomorrow I am the first patient scheduled and have to start back at step 1 again. While this is HIGHLY frustrating, I am glad Doctor Taylor was professional & showed the utmost care for me & my health. Just really put out that I have to go through everything again and get mentally prepared again. If i was nervous today, I know tomorrow will be worse. Not to mention, I've got a nice big bruise at my IV site. Wondering where/how they'll repeat THAT tomorrow.
Nothing can ever be easy, can it? Here's hoping for a smoother tomorrow. Praying everything happens the way it should.
