Part 2 - The Surgery

Don turned around and looked at my distressed face and came back to give me an apologetic kiss. Dad stood behind him smiling.

The nurse wheeled me into the operating room corridor. I was left outside the suite watching people going to and fro. Lots of people greeted me and it was nice not to be ignored. The tears however, continued to fall. I met my anesthesiologist, my nurses and then my doctor came.

"Are you alright?" she inquired.
I just nodded.

Right behind her was the anesthesiologist. He injected something into my IV saying it would help to calm me. I was wide awake. I felt it go into my hand. It burned. After a few more minutes they wheeled me into the operating room. It was fairly large - but typical. I remember scooting from the gurney over to the operating room table. A few exchanges between the nurse and that was it.

"Julie...Julie...would you like to see your husband and your Father?" a voice came out of the darkness.

I was nodding yes before I got my eyes open. I looked back and forth. People were everywhere. Nurses and staff hurrying up and down the center hall. Patients on either side of me only separated by curtains. It felt like a MASH triage unit...like organized confusion. My eyes roamed back and forth looking and searching...and then a figure came into view that I recognized. It was Don. He approached me cautiously and he looked nervous. Dad was behind him and came to the other side of my bed.

"You look good Julie." My Dad said enthusiastically.

"Liar." I thought and too drugged to roll my eyes at him. My thoughts were confirmed when I had to stop him from trying to comb my hair!

I felt like something was pressing down on top of me. All I knew was that I wanted to get out of there and into my room. It seemed an eternity until they wheeled me out. I could hear Don and Dads muffled voices following. The ceiling lights rolled over me as we progressed. Into the elevator and down more halls until finally we came to what was going to be my room...my space - at least for a while. It was a private room, modestly decorated but very comfortable. I slept most of the day away...and regretted not asking Don to stay with me that first night...

..to be continued