This was all really new to me. I had never has surgery on anything before. And while it was only my pinky finger, they had to knock me out because that’s what they do.

And that’s what scared me most. I’ve never done drugs or drank a sip of alcohol. One of the biggest reasons is because I always want to be in total control of what I do.

I got to La Casa de Surgery and checked in and waited a few minutes. Then a very pleasant Irishman led me to a room and got me prepped. His main job was to get an IV started. He tried and tried, but I apparently have no blood in my system.

After we traded a few jokes about such things, the anesthesiologist took a crack at it. They tried three different veins, but finally found one.

This would be the vein that would usher in a new era of antibiotics and then the anesthesia. Good job, vein.

But before going to sleep, They walked me to the amazingly cold operating room. I laid on my back, got my arm into position.

The anesthesiologist told me that he’d be administering the first bit of “sleepy medicine” to me now. “I can feel it,” says I.

“No,” he corrected me, “that’s just the last bit of antibiotic…. You should feel it… n-”

I’m assuming he said “now,” but I was gone.

A completely indiscernible amount of time later, I found myself back in the room where I was prepped.

One thing I wanted to do immediately upon waking up was say, “aaand we’re back” in my best dead-pan Bob Barker voice. I mean, why wouldn’t you?

So, the first thing I remember upon waking up? Saying “aaaand we’re back” to Sarah as she walked into the room. I rock.

I’m sure I was up before then, but I have zero recollection of anything prior to that.

From then until getting into the car, things are a bit fuzzy. I remember a few things, like the doctor telling me that it was much worse than originally suspected.

Click to make it bigger.

There was also a nurse (not the same one) who did some stuff, but I can’t remember what. Sarah was there and pretty well in charge.

After that, we went to the drug store to pick up the meds. At this point, I could feel some pressure, but no pain. Well, except for the fit of pretty painful hiccups that I somehow managed to get from drinking water. These would last on and off until I went to bed.

We got the meds and drove home. The pain was not yet there, but after about 15 minutes of trying to eat a burrito as big as my head with one hand, the pain came.

It was absolutely intense. I felt like my hand was being crushed. And the hiccups returned. I took the meds for pain.

It took about an hour to kick in and when they did, it was weird. I still felt most of the pain, I just didn’t care. Freaky. I really don’t get why people take pain meds recreationally.

Sleep came quickly and I pretty well slept through the night. I woke up around seven, which is late for me.

I do not like this. The pain is bad enough, but the meds are not fun. I hope it all goes away soon.

Related posts:

1. Don’t Dremel Your Finger
2. How about some surgery?
3. Update on the breaking of bones
4. My winter morning (while it’s frozen in my mind)
5. An Aside: Alienation and Invalidation