down one polyp and one ligament!

When I departed Savannah on Wednesday, my left hand was slowly becoming a Muppet.
(That's how JinHi had referred to my disguised appendage last spring. Trust her to create something adorable for something deplorable!)
I had found that this ultra-soft sock blurred out the sensations for my frazzled nerves in those fingers and thumb, as well as providing much-needed relief from chilly temperatures.
I had also determined that settling my hands upside-down on any surfaces also quieted the incessant shouting to a mumbled roar.
That was much better for my other nerves.
So, there I was, on a foggy mid-week morning, riding the shuttle to Charleston once more.
Of course we had a bus full of folks talking about food, too.
And one rider even brought a bag full of doughnuts of various types, including cinnamon spins.
That's my favorite.
But could I indulge in such treats?
Of course not!
My innards had been thoroughly washed and had to stay pristine for another few hours.
I chose to catnap, hands facing upward, for the majority of the ride.

After our arrival three hours later, I went ahead and checked into Ambulatory Care.
To my complete surprise, my name was called in about thirty minutes!
That was almost two hours before my appointment!
Hallelujah!
After reminding them that I was not having anesthesia for the colonoscopy, and then confirming that choice to several more folks, I was soon wheeled into the room with Dr. Fu. Again, I reiterated my choice to not be put under, as my recovery takes about a week from such an option.
So, off to the races we went!
Thank you, Annie, for holding my hand while I panted and moaned.
Thank you, Dr. Fu, for being so gentle and for persevering.
Apparently, the abdominal surgeries I have had in the last nine years have created some very tight turns in my intestines. When the sensor was negotiating those turns, the pressure from the inside of the flesh-covered slinky of my guts to the muscles outside was hitting nerves which had never seen daylight and clearly belonged to the night.
Ouch.
The intestinal lining itself has no nerve tissue.
Lots of arteries and and veins, as I could see on the monitor, but not nerves.
That was made abundantly clear when I watched him excise the small polyp from one rosy peach-toned surface. A small jet of blood flowed from the plucking...but absolutely zero pain.
That certainly emphasized the importance of this preventative test to detect cancer in this region.
I'll have the results of the biopsy just in time for Christmas.
(smile)

Afterward, I was finally free to eat!!!
The cafeteria offered fish with tomatoes and garlic, carrots with raisins, and summer squash - yum! I added a chicken Caesar
salad - that definitely helped!
Before bouncing across the street to the Comfort Inn for the night, I took took chicken Chef salads with me. I had to eat plenty of fruits and the veggies! Just following doctor's orders!
(smile)

And for entertainment?
"Hairspray"!
Live and on the telly!
I danced along with every song!

The next morning, I slept in. No need to get up early for the free breakfast, as I could have none. My pre-operation time was set at noon, so I bopped back to the hospital about 10:45... just in time to watch "The Price Is Right".
Sweet.
A bit of normalcy for my day.
I didn't get to see the end, though. Margo came and got me and had me go ahead and disrobe.
No chickening out!
Within another hour or so, my first niece was there to keep me company while I waited.
Then we both waited some more, she in the family room just down from the prep room, where I waited.
The surgery schedule was running about ninety minutes behind.
No worries.
I was able to remind those folks that I was not having anesthesia for the carpal tunnel repair. After reiterating that choice to several more folks, the anesthesiologist set about putting a block on the median nerve and the radial nerve. I even got to watch! She used an ultrasound wand to find the nerve, showing two interns how to do so. Then, numbing medicine was applied above and below the nerve, resulting in my left hand going to sleep. Hooray! No more incessant tingling!!!
Then, to wait some more.
About 3 PM, I was wheeled to the operating room.
There, my left arm was treated to a tourniquet and a table of its very own.
That was the last I saw of it until an hour later.
A blue drape hid it from view.
At 3:39 PM, Dr. Herrera began the surgery.
I could feel some tugging on the flesh, but no pain, except for one twinge.
The tourniquet wasn't even as painful as I had expected.
By 3:55 PM, it was all done!
By 4: 10 PM, I was in post-op, being dismissed. As I had not been put under, they didn't need to wait for me to come out of it for dismissal.
Hooray!
By 4:45 PM, I was dressed, my niece had my meds, and we were out the door to retrieve the car from the parking valet!
Hooray!
I had already taken 300 milligrams of ibuprofen, to ward off any ill effects of the nerve block's expiration.
Hooray!
So, we hit the road back to Summerville, to retrieve some items she had left in her boyfriend's motel room. We three eventually made it to Ryan's for dinner, my first food since about 8 PM on Wednesday. There, I had some of the best cornbread I've ever tasted! Seriously!
It was like pineapple upside-down cake, without the fruit.
Definitely, that marked a successful venture.
My niece and I arrived safely back to her house just before midnight.
Now, to learn how to sleep with my left arm raised up.
That should be some cute trick, as I usually sleep on my left.
Her couch worked quite well for keeping me in position, though.

Now, I'm at home, catching up on emails while she is at work.
This evening, we'll be joining her friend Amanda for "The Journey: the night Christmas began". This will be my first time doing this walk back in time, so I'm very much looking forward to it! It'll be a good experience and I can certainly use the exercise, especially after these past few days.
Okay!
She's here!
Later, y'all!