April Fools Surgery

 April Fools, I haven't been sick this whole time and I didn't have to get surgery!!!! YEAH RIGHT. I wish it was a joke, however on April 1st I drove myself to my surgery that I checked in for at 9:45 am. I had to wait two hours before I actually got the tonsillectomy. The nerves were getting to me. I hadn't had surgery since my chemo treatment in 2011 and I knew I needed to step my strength game back up. However this time was different. Doctors went on and on explaining insurance details and surprised me with the "no one is allowed to see you in the recovery room because you're an adult now". They told me they'd give me something to help with my anxiety, which they didn't end up giving me until right before my anesthesia so I had already suffered through that going into surgery late.


Before I went into surgery they put an IV in me, it was actually pretty painful because I had to wait longer with it before it was put to use. You're supposed to take all of your jewelry off before surgery as well, which I did except my ring. I wanted to keep it on because I have worn it through really hard times, including never taking it off during my chemo treatment as well. So just like the surgeries I got during chemo, they taped up my ring. Before I was wheeled off in my hospital bed, I let my dad know as he wished he was here for me at the time. As the nurse took me to the surgery room, the door closed on me. That made me feel like I was in GREAT  hands! Entering the surgery room there were multiple people there. They all said this is no way to spend Spring Break, especially living in the area of Deltopia. I said I know but this had to get done now while I have some school off because I keep getting sick. Right then the anesthesiologist injects the "relaxer" NOT the anesthesia and all I remember is getting moved mid air to the operation table in the middle of a sentence. I was out before I had the anesthesia! Wow good job Angela!

Next thing I knew, I was (barely) waking up to the sound of the IV machine. Usually that sound creates so much anxiety within me, but I was on some good stuff. I felt like a baby in it's mother's arms on a fluffy warm cloud with sunshine peaking in. But no, it was only me in a hospital bed looking at the light coming in from very small window. I'd doze in and out of it constantly due to the nurses coming in and the machine taking my blood pressure over and over. I'd glance at the results every time it did and saw how it was a lot lower than my usual blood pressure. I knew it was because of what the doctor had given me, I hadn't felt this relaxed in a LONG time. There was a towel with ice wrapped around my face, it was what I leaned on to doze off but then the nurse took it off me. I then felt my face and asked the nurse why my face was so soft. She explained, "Because you're young and beautiful". I felt like all of my skin was softer than normal and knew it was for some other reason, but I accepted her answer because who wouldn't?

After 2/2.5 hours in the recovery room, the nurse told me I could get ready to go now. I sat up and she told me to wait there for a bit before I stood up. She rubbed my back and it made me feel a lot better about doing this so independently. She left while I changed. After I was done she came back and walked me to the bathroom slowly because I really had to go. Had to get rid of all those IV fluids! I enjoyed a blue popsicle while she discussed everything with my Great Aunt and I. Then I was walked to the car and driven almost 2 hours to LA from SB. Even though I had the right to be extremely unhappy I wasn't. I'm almost thankful that I had to get this surgery done because it reminded me of the strength I used to have and that it's still possible to use it. I have never lost that strength. It is right here and has encouraged me to write more in my book as I'm healing, (Currently on Chapter 6 now)

I'll save the recovery process for the next blog post, as I won't be doing anything but that and driving back to Santa Barbara tomorrow. I don't know how I'm going to drive that far when I'm still in need to take these pain pills, but I need to go to school Tuesday even though I shouldn't. My teacher just so happens to accept no excuses including surgeries and I have a quiz to take...yay.