The Nurse was named Mercy and she was extremely nice and capable. First thing was to weigh me. According to their scale 260.8 which means a 13 lb loss. This does not quite jibe with my scale at home. My scale said 265 which means a 15 lb. loss. Earlier I said my scale was going to be my official ticker scale so see below for my ticker.

Back to what went on in the pre-op room. Got into a patient bed and she asked me all sorts of questions: did I follow my diet, last thing I had to eat or drink was when, anything foreign in my body (which includes tampons), any allergies to anasthesia in the family, do I have history of high blood pressure. Then she started an I.V. I was given the choice of in the hand or the elbow. I let her choose, she knows which one she's better at. I got Versed (sp?) for pain. They must be really concerned about preventing blood clots, they put anti-blood clot booties on my and gave me a shot to prevent them. That shot left a big old bruise on my hip.

The OR nurse and the anasthesiologist both came in to chat, repeated the same questions Mercy had already asked. Then it was on to the O.R.

They wheeled me down a hallway to the O.R. put a mask over my face (I think) and then.................................................................................................................

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I woke up saying "ow". That was about all I could manage to say for a few minutes then I added "water". Remember I'd never had any type of surgery before at all. So this was a completley new experience for me. I'm real fuzzy on the details as to what actually happened. I think I kept asking to lay back down and go back to sleep but they wouldn't let me. One of the nurses went and got my dad & my aunt. I had to go do the "swallow" before they would let me have any water. It tasted like chalk. Then they led me back to my chair and gave me some water. Oh it was so good. They also told me that I'd had an hiatal hernia and the doctor repaired it while he was in there. I also got some Lortab for pain. Then they made sure I could pee and one of the nurses helped me get dressed and it was time to go home. Dad pulled the car around and everybody helped me in. Even my mom who had to help me in by phone seeing as how she's on a business trip. It was 3:15 when we left.

On the way home Dad stopped at Walmart and got me some GasX and some gatorade to sip. That's all I drank for the rest of the day. I slept most of the way home, except for the bumps.

I already posted what I did for the rest of the day, alternated the recliner and walking. I also used the breathing thing. I dont' know what it is called. I have to suck in and get the thingamajiggy to hit a certain mark. I'm supposed to do it 10 times an hour I think. But its hard, I guess I don't have much lung capacity.

Then I took some more of my medicine Hydrocodone and went to bed. Except I didn't sleep in my bed. I was afraid I might pull something trying to lay down or roll over. So I slept in the recliner in my room. So now this morning I have a sore back. Not real bright I guess. I'm slowly drinking an Unjury chocolate flavored protein shake.

That's all folks.