Tuesday, February 26, 2008

This post brought to you by collarbones, screws, and the letter vicodin


Yesterday, I had this metal plate, which had been holding my collarbone in place since my surgery last May, taken out. This was the best operation I've had yet. First of all, since it was outpatient, I got to keep my underpants on, which adds enormously to one's sense of dignity in those all-but-backless hospital gowns. My cousin, Molly, drove Brian and I to the hospital, and even though my surgery ended up being delayed for something like four hours, the time flew by, the three of us laughing and talking and even playing charades for a while, I in my hospital gown, Molly with her knitting, and Brian critiquing the wan watercolors on my private waiting room's walls.

Once things got moving, it all becomes something of a blur (due, no doubt, to the sudden influx of sedating drugs through my IV). The operating room had, surprisingly, a large window to the outside, and the last thing I remember is a large blue sky with a dollop of slowly rotating cirrus. I asked the nurse in the recovery room if there'd really been a window or if I'd been hallucinating and she said that yes, the window and sky were real. The hospital is built into a hill, so even though the ambulatory surgery ward is downstairs from the entrance hall, it looks out on the sky. It's like being Tycho Brahe, but without the golden nose.

Anyway. Then we all came home and I ate some jello and slept for hours and hours. And then I woke up this morning and ate some jello and slept for hours and hours more. And now I'm going to have more jello.

As an aside, I keep having this sense memory of eating rootbeer-flavored jello, with fossilized bubbles in the gelatin that popped against my tongue. Has any such thing ever existed? Can I have some?

4 comments:

Tricia said...

Wow. I didn't know you were so post-industrial! :)

Glad it went well and you are fused.

Now Iiiiii am wondering about that Jello too. Sounds familiar, but I am thinking Doctor Pepper flavor??? Wha-??!

Nora said...

I could believe in Dr. Pepper flavored jello. Maybe it's something we used to have in our haunted apartment?

Anonymous said...

Now the voice of reason and memory. I don't remember what flavors I used to use, but I have occasionally made you jello with fuzzy water which does make for those fossilized bubbles.


momeester

seester said...

Mom: I can't believe you objected to calling your once-favorite brand of seltzer water, "radish water," but somehow, "fuzzy water," is less objectionable.

I don't want my water to be fuzzy.

Nora: I'm glad this surgery experience went smoothly. I hope you find the jello of your dreams!