Good morning all. I don't have a lot of time, I'm scheduled to be at RRMC at 8am and my dear friend, Jerry Byrd will be arriving in approximately 1 hour. I did want to share with you all the musings that I created on the day of the last surgery. On that momentous occasion, the second surgery I ever experienced, the first was when I was 18 years old, a very different time and a different me for certain, I was accompanied by my dear friend Allyson Hoffman. I'm thrilled to be getting this second hip. Now I can truly make the expansive progress having both of them working properly and the journey started post car accident when I was hit by a car in a cross walk which exacerbated and ultimately revealed the condition of my hips can be left aside while I phase into this new time in my life.
I am in absolutely the most fabulous hands by Dr. William Lighthart and his extraordinary team. I can't praise them enough for their excellence and thoughtful thoroughness. Truly they are all the epitome of professionalism and healing. So, I do hope you all have a fruitful day and I will do my best to report later today, if I'm able. Be well, enjoy my reports from April 30th's experience.
DEAR FRIENDS,
What a momentous day. First off, I awoke at 3:25, no melatonin on the march to surgery all vitamins and herbal supplements must be suspended. Took another lovely shower with the special soap, disinfecting all bacteria, and was picked up by Allyson, my dear, dear friend, at 6:15. We got on the road after a short talk with the land owner and with good wishes all around set off for Rutland. Being further north than Bennington, it took about 40 minutes. And, except for the tailgating and at times ridiculously slow drivers, we made it with much insightful conversation going on. (It all started with a death - may be a future blog, haven't decided yet).
I arrived and immediately went to Ambulatory care where they whisked me in and the adventure began, first, changing out of clothes and taking care to use the rest room one last time. Then, in bed for some information exchanges, signing of documents and recording my blood pressure, pulse etc. LOW AND BEHOLD, my blood pressure was high, which set everyone off in a tizzy. I suggested a change of cuff, after it became clear that the blood pressure was going up. Well, it kept staying where it was, in spite of my doing much meditating - with many interruptions - special deep breathing to calm the blood pressure and finally after being threatened with" they may have to postpone the surgery" it went down - not to much mind you, but, I was able to lower it enough to where they said ' OK, surgery time the anesthesia will bring it back down." and it did. I awoke - after 45 minutes? of a usual 75 minute operation ( I'm not sure of the numbers but it was quite a bit faster than expected) All numb and with my blood pressure back to normal.
Then, after about an hour - of in and out - and some very interesting encounters with belief's and some very crazy visions characters and situations, I was brought up to my single room - WHAT? Single Room? Private Room? Yep!
So, then after 5 minutes and the nurses happily getting me set and talking to me about this and that - very professionally I might add - I announced that I'd really like to use the rest room. Very surprised that I wanted to get up, and walk after only 5 min in the room, they showed me what to do, prepared everything and voila - Up I was on my feet. My bathroom visit was successful and every one was amazed, Then, they instructed me about getting in and out of the bed, had me do a few other positions and once again I had completed all that they would require of me.
Then, Allyson, ever the fairy godmother, starts to talk about lunch. And, I boasted - "you know me, I always want pizza". Half kidding of course, nope - she wouldn't hear of it, Lickity split she left and came back with Ramunto's of Rutland's pizza. The nurses walking in and out all flipped with the aroma, and I was a very happy man - except when they interrupted the joy need to - TAKE MY PRESSURE AGAIN.
So, lunch was great fun. I got more settled in the room. Moved permanently from the bed to the recliner and I spent all day there. Some time around 3pm in comes two lovely people from PT. They were very professional, very helpful and attentive. First off, they decided to have me stand with the walker, so they gave me instructions and It was time for me to stand. I did what I always do, have done, ever since I made my recoveries from being hit by a car on 12/19/17. I had to live with what had happened. Hips that didn't work, hips that were very frozen although it would be until the following summer when we discovered their lack of function.
I lifted myself off the recliner and the two professionals commented on what they had just seen. I explained that I was living with my situation for quite some time, so lifting my entire body with my arms out of a chair had become a breeze. They then, had me start to walk and I did walking around with the walker with basically no problem. I did a tour of the nurses station and had very little discomfort. Apparently, I'm on a pain killer, Toradol and anti inflammatory which should be used sparingly, not more than 5 days and apparently is also helping with the pain. The pain is extremely minimal, which is a big surprise. I'm happy to say that my relationship with various types of pain has been life long. Ulcers at an early age, an enormous amount of tooth pain recently, and then all the leg pain, which has been chronic. I'm still curious to find out how much pain there really is. The walk around the nurses station was very easy, it was fun and again, the professionals were truly excellent and attentive.
The rest of the day was a flurry of phone calls, talks with my dear friends, and then eventually my sister. My conversation with my sister was amazing. Powerfully, illuminating and life changing in ways only she and I would understand. Conversation about letting go of emotional patterns, my mother's passing, a visitation of sorts from an beloved aunt of ours. The purpose my involvement with my mothers care for the first 9 months after my father's death and my sister's involvement during the last 9 months until she passed in December 18th 2017. My sister is the culmination of many, many deeply talented Sicilian women. A creature who oozes creativity and who has taken on the burdens of an entire family. Burdens which are both typical and chronic which, contrary to popular belief do not have to have to be carried throughout one's life, but can in fact be put down, released with faith that it's OK to let go. For one very simple reason, trust. Trust in one's self, trust in the sanctity of everyone's path, of everyone's soul and the decisions made through that part of ourselves. It may be contrary to many's thinking but, it does work and it is true.
That's all for now, I realize that you'd all like to hear the rest and I promise I will - but, I've been up since 3:27 this morning, and i have to sleep.
Well, that's my report from the first surgery. Originally I had planned to start this blog that day. It wasn't to be, which is fine for all things unfolded perfectly. Hope to be with you later in the day. I'm truly grateful for all the prayers and supportive energy being sent my way! I had such a wonderful day yesterday, I'm sure today will be equally as brilliant! As always, Thank you all! for being with me. Thomas
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