Yesterday was the big day. Surgery day.

I’ve had a few ops before : when I was ten I had a piece of foreign body removed from my leg (which was left there when the GP incorrectly stitched me up after a skating accident). In 2009 I had a d&c after miscarriage, later that year I had a laparoscopy and between then and now I have had two caesarian sections.

So the thought of surgery didn’t really scare me.

My day started at 4:30am with a tea-less wake up  and a trip to the hospital. I love being awake at this time of morning – while the city lights are still shining but most of the country is asleep. Mostly, it reminds me of my skating days.

6:20am admission took place and i was taken to my very simple cubicle where I met with the anaesthetist and made myself comfortable while I waited.

Normally, I come out of a general anaesthetic with no real issues, but feeling very nauseous and so when the anaesthetist spoke to me before surgery, he assured me that he would give me something and I would feel just fine when I came around this time.

9am : I was wheeled up to theatre where I waited (praying for calm) until around 9:30 before they took me in, moved me across to the operating table and put me to sleep. It all happened so fast!

What happened in theatre : I had four of my top teeth removed. 2 wisdoms because wisdoms cause issues and 2 premolars in order for the orthodontics to do their job. It all went well with zero complications.

…and then I woke up. Numb and completely out of it. I wasn’t nauseous but my body was just not cooperating. I could feel my arms spasming and the nurse asking if I was cold… nope, not cold just out of control. It was the worst feeling and I just couldn’t get myself to wake up and tell anyone what was going on.

Once down in the ward and still unable to open my eyes, they were shovelling coke, ice-cream and pain killers down my throat in an attempt to get me out before 12pm. Because anything after 12pm is considered a full day and authorisation was only given for a half day even though my surgeon had put my discharge time down as 2pm.

Phil arrived to fetch me with Keatynn who got the fright of her little life when she saw me 😦 We somehow made it from ward to car and then from car to heaven (my very own bed) where i spent the rest of the day in a fit of anxious sleep. Really, not sure what was in that anaesthetic but I was exhausted and completely restless at the same time.

4pm I finally woke up and was able to keep my eyes open, had a hot bath to wash the hospital smell off and spent the evening on the couch drinking tea through straws and very unglamorously sipping on the most delicious homemade chicken soup.

10pm: off to bed, still numb where I lay wide awake until 2am this morning.

I am so thankful to God that it all went well, that this day is done and that healing can now start. This was the first step to a healthy and problem free smile.