it was shorter – just one hour instead of nine. no icu afterward – just some tongue and mouth rearranging.
the process. . . the feeling of starting and ending the procedure – were radically different. going into my first surgery i didnt have much awareness of pre op stuff – they put me under early. this time, i was awake and alert during most of the pre op, including long minutes in the OR. discussing and placing tubes, medicines. monitors – awake for all of it. and i knew almost half the staff – the surgical interns faces familiar behind their masks, giving dr seok a nod as he squeezed my hand, making a wan grin at dr jang. letting the anesthesiologist patter on about minnesota.
coming out was less like icu too – it was just a post op wake up room and people bustled around but rather than the intense attention received after the first surgery, this time i was mostly ignored. finally they wheeled me out and andrew was there and i returned to 10th floor ward.
dr ryu came and gave me a summary, but i missed details, still feeling fuzzy. ill have to find out later. but he seemed happy with the outcome.
so more later. . . im home in my ward and already ambulatory.