part 2

We arrived only ten minutes late to the surgery appointment and no one seemed to mind.  No one seemed to care that I looked like the Bride of Frankenstein, either.  It really wasn't pretty.  When I throw on clothes and run, it looks like I've thrown on clothes and ran.  Away.

But the surgery stayed on schedule and Rick was taken in at the time that he was supposed to have been.  We were told Rick's procedure would be 90 minutes long and that we would receive calls at the start of the surgery and the end.  And my phone really did ring with the first update.  Surgery began at exactly 8:32 am.  (Was I supposed to time it or something?) 

Elizabeth and I calculated that we had enough time for breakfast at Le Peep and perhaps even a short shopping trip.  Yes, I'll squeeze in some shopping any which way I can. 

Exactly 40 minutes later, just as I was savoring my 3rd bite of my pancake... the phone rings.  Could I come to the lobby and speak with the doctor?  Surgery is over and all went well. 

But my pancake!!!!  I've never finished a pancake so fast.  Nor driven so fast.  Nor broken so many speed laws, but I did make it back to the lobby before the doctor did.  Just in time to have my day ruined.

There were five of us waiting in the lobby yesterday morning.  Three of us went back to the 'consult room' to meet with the doctor.  I'd never met him before.  I never want to meet up with him again, either.  He was a big man, one you wouldn't naturally argue with... and so I didn't.  But, I sure will in the future.  He started the conversation off with some unkind remarks about Rick.  Uh, REALLY?  That didn't sit well with me at all.  Elizabeth was about to haul off and hit him.

The doctor did seem knowledgeable, though.  He seemed sure of himself.  He seemed confident.  It didn't take me long to realize he was arrogant, too.

Elizabeth said, "We've heard good things about you, Doctor." Dr. Arrogant said, "I don't doubt that."

Say what?

He began the surgery synopsis with some confusing talk about an antibiotic that they gave Rick.  Then he moved on to the procedure and how well it went.  He told us that Rick's hip was bad.  Very, very bad.  The bone was dead and the hip joint, what was left of it, was disfigured, hence all the pain that Rick has been in for the last few months.  All in all the surgery went very well and it was a clean procedure and that's why it was over so quickly. 

Then the good doctor went on to say, "and as for the antibiotic, I've taken care of this and all parties involved have been reprimanded and this will never happen again."

Say what?  WHOA, BACK UP!!!!

Then Dr. Confusing said, "I'm sending the anesthesiologist in to talk with you about it."

Uh, not before you come clean, Doc, on exactly what the heck you are talking about.

In a nutshell, someone took the topical antibiotic that was to be used on Rick's IV wound and mixed it up with the saline bag for his actual IV.  The antibiotic was hung on the metal stand instead of the saline and no one noticed.  The anitibiotic was dripping into his veins instead of the saline.  And no one noticed.  Then suddenly someone noticed.  A full inch had gone into his veins before they corrected their mistake. 

My reaction was not one of great concern... because it was an antibiotic, after all.  What could that hurt?  But I was wrong.  This particular antibiotic can cause kidney damage in people with compromised immune systems.  It was not the good doctor who explained all this though.  It was the compassionate, caring anesthesiologist.  The good doctor was long gone.

So, what now?  Well, Rick was due to be monitored very closely for changes in his kidney function, creatinin levels (whatever that is) etc.  Any change in the numbers would be cause for concern. This monitoring would be taking place over the next couple of days.

We stayed at the hospital until Rick was moved to a room, about an hour later.  So much for my plan to return to work, it was now 12:30, dangerously close to 1:00 and darn near time for a nap.  Or a shopping trip.  Guess which one won?  Sam Moon was just calling my name.  Loudly!

Know what else called my name loudly?  Two alarm clocks in my house went off... at 4:00 and 5:00 respectively.  In the afternoon.  PM.  We'd both set our alarms for the wrong side of daylight.

So, does this all have a happy ending yet, with a big bow tied up around it?  Be serious. 

I stayed with Rick throughout the evening because he was strangely awake.  He was strangely himself.  Which is strange... because anyone who has surgery is "out of it" for the rest of the day.  That's only normal.  And yes, Rick is anything but normal, but he was oddly normal after his surgery.  He didn't sleep, he wanted lunch and then dinner.

But it was odd.  Odd, odd, odd.

I left him around 8:00 and headed home to what I thought would be a nice eveing of rest. 

I was oh so wrong.

I'm tired of being wrong.

I'm tired of things being odd.

Heck, I'm just tired.  But there was no rest for the weary last night.  Because my phone rang at 12:00.  Midnight.  Oy vey.

* * * * to be continued * * * *