A Tale of Two Surgeries

I'm 33 years old and fate would have it that I would experience two non-birth-related surgeries in my life so far. It sucks but lucky for me, neither of them have been very serious but still, I got a taste, a sliver of what it's like when our bodies have health issues and recovering from surgeries.

In Fall of 2004, we discovered a benign tumor on my right thyroid gland. Phew for being benign but it was large enough that the specialist wanted it removed. And so I waited for my surgery date. In Feb. 2005, I was scheduled for the surgery. The surgeon was from St. Paul's Hospital but my surgery would take place at the False Creek Surgical Center and then I would be transported to the hospital for an overnight stay. I was engaged at that time and working full time so didn't really think much of it. In fact, I remembered being much at peace with it all. The Surgical Center was a sleek, modern medical office. I don't exactly know how my surgery ended up there; perhaps, there was outsourcing done by the hospital?! Once I changed into my patient gown, the nurse led me into the operating room and I climbed onto the operating table myself. Yes, I found this (as my first experience) to be very odd. The operating room had large windows all around with an amazing view of the North Shore mountains and it was altogether more like a dentist office than an operating room. The last thing I remembered was hearing the doctors chitchat with each other, before I went under...

During one of my second pregnancy ultrasound, my OB noticed a large cyst on my right ovary. I had not felt any pain so we monitored it until after I gave birth to see if it would go away on its own. Unfortunately, it didn't, so on Friday, i was scheduled for a laparoscopic removal of the cyst and possibly my ovary at St. Paul's. My second experience was more worrisome. There was just more to worry about; the kids, and going under the knife yet again. This time, the surgery was at the hospital so I checked in two hours before my surgery. They did an assessment, I changed and then waited for a good long hour. I felt way more anxious this time around. The hospital setting does not lend itself to be a calm and restful place. There were nurses, patients, support workers all milling around the Surgical Daycare unit. When it was my turn, I was wheeled into the OR though a set of doors to a hallway of many large doors into the operating rooms and one of them had my name on it. The operating room was stark white and sterile. The radio was playing but it didn't soften the feel of the scary operating room anxiety I felt soon after. My OB was there and other nurses and resident nurses introduced themselves. It was weird having small talk with someone lying down and quite honestly, I wasn't in the mood to chitchat with masked faces. At one point, I thought they had already administered the sleeping drug and was waiting for me to go under. My legs felt heavy so I asked but they didn't yet! But soon, my OB said, "Rachel, you can go for your spa session now" and then I did =)

I am recovering well but can't carry the kids or do much so it's a rest time that I'm definitely not accustomed to as a busy mom of two!