Healthcare Claim

I got wheeled out today at 1 o'clock.

My day started at 7:30 this morning, and my day may very well come to a close some time after Kathy gets back with a prescription for Vicodin.

The last time I took a half a one of those, I was out for 12 hours.

But, like I told the Doctor, if there's no intolerable pain from this then I won't bother taking any of the Vicodins.

I'd show before and after pictures, but I think I'll just save those for my private journal and spare my readers the visual impact of a granuloma, as well as the giant bandage they put on there afterwards. What really makes it unpleasant is not being allowed to shower for two days...

Here's a shot of a corridor, deep within the bowels of the downtown medical center.

Honestly, I never would've guessed there were so many labyrinthine twists and turns from pre-op to surgery to post-op. I managed to snap these pictures while being "parked" at various stages of my little adventure today. I didn't ask if it was okay to take pictures, either. I just whipped out my stealth black Razr whenever the opportunity afforded itself.

In Re OOBs: FWIW, I took a quick peek at the nurse's station outside my pre-op private room while waiting for an hour before the surgery, and got the distinct impression that there were a bunch of Walk-in candidates hanging around. So, when they started drugging me up, I retired to the time compression mode that successfully turned an hour of unconsciousness into a fifteen second personal experience.

I don't feel particularly toxic from the anesthesia, and the location of the surgery has yet to give me any slightest discomfort at all so far. I may very well end up wrapping the Vicodins in plastic, burying them in the yellow trash bag, and consigning them to the Wheelabrator liquidation process on trash day tomorrow. Of course, I'll have to stand guard over the bag on the curb 'til they pick it up, now that I've said I might do this...

My habit of snapping pictures was hardly abated, even after getting wheeled into the elevator by this very nice young lady.

At this point, the only slightest discomfort I have, three hours after this surgery, is the aftermath of the I.V. needle in the back of my left hand. It's still sore from the nurse taking three or four stabs at it before getting it positioned where it needed to be.

Lucky me, eh?