I was wheeled under the familiar lights once again, the sleep plan was they’d give me a shot in the can, I’d sleep, and then give me another shot on my spine which would numb my body from waist below. Skin debridement involved cutting away all the dead skin and cleaning up the wound. I am so glad that Dr Askhar was joking about “NOT” giving me anaesthesia for this surgery, the last time they had come home for the dressing change😊

So with me under the familiar sights and of course our spectacled masked man showed up. He seemed less jumpy this time. In fact, I spoke to him a little more than last time. Yeah, we actually had a brief conversation. I told him I knew him from my OT dressing episode and reminded him of that one patient that threw up on the post-OT floor! Yup, that was me! 😁 He remembered! But I told him I knew him much before that, a couple of years ago came in for my thumb surgery and it was him who told me, we are sending you to Dubai while dozing me off! He didn’t remember that though! Obviously, he wouldn’t remember, considering the numerous patients he would have sent to Dubai on the OT tables!! 😂 I also mentioned that I blogged about him, I heard the nurse repeat that to him, saying “Doctor we definitely have to read it! ” I suppose it was the same aged nurse that wished me well in the sterile area. Anyhow with that small talk, I saw them pushing the medicine into the can and then stopping. Apparently, there was a bulge on my wrist, the vein wasn’t cooperating. I saw the anaesthetist insert another can on my forearm. It hurt a bit and I asked what was going on. He said we are just putting in a new can, nothing to worry about, and as they pushed in the medicine it was lights out for me …. again!

New experience

I don’t know how long I was out, I slowly came about, and I found myself in the weirdest position, or rather felt like weird. I could feel everything above my waist, my chest moving with each breath I took my shoulders arms, and hands. But nothing below my waist, it felt like I was kinda completely padded in like some sort of Styrofoam or cotton thingy from the waist below. I remember it felt comfortable like all wrapped around. It was as Dr.Askhar had told me they had given the spine shot to numb me from waist below. I was also laying on my side, the side I normally can’t lay on due to the external fixators. Yes, they had me in a position that I am still not clear about, will have to check that out with the doctors.

I was still in sedation and kept going in and out. As usual, I called out Dr Shahid, Dr Askhar, and this time Dr Harin !! They all responded yes.😊 I remember a person holding my right hand or rather me holding his hand, 😊 unlike the doctors or nurses he wore a brown outfit. Another person was standing near my head and wore the same outfit as well. I remember a few conversations with the guy in front of me, between me dozing on and off. I saw he never tried to remove my hands from his. It actually felt reassuring and secure. I know the good doctors are working on my leg, also know they are going to do a good job but nevertheless, in between the consciousness and unconsciousness, there were wee bit dark moments, where I’d kinda get worried. Each time I’d be awake I found myself holding on to his hands. I asked his name and he replied Hashim. Or that’s what I thought he replied. I asked him if he knew the power of the human touch! I don’t remember him answering that but I did hear him repeat that to the other person. My right hand was held by Hashim and my left hand was well … tied to a pole! I don’t remember if I was going haywire with it or was it falling off the table, either way, it was secured to what felt like a pole.

At one point Hashim left my hand but the person standing near my head held my hand instead. I remember the name Shalini or the sort. As write this I can vaguely remember that one of the hands had red or marron nail polish, and I think I saw a ring. I guess so, I could have been hallucinating. The chances of them not wearing gloves is most unlikely, I suppose I could have been hallucinating. Anyway, I can’t thank them both enough for this tiny yet amazing gesture, as I mentioned earlier it felt reassuring and secure that I was in safe and good hands. 😊

After Hashim came back I remember him removing the gloves from his hands. Strangely I wondered if it had to do with the question I asked earlier about the power of the human touch !!! 🤔😜 Most unlikely he would do that in a sterile environment.😬 Now and then I would wake up and try to raise my head to ask Dr Askhar how is the Lasagna looking. I think he replied “It’s looking fine ” Every time I raised my head the brown-out-fit persons would say ” Head down please ” 😊 I bet I was being a persistent little kid.

Radio Station

The next strange thing I heard was music, songs, and announcements. I could hear all kinds of songs from Tamil to Hindi, once in a while, I think I heard RJs making announcements. Wow, I thought to myself last time I was inside a Pixar movie, this time did I drift out to a radio station? 😂 the hallucinations anaesthesia can do to you 😊.

I am guessing after an hour or so they were done. The OT seemed kinda cramped than usual. I suppose it was because of the position I was laying in. I think there was an oxygen mask covering my mouth and nose. Which made talking a bit hard or at least I felt so. I am not sure if these are just the effects of sedation or they were real. The funny thing is you feel certain things, and you do talk but the conversation seems disconnected in places. Like in school fill in the blank questions, spaces left out in a sentence for you to fill in. The only difference is filling the spaces is not as easy as in school. Some of the spaces stay blank, and even if you do manage to fill in some there is no answer key to check if you got them right. Trust me I tried connecting and stitching pieces of my OT conversations, some I was able to make sense of with the help of my good doctors, some are still blank. 🙄

I vaguely remember seeing Dr. Askhar sitting by a corner. I remember someone telling me the surgery is over and we are all good. I felt a little nauseous, heard a voice saying “that’s coz of the medicine”. “You will be fine”. Just then they turned me straight and I was laying on my back again, looking up at the ceiling. Hmmm, the ceiling seemed unfamiliar I thought, did I sleep off in another OT and wake up in another OT, I know the hospital has about 9 to 10 OTs. Just as I was pondering over that thought, I threw up a little. It tasted bitter. Heard a voice saying ” Patient is throwing up!” Someone removed my oxygen mask then wiped my cheeks clean and turned my head to the side. I am glad they did that whoever it was, imagine choking on your own vomit!! I didn’t have any food this time, then how come I threw up? I wondered if this was the start of another vomiting spree. 😬

Then it all came back to me. The Parking lot !!! Oh no, not the parking lot! As I was wheeled out of the OT I was pleading to the person pushing the bed trolley ” Please not the parking lot ” They must have thought it must have been the effects of the anesthesia, for these guys wouldn’t know that I coined the post-OT as the parking lot !!! 😂..the last I remember was calling out Dr. Shahid and then …..Blank! (I guess I must have dozed off again )