my hernia surgery

[phd1992]

I posted about my ultrasound from some 30 years ago. The story below is more like 30 days ago!

I recently had out-patient surgery to repair an inguinal hernia. It was done laparoscopically and robotically and everything came out just fine.

I got to the hospital at about 10am and they set me up in a room. A nurse came by and gave me a gown and told me to take everything off and put it on and I could lay in the bed. So, I did as instructed. She came back a little while later to check on me and told me they would be taking me to pre-op soon. Maybe 15 minutes later another nurse came with a gurney, helped me on and took me to pre-op.

The pre-op room was small, just about big enough for the gurney and someone to stand on either side. I waited there for a little while and a young nurse came in with a computer on a rolling tray. She told me her name was Katie and she needed to get some info and my vitals. She got my vitals and had just started asking some questions when the surgeon came in. He told me that although they would go in through three small incisions just below my ribs, sometimes they find they need to make a bigger incision in the groin area. He asked if that would be ok, I said yes and he had me sign a form for it. Same with giving me blood, if necessary. He then told me he needed to mark where the incisions would be and asked me to pull the gown up. I raised it just enough for him to make a mark on my groin, but he said he needed to mark on my abdomen as well and to raise the gown up to my chest. Well, given I didn’t have anything on under the gown, I was completely exposed to the young nurse. The surgeon made some marks just below my ribs as well as on my thigh next to the hernia. Then he said “you’ll need to be shaved, too,” he looked at me, then at Katie to make sure she knew. Katie just nodded and said “yes.” The surgeon left and she continued asking me questions. When she was done, Katie said “ok, I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

As promised, Katie came back a few minutes later pushing a cart with some equipment on it. She gave me a nervous little smile and said “ok, i need to shave you now, so i need you to raise the gown up to where the surgeon made his marks.” So, I raised the gown up to my chest, completely exposing myself again. Katie started on my abdomen, which did not take long. Then she started on my groin area. First, she used some small electric clippers to get the bulk of the hair off. She, of course, had to handle me to get all over as well as have me spread my legs so she could get in my crotch. All the while she was making small talk. Just as Katie was about to use a razor on me, another nurse came in with an IV pole with a bag of fluid on it. She said she needed to get my IV lines in. She set up on the other side of the gurney from Katie who continued shaving me. The nurse put an IV line in the back of my hand, then said she needed to put one in my other hand as well, just in case it’s needed during surgery. She had to move to the other side of the gurney, so Katie who was still shaving me had to stop to let the nurse doing the IV to get in position. The other nurse put the second IV line in, left and Katie continued shaving me. She finished a few minutes later, cleaned up, told me I could put the gown down and left.

[Skylar21]

Unfortunate that both your experiences were medically related. Hope you've recovered from your surgery.

[phd1992]

I suppose, but since they were 30 years apart and all turned out well, it's certainly not the worst thing that could have happened!

Thank you, though, for your concern.

[phd1992]

Just an addendum: My wife and I went to a neighborhood holiday party last weekend. My wife has become good friends with the woman who hosted. Guess who showed up at the party? Katie, the young woman who shaved me! It turns out Katie is good friends with the hosts’ daughter. My wife and I came in and I saw Katie off in another room; I knew who she was immediately. After a couple of meet and greets, Katie spotted me, thought for a second and then realized where she knew me from. We smiled and sort of acknowledged each other but didn’t say anything. A little while later, I saw Katie and her friend off in a corner whispering conspiratorially. Not long after that, I saw my wife talking to Katie and her friend, and called me over and introduced me to both of them. We stood there chatting for a while, trying not to be awkward and trying not to let on to anyone that we already knew each other and, more importantly, how we knew each other! My wife and I stayed at the party for another hour or so. As we were leaving, Katie and her friend were at the door and said “bye!” Just as I walked out the door, Katie’s friend looked at me and smirked a little. I had no doubt Katie told her friend how she knew me!