My first major operation.

Well that was a first for me.  Under the knife on the 13th of
December.   My appendix decided to explode.  They put me to
sleep, opened me up and tried to clean all the poop from out my
belly.  Lots of X-rays, Cat Scans, EKGs and EMGs.  They didn't
let me eat or drink for the first couple of days.  Boy that first tray
of food was...  I can't begin to describe, I was ravenous. To make
matters worse i had fasted for a few days prior to the operation
thinking that whatever was wrong with me would work it's way
through my system better if there was no food to digest.

Let's see.  I called the ambulance at 5:00 AM on a Monday that
would have been the 13th.

I had a tube down my nose and throat and into my belly to suck
up stomach juices.  There was a catheter in my urinary tract so
that I didn't have to get up to urinate.  I was on a constant drip
IV of antibiotics through the vein in my neck.  I was on a
constant drip of saline through the same tube.  They tapped a vein
on the back side of both my hands.  There was a 'drain' that
siphoned off the puss from my belly.  Once that stopped filling
up and the drained liquid looked clear they gave me the go-ahead
to go home.  I was in excruciating pain.  The likes of which i had
never experienced before.

I had never spent the night in the hospital since i was a baby.  I
got 13 staples and a hand full of sutures on my belly.  I don't
know how many sutures they used inside.  I just hope i don't
break them until they've done their job.  To their credit they
tried to go in using Lapro Scopy through my belly button.
I guess i was just too far gone for that approach.  Such a
mess.  Well, I owe my life to the doctors and nurses who
were working that morning.  Now, after New Years i'm feeling
much better and i'm really grateful for the help i got at
Sutter Medical Center right here in Santa Rosa.

So, HAPPY NEW YEAR, may it be healthy and happy for all.