POD +2 , Post Operation Day plus 2

The general anesthesia should had worn off completely by now. My appetite for food is good, I don't feel nausea and tired and I got the mood and energy to pen down my experience two days after the operation.

Anxiety, anticipation and a bit of scary cat feeling. That was how I felt on Friday, the day I am schedule for surgery to implant metal plates and screws to my right ankle. I am looking forward to the surgery because with those metal implants, I will be able to get back on my feet within weeks instead of months. I am already feeling uncomfortable in the cast for 2 weeks and god knows how it will feel to be prisoner of cast for another 2 months. The prospect of been able to walk,drive and at less enjoy the outdoor air and scenery plus enjoying the holiday season with my dear friends and family, this are all the positive thoughts weighing against the little scary cat feeling I had for the surgery.

Its not the surgical knife, the operating theater and the looks of unknown masked man and women of the team that scares me. What I had apprehension on was this "Intravenous Catheter Insertion Device" popularly known as "plug" that is inserted to my left hand with a long thin plastic tube extending into one of my veins. Although I faces bigger needles before from the few occasion of blood donation, the thought of anything stuck into my body give me the creep. Adding to the fear was "Missy" story of some nurse having to poke in and out a few times before getting it correctly "plug in". Describing the procedures now thus give me a creep. First the Anesthetist will wipe alcohol to the insertion area. Next an injection of local anesthetic to the insertion area, this slightly swells up the vein. Finally the "Plug" is inserted with the aid of a access needle within the tiny tube. Once successfully inserted into the veins, the needle is withdraw and the flexible tube stays in the vein. The "plug" is now successfully installed, ready to take in any medication, nutrients, chemical and even potent poisons.

Now I can eat and drink through a tube on my hand.

It isn't painful at all but it isn't comfortable having something foreign stuck to the body. At less the Anesthetist and nurse tries to calm my anxiety by explaining to me whats going on and assuring me its nothing compared to blood donation. That little green plug on top of the "Plug" can be open up and injection of drugs can be administered. The transparent plastic protrusion is where the usual electrolyte drip is supplied through via a long plastic tube.

So now my greatest fear of the surgery was conquered and I'm just lying down waiting for my turn at the operating theater. In fact I am just lying outside the operating theater, occasionally the door swings open and I could hear the sound of grinding and drilling. The surgery was schedule for 11am however I was move down the queue to allow an old lady with hip fracture to have her surgery done first. Ended up moving into the operating theater at 2pm instead. Guess the surgical team realize my long weight for one of the guy came out and thank me for waiting and allow old granny to be operated first, even telling me that he will let old granny know I gave up the Q for her and if she got any grand daughter to introduce to me. Well I guess that was a joke by the surgeon for I didn't hear from any grand daughter this 2 days :).

Dr Anand Pillai, and his team will be operating on my right ankle. He is really burly and hairy with overgrown chest hair that could anytime burst out of his surgical gown. He came out of the operating theater to check on me and flip through a couple of document. We spoke a moment and was ask the usual question that was ask a dozen times by other medical staff , Name, IC, Drug Allergy. Its a dozen confirmation of the same old thing but its necessary. Dr Anand took out his pen and drew a huge arrow on my leg while making a rather nasty joke " Better mark out the correct leg so we won't cut off the wrong one later on." Somehow that little joke makes me relax a little.

Pushed into the operating theater and I am now looking at 3 huge lighting device on the low ceiling, it looks like 3 UFO hovering above me...threatening an alien abduction. The surgical team in mask and gown were walking around doing the preparation The Anestheist and one member of the team stood beside me and ask the usual question again... name and IC number. Next thing I notice was a syringe filled with white colored liquid plugged on top of the "Plug" on my right hand. The oxygen mask was place over my mouth and I suddenly felt a very cold sensation going through my left hand. I remebered clearly the last word I said " Eh!? Quite cold huh?".

I open my eyes and felt like a drunk man. I saw two nurses looking at me. I was totallly lost and confused untill one of them told me the surgery is over and I am at the recovery ward. Looks like I had went into to deep sleep for the 2 hour surgery but there was no dream, no feeling and not even a sense that I was asleep. I still remember the cold sensation going through my left hand and remembered opening up my eyes in this recovery ward, everything in between was a blank. It felt like the surgery finish at a blink of an eye. Very weird and very confusing. Spend the next 1 hour in the recovery ward trying the orientate myself and also drinking plenty of water because I was so thirsty. I looked down at my leg and no longer see a cast but bandages and dressing all around my right ankle region. The surgery is all over and Dr Anand thankfully did not materialize his joke of cutting the wrong leg.

Later on in the day, I was transfered to the ambulatory surgical ward, AS23, where I spend the rest of the days on IV Drip, antibiotics and painkillers. The whole evening feeling tired, had small appetite for food and was blur blur. Although it was only a 1 night stay at the ward, my thoughful friends visited. Missy came before her night shift work together with Corin who is on off day. Eddie walked to TTSH from his office at Revenue House to check me out. Palm and Joa drop by after their work with Subway sandwich and gift of Fish Essesnce drinks they brought from Eu Yang Sheng. Thank you thank you. I am blessed with your visits.

Discharged the next morning with the help of dad and Missy who came straight down to TTSH after her overnight work at NUH. Although the metal implants allows me to but my right feet on the ground again, I was advise to slowly transit from no weight, to partial weight and finally full weight over the next 2 weeks. The stitches are still fresh and the incision wounds are still at an early stage of healing. I'll still be on crutches for the next few days to put pressure off the feet for the time being and I expect myself to start walking before Christmas. Talking about Christmas, My dear bro Alfred and his Wife April will be holding a Christmas eve gathering...can't wait to meet up with the rest. Alfred and April visited me at home after I discharged from hospital. Its good the see the couple coping well with the their soon to arrive baby girl. April tummy had grown significantly and her chatter about their baby girl shows just how much she anticipate her birth. Hahaha....they brought me Essensce of Fish with Ginseng from Polleney! Now I had so much Essesnse of Fish that I am very sure the surgical wound and stitch will see a super speedy recovery before the holiday period. :)

In the meantime, lots of rest and nutrition for the next few days. Looking forward to changing of wound dressing on Monday and removal of stitch 1 day after Christmas.