THE YEAR OF THE SURGERY: PART II

                On October 1^st, 2013 we awoke at 4:30 in the morning, I would get few days of sleeping in on this vacation.  Ashley would be the first surgery of that day and she had to arrive early for all the prep work.  We grabbed the film gear and Ashley’s overnight bag and we headed to hospital.  For the first hour we were just moving from various waiting rooms where Ashley filled out papers and answered questions.  Ashley and I were both under the assumption that we would get to say good bye to her right before they would wheel her off to surgery.  However, one nurse comes and tells Ashley to follow her and we quickly realize that we must part ways now, not later. Instead, Ashley almost left, without us hugging her farewell.  Luckily we got a minute to wish her luck and send our love, but it all felt so rushed.

                Then the three of us were sent to the “Family Waiting Room,” where for the next four and half hours we waited.  “Waiting” is probably a big theme of this whole time period, but these hours while Ashley was having the surgery were the most difficult.  I knew that most likely everything would go well, but there is always a chance something could go wrong.  When I was finally allowed to see my love, she was very tired and coming off the drugs.  It is hard seeing anyone you care about with tubes in their noses and arms.  One always looks so helpless and fragile in those hospital garments.  However, the surgery was a success!!  The rest of the day we sat by her bed watching her fall in and out of sleep and various medical people entering and departing from the room. 

                Ashley would spend the next three nights in the hospital and Barb spent the first night staying with Ashley.  That night Sean and I drank Woodchuck Hard Cider on the patio of Marriott Hotel, where we conversed with a business rep of Dunkin Donates about the musical power of Journey.  We sat there by the fire pit and it was just another night of shooting the shit.  I felt kind of guilty not being with Ashley, but I knew her mother was with her and she was in good hands.  Also I think it was great to have Sean there with us for those first few days, because he helped take my mind off all my worries and just relax for a bit.  The next night, I slept in the hospital room.  I slept on this reclining chair, where you had to balance perfectly for the foot rest to stay up and the back to recline at the same time.  I am pretty good sleeper overall, but even I had trouble sleeping with nurses coming in every few hours to check vitals and the constant beeping of various machines. 

                The following day they had Ashley try to walk for the first time around the hospital ward.  It was difficult, but she needed to be able to walk on her own by the following day in order to get discharged.  Overall in the hospital, I do not think Ashley was in too much pain.  They kept her on morphine drip early on and then started moving her to Vicodin.  The most painful exception being is when they decided to remove the drainage tubes. The tubes were used to help remove the blood around the packing area that was her new vagina.  The nurse told her it would sting for a moment or so.  Ashley says she closed her eyes, but I witnessed when the lady pulled out a very thin tube about 15 inches long from her groin area. I could not help but thinking to myself “well that has got to hurt.”  After they removed the tube, which took only a few seconds, they had to do the second one and I cringed to myself. 

                About a month prior to this trip I had taken my first crocheting course at JoAnn Fabrics.  I had always wanted to learn how to crochet and I thought I would have plenty of time to learn on this trip.  So here I am now sitting in Ashley’s room, trying to recall how to make a chain and reading over my books on the subject.  I had not practiced anything from my class and could not figure out these basic moves.  I started to get frustrated and then a red haired nurse said she loved to crochet.  This ginger became my Yoda, and taught me again how to hold the hook and yarn. I slowly started to figure out how to make a stitch.  The next day, we left the hospital, but there is still more to this tale.  Next week, in the final post of this blog series, we move to the town of New Hope and I start working on my first scarf and Ashley starts dilating.  

Starting to crochet!