just got home at 2pm.  it was minor deal, just as i expected it to be.  i'm
fine.  i had it done with a local and no other drugs.  he went down to the
bone to get all of the adhesions; and at one point, it felt like he was
plucking my tendon like a guitar string LOL, when he cleaned the scar tissue
from around that.  none of it was painful at all, of course.  he said my arm
nerve was in better condition than he expected it to be and said he made one
tiny suture in it or around it (my mind was on naming a composer at that
point).  i'm still not sure what he was expecting to find about that nerve.

even the tourniquet(sp?) was no biggie-w0w, though he made a big deal out of
it beforehand, at my pre-op appmt and just before they inflated it, by
repeatedly telling me that it "will be uncomfortable" for me.  so, i steeled
myself for that.  but it really wasn't, not even as tight as i've had some
blood pressure cuffs be in the past.  and when i realized that, i just
relaxed.  what was interesting was how, just before they turn the inflatable
tourniquet on, they completely wrap your arm down to your fingertips with a
way tight ace bandage mummy wrap.  then one person holds your arm up, by
your fingertips, and jiggles your whole arm, while a second person presses
and pushes your blood out of your arm towards your body.  almost seemed like
that prep process took longer than the actual surgery.  apparently, that's
how they minimize blood loss and an obscured field while the surgeon cuts
down to where he needs to be.  it took awhile for the feeling to return to
my fingers afterwards, though.

actually, it was kinda fun to be awake aware.  we played, "guess the
composer and name that tune" with the piped in music, during the
procedure.LOL  i couldn't resist making some wise cracks.  and he made wise
cracks back at me.  only thing i didn't like was not being able to watch,
cuz of the tenting over my head, which was part of the draping the field
routine.  heck, they even covered my entire body with the blue draping
stuff.

BUT, again, he put one of his trademark HUGE bandage clubs around my entire
arm, from elbow to the first approximal finger joints.LOL  i balked as he
was doing it and asked him if he knew i was going to remove this ogre-esque
club, just as soon as i got home, and put a bandaid on it.  he laughed and
said, "ok, let's compromise. instead of waiting until the 17th to have me
remove it, how 'bout if you leave it on until saturday morning.  then you
can take it off and put stacked 4x4s and tape over the incision. just don't
remove the steri-strips."  i said ok, that's fair.  then, he told me he
deliberately packs all of his deep incisions in these huge compression
bandages to minimize subdural bleeding and bruising---now, i finally
understand the ogre-club and it makes sense to me.  geesh, it only took
being operated on 4 times, by him, for him to tell me why he does what
seemed like this absurdly unnecessary thing.  i was beginning to think,
"maybe his supply procurement person accidnetally ordered enough
unreturnable bandaging supplies for the next 50 years--so he came up with
his signature ogre-club post-op bandaging technique to use it up faster."LOL
the club sure is a little clumsy to have to drive with it, though i could
grip the steering wheel with that hand.  and to try typing with my left hand
with this club is one of those "forget about it" things, though.  yep, i
drove myself there and back and am typing with one-hand.

hopefully, this is it!  i mean, 3 surgeries because of one fall is enough
already!  i'm going to go kick back now.

kate