Pre-op Prep

After arriving at work the morning of Friday, January 15, 2010, I immediately encountered a hiccup to a smooth relationship with my insurance carrier. Carlos, from Dr. Ellis' office called to inform me that the surgery had be approved, but as out-of-network because they had not received a referral from my primary care doctor. Ugh.

After several phone calls I managed to get it straightened out, all the while juggling my responsibilities with work and trying to set up as much as possible, my absence for 2-3 weeks...in a job where I have been unable to take a vacation for two years and reluctant to take sick leave because of my responsibilities and previous lack of cross-training in my department. An imposing task.

4:30 rolls around, and I have not heard my schedule time for surgery...another game of phone tag ensues, finally have the time, 5:30pm with a 3:30 check-in. I would be allowed to eat a light breakfast before 8am, and drink clear fluids until 3:30. I would need to take some aspirin around 3 to thin the blood.

I had to answer a bunch of in-depth medical questions on the phone in front of boss...he now knows more than he'd probably like to know. He had a sense of humor about it though.

I talked to both the director and producer of Cradle Will Rock, the show I am Assistant Director for, looks like the timing for me to be out will allow me to come back to rehearsals just before tech week. If that works out, it would allow be to have been there for the beginning and end of the rehearsal process. I am excited to see the growth achieved by the fantastical actors and musicians.

I picked up my prescriptions for post-surgery. While I was in line at the pharmacy I got into a conversation with a man who just found out he had lost the cartilage in his knee. He was in denial about it, didn't think old football and basketball injuries could do this, he was young, can't glucosamine grow it back? No, no it can't sir. Once it's been lost, it can't come back. I know there are different procedures for the knee, but the only thing they can do for my foot long-term is remove the bone.

Over the weekend I tried to prep for post-op. Clean the apartment, make a big Fresh Direct order, frozen pizza, cereal, fruit, cheese, potatoes, oatmeal, things I thought would be easy to make standing on one foot and high on pain meds.

I cleaned my apartment as thoroughly as possible, knowing it might be a couple weeks before I could clean it again.

I got three weeks worth of litter and cat food, hoping I would still retain the ability to change my cat's litter immediately following surgery.

I found a shower stool so I could clean myself and not offend the kind people coming over and so I could feel somewhat human.

I started calling and texting friends with the goal of having at least one person with me for at least part of the day for the first week and most of the second week.
I decided getting a couch would have to wait...I wouldn't have time over the weekend to make the best decision, and I didn't have the cash yet. I had thought surgery wasn't going to happen until February or March.

I tried my best to mentally prepare myself. I predicted the hardest part past surgery was going to be the dependency and the possibility of getting a little stir-crazy.
I knew what the surgery was going to entail. The doctor had described it. I had seen the pictures.....HERE (they are not pretty) .... read the case studies HERE (with more not pretty pictures)....This would be a total scalpel job.