September 24, 2021
Dear Everyone:
Just a brief note
this week. I forgot to
mention last week that I would be having surgery yesterday.
The surgery,
performed by the vascular surgeon, went very smoothly.
Most of the time was spent on preparation.
This included my arriving the afternoon before for yet another
ultrasound. This time the
technician would run the apparatus over part of my left leg, then pause
to mark the skin with a black marker.
This was to show the surgeon exactly where to perform his magic.
Yesterday, “Jeannie”
came to my place and drove us both to the surgeon’s office.
This was because I couldn’t drive myself home after the
procedure. Once in the
office, three assistants wrapped me up in various prefabricated drapes
to expose only the left leg.
Then they washed everything visible with iodine and such things.
When they were finished with that, they turned on the music and
informed the surgeon that everything, including me, was ready.
He popped his head
around the drape to say hello to me and went right to work.
All I ever felt was the injection (“Little pinch!”) of the local
anesthetic. I may have been
aware of one or more tiny incisions, but couldn’t swear to it.
Afterwards, the
assistants cleaned up and wrapped my leg up with a very large “ace”
bandage, from the foot to the upper thigh.
One assistant told me that I could shower the next day, provided
I removed and then rewrapped the bandage.
Clearly, that would
never happen. I’ll wear the
bandage until tomorrow (48 hours after surgery), then remove it for
good. So far, everything
looks just fine. I can wait
another day before taking a shower.
As to whether or not
this solves the initial problem, pain in my lower left leg that prevents
me from walking without help, only time will tell.
I have a follow-up meeting (preceded by the ubiquitous
ultrasound) with the surgeon next week.
Until then, no
exercising (no problem!), no lifting heavy objects, no dancing, no
rioting in the streets. I
plan to spend the next few days lying in my wonderful recliner and
completing electronic jigsaw puzzles on the laptop.
Sounds like a good
job to me.
Love, as always,
Pete
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