It's 4.45am and the alarm goes off and today Dana will have her operation. I get up and get ready first before waking Dana. When I do wake Dana I get a reply of 'I'm not going through with this'. I know its just nerves the fear of the unknown. The truth is I feel exactly the same, I can't go through with this and what am I doing. Again its fear of the unknown. Deep down this is the right thing to do and we do trust Dr Park who has done over 2000 operations before Dana and will no doubt do thousands after Dana.
Dana and I made our way down to the lobby where the taxi will take us to the hospital as we have to be there by 5.45. The lobby is dimmed lighted and soft music is playing. As we stand waiting staff come into the lobby ready to start the day and wish us a good morning. The taxi arrived ten minutes late due to the original driver over sleeping - I know of all days! and we get to the hospital just before 5.45. We make our way to the 6th floor and speak to reception who ask us to take a sit in a room allocated for us. As I look around the waiting area there are quite a few people waiting to be seen sitting around and others in little cubicles. The area again is very colourful and roomy. A sign on the door says Dana and underneath Dr Park, we enter and sit down. Within minutes we are called back to reception to register and then make our way back to our room. A lovely nurse called Trudie took Dana's weighed and height and we were shown to another room, this was painted pink, a really nice dusky pink. This was the room for the pre med. We had a number of different clinicians coming into the room and introducing themselves and each one explained what was going to happen. One made a comment about Dana's lovely hair, which set me off crying again. Not one person assumed another person had already told us something... Sound familiar. Dana was given a choice of flavour of gas mask, yes you get a choice and there is a long list. Dana chose orange flavour and it really did smell of oranges, yes I did have a smell. By this point Dana was gowned up and my nerves were starting to show. I keep them hidden of course even when Dana breaks down in tears and says she can't go through with this. I reassure her looking forward to going to the gym with me and she calms down and stops crying.
It was time for the pre med and boy did Dana put up resistance. Her mouth was tight shut and she would not open it and kept turning her head away. I asked the nurse to put the pre med into a syringe which she did and firmly told her to take it and let her head still. I think the whole floor heard me. Dana swallowed apple juice after which she then proceeded to spit out over my hand and the floor. Dana doesn't do pre meds very well. After I was cleared up two clinicians and I got Dana on the bed before she became too drunk. It wasn't long before the pre med took its toll and she was relaxed sniffing the orange flavoured mask. At just before 7.30am it was time for Dana to go to theatre. I walked part of the way down with her and then I kissed her on the head and said see you later. I watched as the clinicians wheeled her down the corridor turned the corner and then she disappeared. I stood frozen to the spot in a daze. She was gone. I couldn't do anything, tears started streaming. She was ok, Dr Park would do want he does best.
I make my way back to the room switch on the TV and start channel hoping looking for something to distract me and find a sit com. The nurse had said she would phone at 8.30am, but this came and went so I asked the receptionist who reassured me they will phone as soon as they are ready. I asked if the phone was working, and of course I know it was but just made sure by fixing the receiver back on the phone correctly. I kept starring at the clock, hurry up ring, and did it ring, it was so loud there was no mistake the phone was working. All was going fine and Dr Park had started 15 mins ago. I put down the phone and cried out of relieve mainly and also we had a long way to go still. A family who’s little boy had the surgery 4 weeks ago and is going home Friday came to where we were. The nanny of the boy started crying and that set me off again and we gave each other a big hug, she knew what I was going through. It was nice to have someone who understood at that moment.
The second call came less than an hour and a half later with the final call less than a hour after that stating Dr Park was closing up and will be with me in less than half an hour. Within half an hour the man himself walks into our room, this calm man who if you met him at that moment you would not believe he had just come out of surgery. His words to me were very few yet very clear ‘Everything went fine’. I hang on his every word, fine in Dr Park’s terms means very good. Again I cry, of course when he leaves the room. Dr Park advised I would get a call from recovery when Dana was ready and I sit and wait.
So with those few words left with me going round in my mind I start thinking about what Dana will look like and the days ahead. For now though the op is done and am so very grateful Dana came through. A milestone achieved and so proud of my little girl.
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