The "Rod Serling Would Be Proud Of Me" Story

I was an ordinary day. Laying on a hospital bed in the pre-op area at The Surgery Center Of Lancaster with Carol sitting by my side. Fifteen minutes ago Karinee, the pre-opt nurse ushered me into a room and gave me a gown, booties, and a hair net. Told me to take everything off and put the items on, tying the gown in the back. I said, "Everything! I'm having my hand operated on, you know." Then she told me I could leave my socks and underwear on if I wished. Well, I wished and shortly she was putting an IV in my arm after checking my vitals. "You do know I'm having my hand operated on, don't you?" I said again. "I had the same operation years ago and they just put my arm and hand on a board, gave me some Novocain in the hand and did the operation." Seems that times have changed. They now put you out for the operation and ....... still load you up with Novocain. The anesthesiologist appeared a few minutes after Karinnee left me and talked about what I could anticipate. "We're going to sedate you so that you have no pain. You may or may not hear the doctor while he operates on you. You'll kind of be in a twi-light zone." I smiled and looked at Carol who was also smiling, almost laughing. A twi-light zone. Now that's for me! She has told me more than once that I am sometimes in a twi-light zone. Now I will really be in one. I told him about my previous experiences with anesthesia and how I had trouble urinating after the operation, but he told me this will be more like what they do if I was having a colonostopy. Then Dr. Kuntz, my surgeon, made a visit to tell me exactly what he would do and the amount of time it would take. Told Carol he would visit with her after the surgery to let her know if everything when OK. He looked at me one last time and said, "I'll see you soon." In the twi-light zone, I suppose. Shortly they wheeled me into the OR and put something in my IV. Told me it would take a few seconds and I wouldn't remember anything after that. I told them I didn't feel anything different and then ....... I awoke to see Carol and the Doctor standing by my bed. My hand was bandaged and I had no feeling in it. Doctor told me the restrictions, to keep my arm elevated, when I could remove the bandage and shower, and said he would see me in another couple of weeks. Took all of 13 minutes for the operation. Later in the evening my hand started to throb, burn, and swell. I called the Doctor and was told to take the bandage off and put it back on so it wasn't so tight. My dear wife was up to the task and in no time I was feeling better. It is now the next morning and I am typing with both hands, as usual. Hand is still swollen, but I have feeling back in my fingers. Instructions are to use my hand as much as possible to avoid having the go through physical therapy. Am anxious for the swelling to go down and the removal of the dressing in a few days. The operation was needed, since my fingers would lock-up after making a fist, and were very painful to open. Looking forward to many pain-free years ahead. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.