PVNS Open Synovectomy Surgery Day

Metal Tree in Zen Healing Garden

Day One Post Surgery:  I was diagnosed with PVNS on November 7th 2011 and will have surgery 5 weeks later on December 14th. I’m scheduled to have an arthroscopic meniscal repair and biopsy of possible pvns and an open anterior synovectomy.

I was very impressed upon our arrival at the hospital for it felt like we were walking into a five star health spa. The hospital was serving a holiday meal for employees and visitors and the aroma of home cooked food filled the spacious multilevel golden domed entry. Who cares if I haven't been able to eat for the last 14 hours. The hospital is carpeted and beautifully decorated with garland and colorful decorations wrapped around the handrails of each level.

We  journeyed up to the second floor and checked into the Out Patient Surgery Unit. We arrived two hours early... which is the customary time to enroll in the hurry up and wait to get sliced and diced game.  As I looked around the elaborately decorated waiting room...I noticed some of the amenities that I was gladly paying extra for. They have a dedicated flat screen that is updated every minute to notify the families where the surgical patients are at all times in the process (pt is identified by a number).

"I'm going to be your nurse please follow me and we'll get you all set up for your surgery." My eyes kept darting around pre-op in amazement, We need to start an IV, however you look like a difficult stick so I'm going to call a technician in to use the ultrasound machine to visualize our vein, no worries she will inject an anesthetic to decrease the amount of discomfort that you may feel while we start the IV.  Man I was just thinking "I love any place that cares about how much pain I may feel from a needle stick. They must be really good in managing surgical pain." If you'd like we can give you a femoral nerve block so you don't feel the surgical pain for 24-48 hours. "Oh hell yes I want that too."  I was definitely being pampered by all who crossed my path.

I was even given a pretty purple marker to keep as a souvenir after my surgeon and I marked my surgical site together. Oops, I guess no funny stuff is supposed to be written on your surgical sight.  The surgeon showed me a pain scale chart and asked what level of pain would be acceptable after surgery. I may be blond but I can spot a trick question. "Zero!! would be the most acceptable. I just figured if this place was giving me an option, I didn't want to feel any pain. Hells yes, I'll pay extra for that.

My husband was given a pager with a read out in the center that would say for example "surgery is going well, surgery is almost over, patient is in recovery" allowing them to explore the the healing gardens and fountains on the hospital campus while I was having surgery. Time to say good bye to my sweetheart and be ushered off to the O.R.  Just when I thought every possible comfort was being given I suddenly feel a warm fuzzy surge of happy juice flowing through my body...whoosh nightie night.

"Hey when are you guys going to get started?" "Surgery is all done." But I feel great!!. Dang is that my leg. It looks like it should hurt.  Hmm? Oh I remember being given the compassion block so I wouldn't be in any more discomfort than necessary. Do you think they could make it last a week? Time to take a picture for my blog.  Just when I start thinking this has been the best surgery that I've ever experienced, I'm told I have diffuse PVNS and they had to open up my knee which is going to require me to stay the night.

I didn't realize it at the time but I am very fortunate to be in a country where the doctor can still choose what is best for their patient and It's not solely based on economics. That luxury is quickly coming to an end with the new health care bill that has been shoved up our asses. The majority of Americans said no and Obama ignored our pleas and said I'm going to do this whether you want to do this or not. Isn't that called rape?