The first two and a half hours were spent sitting and waiting for my name to be called and then I was taken into an office and asked all about my medical history and such.

After that, it was time for a new splint.  The splint that was put on in the E/R was really rather flimsy and after a week, was pretty much falling apart and my ankle really wasn’t getting much support anymore so a new splint seemed a good idea.

They took the old one off and my leg shook uncontrollably to the point I had to brace it with my hands while the guy started wrapping the bandage around.  My entire lower leg was swollen and yellow and purple.  Slightly fascinating.  He then put on the new splint and wrapped that.  This thing is so heavy, I feel like I have a small village of extremely large people dangling from my lower extremity.

Then came the fun part.  He had to set my foot correctly which required him to push really hard on it for about 5 minutes while the splint dried.

That was probably the most excrutiating pain I have ever felt in my entire life.  It felt like bones were splintering and jabbing into every nerve in my lower leg to the point that I actually hit the wall with my fist and told him he needed to stop it now. 

After he quit pushing, the pain immediately stopped and I went back into the office to answer more questions.  Once that was completed, it was off to get various tests and such taken care of.

I went to get blood drawn for the bloodwork.  I hate, loathe and despise needles and was not looking forward to this part at all!  However, the nurse did such a fantastic job, I...the person probably most scared of needles on the entire planet, barely felt it.  WOW!  But I do bruise easily and I’m already seeing a nice purple and black bruise getting underway.

This entire time I was in a wheelchair since I had to travel all over this hospital for these tests and such and the next part required me to go into the bathroom.  I don’t know who the hell designed that bathroom and dared to call it wheelchair accessible but they are full of shit.  By the time I got done, I was freakin’ exhausted.

I came out and my friend said my face was really pale and the nurses suggested I go get something to eat and just rest for a minute before proceeding.  Of course, I always get really light headed when even a drop of blood is taken from me so that didn’t help matters. 

A half an hour later, although still weak, I decided to get moving so I could get this over with.  On to the x-rays; I got more x-rays of my leg and got an x-ray of my chest...to ensure my lungs were good enough for being put under...whatever medical term...I’m too tired to remember. Then it was back to another RN who asked me all the same medical history questions all over again.  (Huh?)

Then it was finally time to go.  I got there at 10 and finally got out of there at 4pm.

On Friday, I get to get up at the crack of dawn to be there by 6am.  However, this doesn’t mean I get my surgery at 6am.  It just means that is when I get the privelage of waiting for my name to be called.  Who knows when it will actually be my turn.

I get put under, they filet my ankle apart, insert the metal plate, screw it into the bone, sew it back up, and wrap it, cast it...whatever.  Then I go to a recovery room and....well, recover and then wait for my brother to come pick me up so that I can go home and enjoy the pain.

I’m not allowed to take any more Ibuprofen until after the surgery because it thins the blood and they don’t want me bleeding to death.  I can still take my Vicodin though.  Only if it gets bad but I have absolutely zero intentions of leaving this bed for the next two days...well, except when certain circumstances arise, of course.

I know some of you stated you were going to stay up and keep a vigil....heh...but I’ll tell ya now, I have no idea how....lucid I’m going to be when I get home Friday.

Provided I get the surgery and don’t get bumped because someone before me had complications and cancels everyone else that day.  In the words of the RN, “We can 100% guarantee you that we have no idea when your surgery will be.” I’m scheduled for Friday, that’s the plan, but there are other patients and anything can happen.  Be flexible is what they are warning...just in case.

So, that’s where things are for now.  The metal stays in permanently by the way, for those who were asking.  I now get to be part of the crowd that sets of metal detectors.  While I’d much rather not have to go through this whole thing, I’m kinda looking forward to that.  It’s like my badge of.....well, something.

Anyway, I’m thoroughly exhausted so I’m gonna get.  I’ll answer emails tomorrow and I think I have just a few more thank you letters to write.  I’ll get those done tomorrow too.

Oh, and one more thing...I realized too late that Im stuck wearing these pants for the next three days as I cannot get the pantleg over my new, gigantic, half ton splint.  Oh well.