The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1953-10-09

marked e.. Soon a very nice
young lady came in and asked
about the water I drank. every
body was concerned about the
water). When I affirmed that
had, she said they might not be
able to operate for a few hours
because of the water drinking
could result in possible compli-
cations when the anesthetic was
given.
So there I lay; but, as places to
lay 60, it was pretty interesting
Fore long Doctor Kernodle
came and took me for a ride to
get another test or two. When
we got back to the operating
area, I found that I was post
poned for a while, to be done
after a nose and a mastoid opera
ton.
BY this time, the shot had be-
gun to have some little effect,
and I was not liable for anything
! 1 said. Nor, for anything I re-
membered. The nurse who was
most interested in the fact that l
had drunk the water was Miss
Partridge. A yankee, no less.
Partridge was an anesthetist, the
gal who puts you to sleep. A tick
lish kind of job which leaves
no room for error. I felt that ]
was in good hands.
The water finally wore off, and
I was dry enough to handle.
Here came another lovely
, young lady (the shot was really
having an effect, now She
easily put a needle into a weir
and let in glucose (this was tt
take the place of breakfast, bu
let no one kid you, it just dom
taste as good as scrambled eggs
The procedure is similar to Civ
ing blood in reverse, but not Sc
much so. So drop, drop, drop
went the clear liquid, and i
seemed to give strength.
I had been preflighted now
and was ready to takeoff.
I was wheeled into a big oper
ating room, one with huge ligh'
overhead. Things were just ;
little hazy now, but I heard some
sweet voice say: 'EWe're going t.
give you something in your weir
which will make you sleepy. II
a crazy sort of way, I raised my
arm up so they could know I wa:
right by its falling. Bang-Go!
The arm dropped and so did I
1t was the easiest going to sleer
ever.
The operation proceeded in the
capable hands of the attending
surgeon. (This knew later, cause
my voice came easily instead o.
having to be pushed) For myself
I didn't feel a thing.
All recovery. This is it. Thi'
is the place to work to get the
inside on things. Here the loaded
patient is slowly waking up, with
an unusually long period of be
; ing just half awake. Here, if any
body is going to do any talking
in their sleep or out of theil
heads, should be the place tt
hear it. think maybe I did jus
a little, but I trust no secret
were barred.
AS I entered into the unrea
world of half-asleep, there was ;
nurse at my side. In minute O.
two, reality kept forcing itself in
and I knew I was in the room
set aside for after-surgery pa
tients, where one is slowly ant
surely brought out of the darl
depths into the sunny today
knowing that, at least, the opera
ton is over.
With the curiousity of a mai
who really does not know wha
he is saying, asked the nurs
her name, and if st (the opera
tion) was over. She replied yes
that I was in the recovery room
and that her name was Mar.
Arena. / asked the time, ant
found that it had been over al
hour and half since I had pass
ed into the operating room. I
seemed like five minutes.
There is a gentle quietnes
about the nurses and the sur
roundings in the recovery room
and add this to the good feeling
one has to know that he ha
come through the operation OK
Well, was downright content
ed.
Stability came steadily, anc
soon / was able to be wheeled t
my room to waiting and relieved
folks.
A nice steak dinner, a visit by