The S-Day (Surgery Day)

Finally the day is here!
You must have heard the D-Day, but here is..what I call and will remember as the "S-day" - 'The Surgery Day' of my life..

7th August
11:00
"I have a surgery scheduled for today.."
"Please go to 4th floor from back entrance"
Various thoughts hustling through my mind as I move towards back entrance. Till now the surgery feeling had somehow not been able to creep into my mind. Had just been cracking jokes with my frnd Gokul who was accompanying me. We were thinking of asking the doctor to give me Sanjay Dutt's black color eye cover like in Khalnayak instead of normal green plastic one! :-)
Almost took a promise from Gokul that he would not rush downstairs to recieve a call from his fiancee, as there was no network on the operation theater floor. I told him..Doctor bahar aake bol dega ki yeh medicine la ke do abhi...aur tum nahin hue to??..Kahin mat jaana! Gokul got my joke instantly..and replied..Arre Amrit ji...aisa sirf filmon mein hi hota hai! and we both burst into into laughter, while I was thinking in my mind....Mujhe to lagta tha surgery bhi sirf filmon mein hi hoti hai! :-)
After making the payment, I was taken to another floor where I handed over my belongings to Gokul and from here on I had to be alone. Watch, cell, bag, wallet...I removed my 'Kadda' but instantly put it back on my wrist....didn't want to be operated without it.

11:45
As I was entering the hall I noticed a person in blue gown with cap on his head and mask covering his face, mending a door knob with a screw driver. And this was enough to give me jitters! and I thought.... Are carpenters doctors as well, or are doctors also working as carpenters with screw drivers!! Whichever way....none seemed to be comfortable!
Was instructed to wear a dull brown gown. I somehow liked the pale blue gown which doctors were wearing but then I would never be offered that one :-) After all they knew how to mend a door knob! :-D

12:15
Finally a nurse tied a 'friendship band' arnd my wrist with my name, blood group and MR Code (unique code to identify each patient) and pasted a green colored sticker on top of my eye which was to be operated. I really thanked God for this thought, which would allow doctors to know which eye to operate...just in case I fainted! ;-) and of course I kept on checking if the sticker was in place after every minute from then, to make it sure doctors are not confused!

12:30
The anaesthesia room was far below my expectations or rather my dream surgery. Tubelights!! I was thinking of round big lights as in Hindi movies...a red light outside the hall indicating that operation is going on..
Hi, I am Dr. ....., I am Anaesthesia specialist. We would be giving you local anasthesia so that you don't feel any pain during the surgery.
And the child in me immediately asked: And what about the pain after the surgery?
He laughed a little and continued...We would give you pain killers...Don't worry..
And that cruel fellow injected two syringes around my eye. A cap was put around my eye which had actually hurt at that time, but I had to bear it as I was told that that was the only pain I would have to suffer all that day.

12:45
All my imaginary drawings (expectations as well) of Operation Theater were coming alive as I was being shifted from Anaesthesia room to Operation Theater. Big lights, swarm of doctors all with their faces covered with masks, Nurses, medical equipment...'Perfect bad dream'...and irony was that ...I had paid for it! :-'(

13:00
I was covered completely from head to toe including my face, leaving just a hole exposing my eye for the surgery. I was asked if I am fine and if they could start the surgery. After their first stroke someone confirmed with me, if I felt any pain. The anaesthesia was in full effect giving them all the powers to proceed. While the surgery was taking place all I could feel was the voices of the doctors falling over my ears. They discussing in medical terms as they operated me..Doctor asking for medical equipments after every few minutes, with in between demands of cotton and buds.

13:30
I was feeling tensed...how is surgery going on?? Would it be successful? Me praying while it was happening...Trying to look for the voice of the main doctor whom I had met during all my appointments to make sure he was still there taking part in my surgery and had not handed over the task to his interns.
Finally the voice of a female doctor.."Room lights...Cotton...Eye Cap"
The surgery was over. The doctor said it was successful. Though it would take around 2 weeks for me to heal completely.

13:45
Gokul must have woken with a startle when attendant called his name in the waiting room. His sleep deprived eyes (the result of late night phone conversations) always confirming he will soon be married. But as promised he had not gone downstairs to attend his fiancee's phone call..not sleeping was anyways not part of the deal! :-) He instantly smiled at me for I was wearing the same green plastic eye cap and not the Sanju baba's Khalnayak black eye cover! That meant no Madhuri dance for us! ;-) Thanks a ton to Gokul for being there all this while, and help me stay cool on my S-Day.

I am at home these days, still recovering from the swelling and redness in the eye. Am glad it was successful...after all I lived a whole life in the operation theater. Will be joining my office on 18th Aug..Hope I am fine by then....