Tuesday, August 4, 2020

Surgery alone in Korea~ part 1





Well, it happened. After six years here, I have to have surgery. Not only surgery but surgery during da 'Rona and surgery ALONE!😭
HOW could this have happened?
Good question, dear reader.
My husband went home for a family funeral and got stuck in the country after some countries closed their airports to stop the spread of the corona virus. He can not be by my side, holding my hands, wiping my tears and babying me. 
(Yes, I want to be babied! What about it, son?!) 
So, I had to call in favors from my long time Korean friends.

They asked how they could help and I responded. I asked Julie to pick me up from home and drive me to Suncheon bus terminal, 20 minutes away. It saved me from dragging my suitcase and backpack down the mountain to the bus stop, dragging my bags up the bus stairs and then down again, only to drag it the two blocks from the bus stop to the bus terminal.

I asked Cumulus, a Korean friend from Daegu, to co~sign the financial obligation for my hospital admittance. (I thought I was just asking him to take me to the hospital but learned later every patient needs a financial guarantor). He not only took a three hour bus ride to meet me, he convinced his friend to meet us and drive us the one hour to the hospital, in his brand new car. We ate lunch and then they both waited three hours until I could get admitted and finished all the admittance requirements. 

The hospital's policy is that someone has to wait in the hospital as a "protector" during the surgery. Cumulus convinced his friend, who I had JUST met, to stay with me during the surgery. His friend agreed.

The nurses are super friendly.
Not a lick of Englishee between all of them!
But they are all on board with doing their best to communicate with me. So they are using translation apps, body movements, drawings and halting attempts to make sure I understand everything. 

I really appreciate their efforts.

All that was Tuesday.

Today is Wednesday.
I can't eat or drink now OR for six hours after the surgery. Then only water or juice. Sob! I starve until 6:00pm Thursday.
I asked the nurse if they can give me protein thru the IV, she said "no". That is only for extreme cases. Dude, what is more extreme than NOT eating for 24 hours after surgery?

The intern, who had a SpongeBob sticker on the inside of his nametag, explained all the details. I had already researched it but he filled in the gaps.

At 9am, they will put two IVs into both arms to prep me for the surgery.
I wonder if they will put in truth serum and have me start confessing about childhood playground adventures or that shallowly dug grave on Route 95 in the desert.
Blink. Blink.


So I feel good and will keep you updated.

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