Day 6 photos--A long hospital visit

 April 8, 2022
I was desperate to have my surgery done as soon as possible knowing that we were scheduled to leave on April 11. I called the hospital in the morning and reminded them that I was on their waiting list.  A little later a woman from the hospital called. I was scheduled for surgery in the evening, possibly around 7 pm; I should reach the hospital by 5 pm.  Being driven to the hospital in the evening all
kinds of thoughts came to my mind.  How will it work out?  Will I be refused surgery because of the financial matters?  Will I be able to convince the hospital administration I will be paying the hospital after the surgery.  And what about the surgery itself?  What kind of surgeons I am dealing with them.  I know nothing about their track record.  Will I be able to put to sleep for the surgery and I will never get up again. Leaving for the hospital I had recorded a short video about what the family members should do in case I pass away during the operation.  The woman from the hospital had asked me to go to A5 of the main tower.  The tower was away from the emergency and had its access from the back road.  My family took me to the fifth floor of the tower but the double door into A5 was locked.  I called the number I had received the morning call from.  A nurse came and opened the door for us.  We were ushered in a preparation room.  I was asked to change into hospital clothes. I already had a wrist band on, from the day before.  My possessions were put in a box.  The bed I was asked to use had my name on it.  An administrator came. She had paperwork in her hand.  I thought she was going to ask me about the finances.  No, she was there to get my signature on the consent form that I agree to the surgical procedure being done and give the doctors the right to make the best decisions on my behalf if any unforeseen situation arises during the surgery.  The form she initially brought was in Icelandic.  She realized the mistake and went to get the translation in English.  She came back with the English form.
I signed the paper. I asked her who the surgeon was going to be; she read the surgeon's name off the paper and said he was one of the best Orthopedic surgeons in Iceland and added ‘you are in good hands.’ She left.

A nurse came and took my vitals. Blood pressure: 129/75, pulse 82, oxygen 97, temperature normal.  There was no way I was going to get out of this surgery.

Then came the young surgeon who saw me in the emergency room.  Using a marker he drew an arrow on my left thigh pointing the arrow towards the knee. I asked him why that visual was needed when I already had my left leg in cast and it was evident which leg had to be operated on. He said it was their standard procedure to make sure they work on the correct limb.  

After a short while the senior surgeon, Elias Thor Gudbrandsson, who was going to do the surgery walked in in with heavy steps.  He did not look that old; I guessed he was in his late 30s. He had a hairnet that tied at his chin and had a small Coca Cola bottle stuck in his back pocket. He explained to me the procedure.  They will make a hole in my knee and insert a rod in the tibia.  They will use  an 8, 9, or 10 mm nail depending on the hole size in the tibia.  The nail they will be using was from the US.
Once the nail is in, it will be secured under the knee and above the ankle, using screws.  He said he did not do this procedure very often so it will take him around an hour to 70 minutes; surgeons who regularly do this  procedure can complete the work in thirty five minutes.  I did not feel too good learning the doctor going to do the surgery on me was not an expert of this kind of procedure.  He said the surgeons can only help the nature; the healing process is natural and happens by itself.  There will be no cast after the procedure.  Side effects may include knee pain.  After the surgery, X ray images will be taken; the next set of X-rays will be due in six weeks and then in 12 weeks. When will I be released after the surgery? 

"What day is today, sixth?" he asked me.  I told him it was the 8th. He looked at his phone to confirm.
He said I'll most probably be released the next day, on the 9th. He left. Then there was a long wait.
It was now getting close to 8 pm.  It was obvious they were running behind.

Shortly before 8, a nurse came and my bed was pushed to the Operation Theater.  It was very cold in the OT.  I was transferred to an operating table. An IV was put in my left hand and various medical equipment started beeping around me.  Soon, I lost consciousness.