A selection from
by William Martin
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this is page 179
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I would have preferred to have been waked up,
wheeled down the hall/ and operated on, with
minimal time for reflection, but it wasn't my call.
Patricia came to my room and we read the paper
and talked a bit, but I don't remember any heavy-
duty, last-minute expressions of fear or anxiety.
This was what we had chosen and we were ready
to get on with it. The operation in front of mine
took about an hour longer than expected but, soon
enough, they came to get me. Patricia and I
kissed, with a recognition that this was momentous,
but also with the full expectation that we
would be seeing each other again in just a few
hours.
I had requested that Dr. Alex Rosas serve as
anesthesiologist on the surgery and was pleased
when Dr. Scardino pronounced that an excellent
choice. Dr. Rosas is married to Patricia's gynecologist
and has an excellent reputation. In addition,
we had met socially and had learned that he and
his wife enjoy bicycling in the Wimberley area, so
I figured we would get to know both of them better
in the future. If I have to surrender control of
my body to someone else, I prefer it be someone I
know and like.
The first order of business after we got to the
preparation room was to place the epidural
catheter in my back. With the aid of a shot of
xylocaine, it was a painless procedure and I was
end of page 179
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