Part 2: The Surgery

I woke up the day of the surgery both nervous and hungry. I was not allowed to eat anything before the operation and it was not until 2:30pm. I went to the hospital at noon with my mom and waited patiently. It was not until i got into my gown and slippers and sat in the waiting room that it dawned on my what was about to happen. I was about to be cut into by a guy I had met yesterday who told me that doing so would give me a 50% chance of being able to work out and compete competitively in sports again. It was a damn coin flip. I actually got really nervous, but before i knew it i was on a hospital bed being wheeled into the surgery room. A bunch of the nurses were asking me about my injury and i am pretty sure their toddlers will not be hockey players because of my story. Anyway i got into the room, my surgeon came to see me before i was given the anaesthetic and he told me he was gonna go the best he could. Ten minutes later i was out.

I woke up in a room with a bunch of other beds, though i hardly remember it. I remembered the sling feeling weird. I remember being cold, so cold that i was yelling at the nurses to get me more heated blankets. I think i was satisfied at about 4. They then asked me to rate my pain from 1 to 10. (Note: Before the surgery they asked if i wanted a nerve blocker in my neck so that when i woke up i would not feel my arm. They also said that there was a 1 in 1000 chance it could paralyze me. I said fuck that.) I rated my pain a 10. It might have been an exaggeration, but my pec hurt and i wanted it to end. They quickly put morphine in my IV and i fell back to sleep.

I then woke up in another room by myself with my mom by my side. I was still out of it but i managed to ask her if the operation was successful. She said that she spoke to the surgeon and that it went much better than expected. He did everything that he felt was necessary to attach my pec back to its tendon. He also said it was only a partial tear which made it easier. The nurse then came in and offered me a Popsicle. That is the only fun thing about surgery; the Popsicles taste immaculate after. About an hour later i was wheeled downstairs and my mom drove me home where i just slept for 12 hours. When i woke up i thought it was very odd because in my dreams i could still use my left arm, however when i woke up i was in complete pain and need of oxycodone and ibuprofen.