Monday Fun Day Surgery

Today we had our first surgery experience in San Antonio somewhere other than BAMC.  I have to say they were pretty efficient compared to what we're used to.  Ryan's surgery was scheduled for 2:30 p.m. and they asked us to be there 2 hours prior.  They checked us in at about 1:oo, and took Ryan back to change into a hospital gown at about 1:30.  Twenty minutes later they let me go back with him and talk to the surgeon, anesthesiologist, and OR nurse.  I wasn't even back there 10 minutes and they were pushing "happy juice" in his IV and rolling him back for surgery.  The surgeon released the tendons in all four fingers of his left hand.  They were trying to maximize the flexion in his pinky and ring fingers and the extension in his index and middle fingers.  The most success was in the ring finger and index finger, with each meeting the goal we hoped for.  The pinky got about 90 degrees of flexion and the middle finger didn't quite get full extension.  He's got two incisions in his left hand and a splint holding his ring finger and pinky down.  The doctor wants him to try to move his index and middle fingers as much as he can.  They finished up surgery at 3:30, but I couldn't go see Ryan in recovery until 4:30.  His throat was hurting him more than anything else from the intubation.  They gave him some pain medication and he slept until 5:30.  Then we woke him up, got him dressed, and took him home.  Well, not before we stopped at Dairy Queen to get him a vanilla milkshake and a large hot fudge sundae.  (His throat was sore, so he needed the ice cream to feel better!)  He's resting comfortably on the couch right now, with his hand elevated, watching Monday Night Football.  Not too bad for a surgery day.  Hopefully he will continue to be relatively comfortable.  He follows up with his surgeon next week.