Ok. After surgery yesterday all was well. In fact, thanks to my prescription of Oxycontin and a number of other drugs, life couldn’t have been better. I just finished typing up a rambling blog post and was sitting back to enjoy, “Now you see me,” when I realized something –
I couldn’t move my left hand. It was dead to the touch hours after surgery. I tried to wiggle my fingers, but none would budge.
After dialing several random numbers of friends who couldn’t help even if they wanted, I tore outside, wearing half-a-shirt and some pajama pants.
To put it simply, I was freaking out. Man.
I pounded on my neighbor’s door, continuing well after he’d spotted me through the window and was fast already approaching. I told him about my hand, asking if it was normal (Don’t you love asking questions when you’re panicking?).
He got his shoes on and we were readying to go to the E.R. when I was reminded there was an on-call number to dial. I called it, and shortly discovered that my symptoms were completely normal. I had received a nerve block, which apparently blocks your nerves from working… for a temporary amount of time.
I spent the next ten minutes sitting on my couch sweating profusely and breathing heavily. Hysteria is not so fun when you are high on drugs.
Thomas M. Watt 
While rescuing a chicken a few years back I slipped in the ice and broke my arm and dislocated my elbow. The drugs at the hospital were great but the stuff they gave me at home caused me to have trouble breathing! You’re right, panic on drugs is no fun. 🙂 Hope you’re feeling better now.
No fun at all! Thanks Adrienne.
My favorite part about this story was the rescuing of the chicken. I can only imagine wings flailing and Flintstones-like-skedaddling.
The hospital staff was amused, too. The rule in my family is to always make sure to keep the doctors laughing no matter how much pain you’re in or if you’re on the verge of death. Why make things awkward with crying and such? Once when I was almost dying my sister and brother came to visit me in intensive care and we had to be told to quiet down since other people were trying to die in peace.
I love that feeling when they give you the IV and you’re super happy and relaxed–almost worth the hospital visit. 🙂