interrupted- finis

                               Day Interrupted- finis

         Thursday morning arrived. We were up early and ready to set out by 7 am.  Rte. 41 South was decidedly crowded with the daily “go to work” crowd in Naples. We found and cruised into the Sealside Surgery Center, on Veterans’ Park Drive off Immokolee Road, across from Naples Community Hospital. The processing was perfunctory. All of our previous few days’ machinations had smoothed the way for us.

         The very pleasant nursing staff led me into the pre-op area and began surgical preparations. I got asked several times “When did you last eat?” and “What procedure is being performed today?” Name and DOB also popped up a few times. Dr. Brian Wallace, the orthopedic surgeon, stopped by for a few cheery comments and actually initialized the left elbow. It was one last check on any possible miscues. (Everyone had seen Paul Newman’s movie “The Verdict.”)

         Final prep had me waiting to go. The ‘gas passer’ (anesthesiologist) stopped by and again asked all the pertinent questions. His role in these things is huge. Pleasant chatter with all of these medical professionals is always reassuring. I always wonder though if the continuing array of the injured, that they encounter daily, affects their psyche adversely, like combat veteran and the mental imagery they retain.

         Soon enough, our time had arrived. Mary wished me well and I was rolled into the operating room. I had already been given a nerve blocker shot under my left collar bone. The arm, from shoulder to finger tips, was as numb as stone. A sledge hammer blow probably wouldn’t even get my attention. The numbness would remain with me for 24-36 hours. Next came the injection of ‘la la juice’ into the IV bag. I knew that I had about ten seconds to thank all of the OR personnel before I slipped away into the land of Nod. 

         I know not what came next, but Mary got the scoop later from the capable Dr. Wallace. He sliced open the left elbow area, cleared out the bone chips, and then patiently connected each triceps tendon through holes bored into the remaining bone of the elbow. He secured each tendon with an anchor, like stringing a guitar. The man has the nimble fingers of a seamstress. Lastly, he sanded down the broken and eroded surface of the elbow so that it would grow back smoothly and even faceted. Finally, he closed up the exposed joint area and finished up. His staff wrapped the entirety in a soft cast and put the wounded wing into a shoulder sling.

         About an hour later, I awoke groggily and was surprised to find the problem was fixed and I could get ready to go home. Better living through chemistry and the ministrations of a talented surgeon and staff had won the day. The remaining attending nurse gave us our final departure instructions. I struggled into my loose clothing and was wheeled out the door.

         Walgreens was its usual efficient self and prepped the meds for us. Everyone is aware of the opioid “crisis” that we now face in our country. I knew that I had three days max, on these ‘la la pills,’ before retreating to Tylenol and other OTC remedies. Who needs that monkey on your back? 

         Lastly, I was feeling both relieved and cheerful from the far away traumatic incident of two weeks past. Like an unsettling dream, the events had played out to this successful denouement.  I would think an armful of feel good chemicals helped elevate my mood as well. Feeling somewhat chipper, we stopped at our favorite hangout, Straight from New York Bagels, and had an egg and cheese on an egg everything bagel, with their delicious coffee. Normality is blissful. Besides, a day’s fasting had made us hungry.

         Of course, the tedium and effort, of rehab and healing, are still ahead of me. But, they didn’t look quite so daunting as they had a few days ago. Any aging athlete knows that this is the road to recovery. And I was happily on that path. My earnest thanks to all of the people who helped along the way. (transcribed by my lovely wife Mary.)

                                                      -30-

                                                 709 words

         Joseph Xavier martin- dictated to wife mary, and edited one-handedly.