Dancing Into Surgery! Say What?

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I’ve had seven surgeries in the last 20 years. It’s not been a piece of cake, but fortunately, they have all been corrective surgeries. Osteoarthritis visited my body many years ago; never left; never could be reversed. Having these surgeries has made my quality of life the best it can be. I can go for hikes, long walks, dance in the morning to Bob Marley, and be very much a part of life.

So this April 2019 was my seventh surgery on my right hip. Surgery isn’t anything I look forward to except to eventually take my pain away. After surgery comes the hard work of healing, exercising, physical therapy, keeping your weight down, and eating healthy.

This particular surgery, my son met me at a major hospital in NYC. I was admitted, and then we were taken downstairs to wait for my surgery. This is where it can get dicey. Just waiting and waiting and many times the surgeon running late because of different challenges on some of the surgeries ahead of me. Also, this was the first time I had a surgery of mine scheduled for a Saturday. The difference being all the surgeons and doctors were so laid back and relaxed, which helped me to relax. I was supposed to have an interfaith minister come see me before surgery but no one ever showed.

While waiting, the Anesthesiologist and Anesthetist began a conversation between my son and me. It was fun, just fun. It helped me to forget all about the surgery. The Anesthesiologist found out I dance to Bob Marley each morning.

Forty-five minutes went by and it was my turn to go into surgery. On the speakers, I heard Bob Marley singing “Don’t Worry ‘Bout A Thing. Every Little Thing Is Gonna Be All Right” and I proceed to “dance” my way into surgery. Amazing! Just amazing! The kindness of the doctor to my son and me made all the difference in the world. A lot of doctors don’t even realize how kindness and caring to a patient make all the difference in the world. This one did!

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