The short version: The surgery went well, and Dan is resting comfortably.

After a quick stop by Dan’s workplace to take care of some last-minute business, we arrived at Healthsouth Surgery Center at 10:15 AM, right on time. It’s a squat brick building, surprisingly small. We went in and while I took a seat, Dan checked in with the receptionist. They called his name almost immediately, and invited me back with him as well.

I took a seat in one of several curtained-off areas while the nurse gave Dan a gown to change into, as well as a robe to cover his back, which was only held together by one tie across the back. She checked his blood pressure and temperature, as well as his medical history, then he joined me back in the curtained area.

We sat there for about half an hour, then the anesthesiologist stopped by. He checked Dan’s history again and explained what would happen (no meds would be administered until he was in the operating room, and no intubation would be necessary [yay!]). We then sat and waited for another hour and a half, amusing ourselves with various conversations that would be far to embarrassing to mention here except to say that we were both a bit slap-happy and nervous and doing everything we could to keep each others’ minds off the current circumstance.

At 12:30 PM they escorted Dan back to the operating room, and I went to the waiting room to kill time with the newspaper, magazines, and writing this journal. At 2:05 PM, the doctor came out and said that everything went fine. He thought that Dan was really overdue for this – his sinuses were very obstructed and there were a lot of polyps in there. This would really make things much better – just not tonight, or anytime within the next few weeks. Once the healing is over, though, things will be much better. Also, there was good news to the three questions we were wondering about: How soon can he take pain medications? (Right after we get home) How long before he can swim? (Two weeks) How long before he can ride roller coasters? (Two weeks, as well). That last was a surprise, but certainly a welcome one.

Sixty nerve-wracking minutes later, I was called back to Dan’s bedside. He looked pretty good for someone who just came out of surgery, except for the bloody gauze taped under his nose. With the exception of having to deal with a bit of post-operative nausea, everything went well and we were out of there in about an hour. The drive home was uneventful, and I made Dan comfortable in my office in the front guest bedroom (he has to sleep with his head upright for the first night or two) and he slept off the morphine they had given him while I called first his mom then my parents then his coworkers and let them know all was well.

So now we’re sitting down on the living room sofa with some quiet background music on, me typing away and Dan dozing lightly. He says the morphine is definitely starting to wear off so I suspect we’ll be getting into his hydrocodone prescription soon. I’ve also made some vanilla pudding for him to snack on, though hunger seems to be pretty far from his mind right now. The drip pad (gauze under his nose) needs to be changed about every half-hour, which isn’t too bad – I’m sure that will be even less frequently needed as the night goes on.

Many, many thanks to all of our friends who have wished Dan well. Your thoughts and support have made these difficult days bearable. A special thanks to genebreshears for his thoughtful post to Takaza’s journal. It was Dan’s promise to me to wake up when everything was done that held us both together, I think. Thank to you all.