And OFF it came!

For an update on my pore ol' toe nail that was....

15th dawned bright and beautiful.
Packed Sonny boy off to school with his new Ben 10 bag and Ben 10 water bottle and Ben 10 lunch box, and old Ben 10 socks.

Mom said 9 was raahu kalam and to leave only after nine. So presented ourselves at the Dermatology Dept of one of the reputed medical colleges at 9.30. And we waited and waited and waited till about 11.30 outside OT. Turned out we'd paid the fees for the surgery, but the lady omitted to tell us that we also had to pay a nominal amount of 40/- for re-registration!!! So almost 3 hours after we reached, my Doc got involved and tore a strip off the nurses at the reception and asked for my file to be sent in pronto and a bed to be vacated in the OT as well.

The waiting was eventful. Had gone with the husband and my nephew, Mom staying back at home to collect Sonny boy when he came back from school.

Said nephew being a normal 18 yr old, started feeling famished (this after a hearty breakfast of puri sabzi at 9) half an hour into the waiting. And fidgeted and fidgeted, till we sent him off to fill his stomach with whatever.

I kept getting EMERGENCY calls from my client and my boss, regarding a) negotitations on a deal that HAD to be closed that day and b) some muck-up that had occured in the creative of another client. This being two of the 3 ripe apples that I had been waiting for, I attended all the calls and went mad co-ordinating Blr and Delhi and Mumbai all from outside the OT.

Husband got mad at me raising my BP! (I think he was tenser than me at the prospect of having my toe nail off) and we had a hot quarrel over my not switching off my mobile. THAT raised my BP more than the office calls. Husbands!

Nephew came back and wondered that I had still not gone in. Turned out he was waiting for me to go into the OT so that he and the husband could go off to Forum mall in the meantime!!! After he gets married and his wife is pregnant I HAVE to tell her this!
Nephews! But since it was his first time as a bystander, I forgave him.

Finally one of the beds was empty and I walked in, giving my toenail a last look. The Doc (he was an associate professor) came, accompanied by a couple of junior students (very earnest and big eyed) and a relatively snobbish senior student (must be doing her MD in dermatology)
The doc cheerfully asked me if I was alright, I smiled at him in affirmation, and he set in to work.

Cleaned my foot, and started quizzing the girls conversationally. I was almost enjoying it if not for the fact that it was me on the operating table. Gave my toe two injections one on each side beneath my nail. These stung like mad going in. After some time when the doc pricked my little finger, I could feel it; and he did the same (he said he did) to my toe, but I couldn't feel a thing. Just a big numbness.
So he said he was going to start. I smiled. And in my mind called upon all the Gods and Godessses I knew.

The quizzing and explanations continued on procedures to be followed. And the doc told me to tell him if I felt the slightest pain. I intensified my prayers, and watched their faces. In between, I could see two of the younger faces swivelling around curiously to see my reaction. I guessed that the good doc must be pulling my nail off. But I didn't feel a thing. Good ol' local! I smiled at them and they smiled back.

Then the doc cauterized the roots on either side of my nail. He asked the MD girl to try, but she couldn't do something, I dunno what, and gave the instrument back to him. I think she held a grudge against me for that. She certainly lacked a bedside manner!

And then, it was over. The doc told the MD/nurse to take care of the rest of the stuff- to dress my nail temporarily, then re-dress it again after another 20 min when the bleeding would lessen, and walked out.

I limped out and was given a warm welcome by the husband and nephew. The white gauze on my foot grew progressively red with the passing minutes. After 45 min, I limped into another OT where the nurse pulled off the dressing gingerly. I appreciate her treating me like a person and not like an object. Ms. MD student, you have much to learn still.

And that was it. Things went off pretty much better than expected. I thanked all my Gods and Godesses from the bottom of my heart.




Today was when I was supposed to dress it again. My doc said I needn't go back there, but could get it done locally at any of the regular hospitals. So I went to one nearby. And Man!

All the stars that had been spared me during the actual avulsion (that was the medical name given the nail pulling out procedure)came out in their full glory.
Phew. Phew! and PHEW!

Suffice to say that I DREAD going in dy after to dress my nail again.
Please to send up a prayer. Or two. Or more. For the dressing to go smoothly, painlessly. Phew! Brrr!!