A Day Surgery at TTSH

Underwent a day surgery at TTSH's day surgery center. Started fasting at mid-night, then no water after 7am. Reported to the Day Surgery Centre at 11.00am, my surgery was scheduled for 12 noon.

Then I started the long long wait. The 12 noon operation time was delayed all the way to 4.20pm. For all these 16 hours no food, no water. By the time they wheeled me into the operation theatre, my mind was hardly clear from hunger and thirst.

The doctors in the operation room was still discussing the previous patient, who they operated on from 11am all the way to almost 4pm. They were saying that case was the mother of all hernia. My god, bad luck, how come my operation is after his.

I asked the surgeon who was to operate on me whether he is ok, as he has been working long hours. He said he was ok. I asked him if he was alright. He said he was only half right, the other was left. A light-hearted joke, just to lighten the mood.

Then someone told me he was Dr. Dennis something, and soon I felt asleep. By the time someone woke me up, it was around 5.15pm. I was naked in the bed, with a big patch on my adomen area, and feeling nausea.

Close to 8pm, HJ came to sign me out, so that I spend the night at home, instead of the observation ward. I actually walked all the way to the emergency department's pharmacy to collect my medicine. There, there was a sudden attack of pain. I felt like vomitting, but I know I had nothing to vomit. Cold sweat, and my face turned pale. Rested for a while, collected my medicine and then took a cab home.

Obviously I under-estimated the pain from this operation. I thought since I could go home on the same day, then I should not experience too much, but it is not. I don't like pain-killer, but then now I must take pain-killer at least once a day.

And then I am given 15 calender days of medical leave. Well, a break from work, in exchange for pain, neither is too good an option.