Knee surgery tomorrow

Any surgeries are frightening, especially ones where you are rendered fully unconscious and sleep through it all. I've had more than my share, including both knees totally replaced. The first knee replacement went great, the second not so much. Now, I go back in tomorrow to have a ton of scar tissue ripped out (well, sliced out in very careful sections, but it still feels brutal to me). I'm both excited for new mobility and terrified of what's being done to my body.

I can hardly comprehend how people must feel who go for heart surgery or brain surgeries. It's almost beyond understanding. The risk is so high, and yet we trust our surgeons to do their all to make us well. No wonder some doctors have a god complex. Myself, I'm not really worried. I've had this surgery four times before (orthoscopic knee surgery). But, I still am grateful my wife will be there with me--something like an adult security blanket I suppose.

Maybe the best thing one can do when facing surgeries is to think happy thoughts? Kind of like Peter Pan learning to fly. Think of puppy dogs and warm baths and sunsets lighting up the sky. And then enjoy the wonderful feeling of asking the anesthesiologist telling you to count back from 100 (seriously, I asked them to do that and I got to 98 once). The only thing I like is closing my eyes and immediately opening them again and finding it's all over ... like magic.

- M