ALLY:
The day I had to have my surgery came by sooner than I expected. My fever was back down to ninety eight point six, I had my appetite back, I could swallow again, I wasn't throwing up anymore and my cough was slowly but progressively better but my sore throat, although also progressively healing, still hurt and I was still phlegmy, but my symptoms were better than they were about five days ago, although they were probably going to take longer to go away, because I needed my tonsils removed. I still sounded hoarse, but a little more like Ally and less meth addicted Darth Vader. I just followed Doctor Moon's advice- liquids like water and tea, gargling hot water with salt, I used a cool mist vaporizer, I only ate smooth foods like applesauce, soup and Jell-O, using lozenges and cough drops, and of course a lot of bedrest. Also, when I showered, I kept the water hot and steamy.
Also, on the visit summary, it said to be cautious when bathing or showering with my cold, because of wet hair often contributing to a catching cold, as well as hot water raising my fever or giving me an ear infection. For whatever inexplicable reason, I wasn't that nervous about having my tonsils removed. It was definitely scary to think about surgery, but I had my parents, Trish and Jace there for me throughout the process. I just hope it wouldn't stop me from singing, because every since I was five years old, I had loved music. I felt that there was no better way to express how you feel other than music.
My kindergarten class was having our annual spring pageant and that year's concept was insects, so of course, we got to write songs about insects. I wrote a butterfly song, and it got so popular that it was put in the play. I'd dreamed of being a singer ever since, and when I was about fifteen, my dream finally came true. And if I couldn't sing anymore, I still had my songwriting, fashion, makeup and modeling careers to fall back on. I wasn't exactly one hundred percent better, but at least sixty-five was good enough, right?
And I had had several sore throats this year and for the past sixteen years. So basically, since I was six. Last month, I had strep throat. The month before that, I got the flu, and of course that came with a sore throat. I was supposed to get the flu shot, but ironically, I got the flu on the same day.
And I don't think it would be a good idea if you were given a shot when you were sick. I rose from my bed and looked in the mirror. I was just wearing my pink robe over a teal t-shirt with the logo of the broadway version of The Little Mermaid, and a pair of baggy teal sweatpants and my hair was in a messy bun. It was my all-time favorite Disney movie (I loved a lot of Disney movies, but The Little Mermaid was from my favorite one ever since I was a child) and I embraced it. Trish noticed as she was chowing down on toast with nutella and a small bowl of strawberries. She finished chewing the toast and swallowed it, singing,
"Up where they walk, up where they run, up where they stay all day in the sun, wanderin' free, wish I could be, part of that world!"
I smiled and rolled my eyes.
"You're such a jamón."
Jamón was ham in spanish. Trish was mexican, so she was fluent in spanish.
She took a handful of berries and then asked me,
"You ready for surgery today?"
I said,
"I guess."
Trish then said,
"Today's my break, and I want to go with you to the Doctor's office. Because, Ally, clearly, you've got butterflies in your stomach."
I said,
"I'm kind of nervous about the surgery. Trish, I really appreciate it."
"What else are friends for? Plus, I'd also like to talk to Dr. Moon about breast implants."
Jace apparently could hear our conversation, because he walked out of him and Trish's bedroom and asked,
"Trish, don't ask a doctor for breast implants. Your rack is fine."
Trish's breast size was 38C. She was always wearing tops that showed off her cleavage and she considered it compliments when men stared at her knockers. She fake pouted.
"Aw, but I want Sofia Vergara tits!"
Jace said,
"Besides, we're mostly there for Ally."
I said,
"And that I care about more than the enlargement of my melons."
I said,
"That's what I like to hear."
Trish looked at her boy toy.
"Jace, I'm taking Ally to the doctor's so she can get tested. Want to come with?"
He said,
"Sorry, Ally, but I have work today. But I hope for the best for you."
I went into my dressing room to grab some clothes and shower so I could be ready to have my tonsils out. Of course I used a hairdryer so that my wet hair wouldn't exacerbate my cough. Jace dropped Trish and I at South Miami Baptist Hospital and when we got there and after I signed myself in, I got a text from my mom.
"Hi, sweetie. Good luck on your surgery today! I love you!
xoxoxo Mom."
I texted my mom,
"Thanks, Mom."
About an hour after we had come in, A mexican nurse, gripping a clipboard, opened the door,
"Dawson, Allison?"
I said,
"That's me."
She wrapped the bracelet around my wrist. It said, Dawson, Allison W, born 1995-Nov-29.
She said,
"I'm just going to examine you, OK?"
Trish and I followed her to a hospital room, and I discovered I needed to pee. Really bad. I said,
"Nurse, I need to go to the bathroom."
She told me,
"We have a bedpan for you in the bathroom, Ms. Dawson. You may urinate in there. But don't flush it. Doctor Moon wants to examine your urine. "
I went to the bathroom in the bedpan and washed my hands. The nurse told me,
"I'll be right back. I'd like you to fill out this questionnaire."
"Yes, nurse."
The mexican nurse washed her hands, put some rubber gloves and walked into the bathroom and came out with the test tube with my piss in it, and on another note, the questionnaire sheet had questions about my health conditions, it was asking if I got tested for STDs, if I drank, used street drugs, if I used condoms when having sex, etcetera. The last time I was hospitalized was when I was nineteen and a freshman in college and I had a severe case of mono. It was because I was pressured into drinking by sorority girls who apparently took a liking to me and I listened to them. But I realized that it was peer pressure and I got mono. I handed her the questionnaire and she put it by the sink.
She held up a blue gown, and asked me to take off all my clothing, bra and underwear and all and told me to put on the gown.
"Doctor Moon is also requesting a blood sample from you."
I said,
"OK."
She took off the rubber gloves, threw old the ones, washed her hands again and put on a new pair of gloves. I had always been OK with needles. Whether I was getting vaccinated or getting blood drawn. I honestly didn't understand why people had such frenzies about getting shots. They didn't even hurt, just a tiny little pinch for like one second. She cleaned my arm with the rubbing alcohol and a cotton ball and put the needle in my arm.
It hurt a little bit, but not nearly enough that I would have a freaking meltdown like a toddler. I was more mature than that. And besides, she was only taking one pint. I learned that it was dangerous to take more than one pint of blood from a person's body, especially from a petite body frame like my own, and put it into a test tube. She took my blood pressure, and it was one hundred twelve over eighty.
Slightly higher than last time, but at least I didn't have hypertension. She took my temperature. Ninety eight point six. I didn't have a fever anymore.
The nurse said to my best friend,
"Excuse me, I'm going to have to ask you to leave."
Trish looked at her.
"What me?"
"Yes. You may see your friend in about an hour."
I said,
"Trish, can you take my things?"
My best friend said,
"Sure. I hope your surgery goes well."
"Thanks, Trish."
She walked out with my bag, as well as hers. The nurse said,
"I'm just going to put these stickers on you and hook you up to the IV. Some anesthesiologists are going to be here shortly to put you to sleep."
"Alright,"
I said, hoarsely. I let out a few coughs. My cough and sore throat weren't completely gone, but I was better than I was last week.
An anesthesiologist walked in, with the anesthesia machine. He said to me,
"I'm just going to attach this mask to your face."
I coughed again and I asked hoarsely,
"Will the anesthia hurt me?"
He said,
"Don't worry. We know the right amount to give you. But to answer your first question, the anesthia is not harmful, just when you wake up, you'll be a little loopy."
He attached the mask to my mouth and I started breathing into it and I felt sleepy and just dozed off.
AUTHOR'S NOTE:
Wow, Ally is such a trooper! On another note, it's finals week for me, but I suprisingly have less finals than you'd expect for a high-school aged girl. I'm in eleventh grade, so I kind of have to step up to the plate more. And next week is Christmas break, so I'll most likely be updating frequently. Don't be afraid to leave reviews!