Standard Procedure

Photo found online showing a room with the same orientation as mine at La Palmos, with trees to look at, like my room 

When you check into La Palmosa hospital,  off goes your wedding ring , your jewelry,  your cash,  and your credit cards to keep in the safe until you check out. 


Then they take away your clothes,  remove any nail or toe polish  and give you an exquisite flowered frock to wear sans "culottes " for the rest of your stay…. standard practice.    And in all the confusion I didn't have my make-up bag either so that meant no special shampoo or conditioner, brush, toothpaste or toothbrush and no make-up.

  Without your trappings, you and your roommate are both suddenly reduced to  your personalities, your language ability and whatever humor you can muster.  Dignity, modesty and vanity are  checked at the door .  

Surprisingly, this was a reassuring feeling for me.  

  Although my roommate came in just after I did,  we just had enough time to get our "iv" and then it was " lights out".   

  And then there was the bedpan.  Using one for the first time that night was a lesson in faith.  I was sure that I would somehow miss it and pee in the bed…. the first test of modesty too as there are male nurses as well as female.  

 I never had good sleep the whole time in the hospital, often being awakened to have my blood pressure monitored and my temperature taken ( in the ear !)  but there would be lots of time to nap during the day so it hardly mattered.

Now tomorrow is the operation so " good night".