Asklemmy

I actually just had strabismus surgery this past Thursday. I was definitely nervous before going into the operating room, but I've been under before for a tonsillectomy. As I was wheeled on my gurney into the OR, they gave me a "half dose" of something to calm me down, but I didn't really feel much.

Getting in, it was all about the prepping going on around me. Doctors, nurses, residents, etc. all doing their thing. I had these compression-type wraps put on my legs that would squeeze every so often to prevent blood clotting. IV was on the top of my left arm (so much tape and adhesive I now have a few bald spots from arm hair being ripped - I'm a guy if that helps). I had white circles placed on the front of my chest and top of my shoulders which I believe tracked my pulse and such (also took hair when removed).

Everyone was nice, but there was definitely an efficiency and routine to the whole setup. My type of surgery is done regularly in that part of the hospital, so it's nothing new for them.

When it came time to go under, I was given the "other half" of the sedating drug (not sure on the name) and an air mask was held over my face. I was told to keep breathing in deeply. I did it for like 2-3 minutes before a doctor told the guy holding my mask to "increase it, you're a bit low". Maybe that was nitrous? As they were doing that, my arms were being strapped down and I joked if I needed a safe word since this is my first time using straps. They said sure, pick one. Before I could say "pineapples" I was waking up in the post-op area.

Everything was very bright and I was definitely groggy, so I just closed my eyes and let myself come back to reality. The right eye was covered in bandages and a head wrap with sutures just dangling from the inside corner of my eye - that was super weird and caught on the bandage frequently. Eventually I could use my left eye without squinting too much. I was given ice chips and tissues to clear my mouth out from the gunk buildup. Movement was pretty limited with the IV still there and not being able to move my eyes much.

It took about 2 hours before my mom was let in (she was the +1), then another 30 minutes or so for the surgeon to come in to wash my right eye of blood and adjust the sutures. That was a 3x process which wasn't painful, but really uncomfortable. I'd look at a light, they'd measure the eye movement between left and right, then lay me back and tighten the suture. Rinse and repeat until the doc was confident. Another 1.5 hours or so and I was able to leave.

Not sure if it's normal but I'd say I was coherent and ready to wear normal clothes by the 1.5 hour mark after surgery. By the end, I could move, change clothes, talk, everything, but hospital policy was to wheel me out. If you want to know about recovery after, I'd be happy to share - I'm on day 4 now.