one night

For a total vaginal hysterectomy, I will get only one night in the hospital--and that's only because the surgery is scheduled for a Friday. Apparently, it's usually out-patient surgery with a home visit from a hospital nurse the following day. Since the nurses don't do the visits on Saturdays, I'll have a 23-hour observational stay. Somehow, this just doesn't sound like enough time.

December 26

It took nearly two weeks to get the bladder study results all the way (as in, 100 yards) to the doctor's office.  Finally, I was able to talk with the surgery scheduler today.  My doctor is available before December 18 or on January 7.  In order to finish up the semester and actually post final grades, I cannot have surgery before December 20.  However, January 7 puts me a little too close to the beginning of the spring semester, and I really want to minimize how much time I have to take off and make arrangements for other people to do my work.

It occurred to me to ask if there was another doctor in the practice who could do the surgery.  I've been a patient there for only 6 months, and although I like my doctor, I don't feel particularly attached to her.  So, I asked if it would be acceptable to ask if there was another doctor in the practice who could perform the surgery; if not, January 7 would have been acceptable.  I was very happy that there is, indeed, someone who can do it--on December 26.  This is perfect.  It lets me get through finals, have some Christmas, and then have an entire month before the semester begins.  I'm a bit creeped out by the fact that this will be the first male gynecologist I've had since, oh, 1991, but I'm so very happy to now know when I'm having my surgery.