Our routine in Denver is usually much the same - much as it shows here:

The night before the prodecdure, we stay at the Craig House.   It is a set of apartments on the hospital grounds for patients and families to stay.  When Amy stays at the hospital with me late, a security guard will walk her "home".  Very convenient!

The next morning, about 2 hours before our scheduled procedure,  I take a number and wait to be called to check-in to the hospital.

Oddly enough, each time we go in it is like they have never seen us before and we repeat all the same information.  Then they send us up to Radiology.  The procedure (embolization) that Dr. Yakes performs falls under radiology.

	First thing I do there is to change into my lovely gown and bootie combo.  My nurse Ita takes my temperature, blood pressure, weight etc.

Nurse Jean is taking down the updated important info - any new allergies, last aspirin, last tylenol, anything new and different etc.

Putting in an IV comes next.  The drip is a simple glucose drip that will keep me hydrated as I have had nothing to eat or drink in the last 12 hours and am not likely to get anything for the next 4 or 5 hours as well.   Nurse Ita is the BEST at hitting the vein right first time in.

Dr. Yakes physician's assistant Andrea visits next to ask all the same questions we have answered a few times this day already - anything new, how's it going, what's your pain level, etc.  She patiently answers all our questions and even takes a picture or two for their records.

The waiting begins.  Some days it is only an hour or so as everything is on time.  That is usual if we are the first procedure of the day.  Dr. Yakes generally does 3 or 4 procedures in a day, though, so when I am the last procedure, the 1:30pm, I can wait as late as 6:00pm to begin.  We don't mind AT ALL as this means that Dr. Yakes and his crew are spending as much time as needed on each person, which is what we want for me as well.

Dr. Yakes stops by just before the procedure.   This means we are starting soon.  Long waits allow us time for a video or two and a couple of naps, but I am always excited to get started.

I am in the corner sheet room, behind the nurse station where the nurses and doctors are preparing the final notes from the last procedure and reviewing the notes for mine.

I am wheeled into the radiology room and transferred from the comfy radiology bed to the skinny radiology table.  Amy comes with me this far as I am just beginning to feel the effects of my shot of relaxing versed.

My usual anestheseologist is Dr. Wendy Herhahn.   She is very nice and kind.  I feel much like a horse as she examines my teeth in preparation for the intebation tube, which she will insert moments after I am asleep.

The last thing before I fall asleep, and in fact I sometimes don't remember this part, is Amy kisses me and they send her off with a beeper and a promise to beep as soon as I am out of the procedure.  This is between 1 1/2 and 4 hours depending on how things are going.

After awakening in the recovery room, I am transferred to the ninth floor where we are getting to know all the nurses.  This aid is Kay and she is very nice as well.

Kay and another nurse are settling me in and getting the Oxygen set up for me.  Pulse-Ox needs to be 90 or above, but I don't usually breathe deeply enough to attain this, so they keep me on O2 through the   night.

If I have been a very good boy, and been able to take in liquids and hold down jello and ice cream before I sleep on procedure day, then I can have breakfast on Friday morning!  This is a major goal as they have threatened dire procedures I do not wish to contemplate if I do not do as asked.  I am ALWAYS a good boy.  It is also a great opportunity to let Amy baby me, as she will feed me my jello, ice cream, and ice chips until I sleep.  She suspects that I am faking it for sympathy but as she has no proof, she accomodates me.

Notice the cow over my left shoulder.   That is Buster who was given to me by Amy on our first visit and now travels with us each time.  Andrea checks Buster and me out right after breakfast and will give the update to Dr. Yakes before he comes in.  Usually, all the news is good.  No pain.  No blisters.  Good to go.

Dr. Yakes makes his rounds and answers any questions a last time.  I am now cleared to dress, have my IV removed, and Buster and I am ready to go.

The nurse removes the port in my arm after my last anti-nausea shot (from the anesthetic), and the anti-inflammatory.  We then go spend a quiet day, generally at the movies and lunch, and ususally fly out on the 4 or 6 o'clock flights.  Back home by 10:00pm Firday night usually.