On the day of the procedure I took Dr. Bittner’s instructions seriously. I cut open some plastic garbage bags and lined my bed and covered them with old towels. My husband did the same for the car seat.

I was so excited it was finally going to happen. Julian at the office greeted me with a wide grin and asked how I was and I told her, “Excited to the point of tears!” I had wanted to do this for so long. Everyone was so terrific! It felt as though they were all excited for me. It must be a great place to work… where they get to see people make huge steps in self-improvement. Michelle led me to the procedure room with a quick stop at the restroom. Dr. Bittner and Rod asked me if I had any lingering questions, which I didn’t. Dr. Bittner took my before pics and Rod began the procedure. I was given two pills (don’t remember what they were) and I opted for the laughing gas, which looked like an orange clown nose. Very fitting! Rod began with my right arm. He was terrific in describing all along the way what he was doing and what I would/should be feeling, taking great care in my comfort level. Honestly there were only a few moments of uncomfortableness – nothing that I would describe as actual pain. The wildest thing under the laughing gas is I could hear my voice lower as if slowed down – that was bizarre! It is like the exact opposite of inhaling helium from a balloon. Next thing I know I’m asked to roll over to my right and Rod works on my left arm. In what seemed like a flash Rod asked me to skooch up to top of table for the neck portion. Oddly, I don’t remember anything about the neck portion at all. Procedure for both areas took about 2 hours; I’m a little fuzzy on time! Dina was sweet and helped me dress. We arrived home around 4:30pm. I took half of a Darvocet for pain (I’m a lightweight when it comes to pills) and I crashed! I slept very soundly for about 6 hours. My husband told me my little dog, Tassel would not leave my side! When I awoke I had nausea for about 45 minutes which subsided after I went to the bathroom. Just a little dizziness remained, which could explain me breaking out in song every time I saw my chin strap in the mirror, “How do you solve a problem like a fat chin?” Julie Andrews step aside!

I think getting the drugs out of my system really is the most uncomfortable part. I am a lightweight when it comes to alcohol so it would follow I’d be the same with drugs that make you woozy!

After getting up from my initial nap I checked the towels and sure enough they were soaked with leakage. I changed them and did some work on the computer for a few hours and then I thought I should change my pads at my adit sites. Silly me I thought I could do this on my own and without removing the compression garment. Um…not so much. So I recruited my husband to help. He was all butterfingers and I ended up having to take the compression garment off. (Sorry Dr. B. – removing the garment was against his instructions!) I suppose I have to have grace for my husband after all he doesn’t live in Medieval times and doesn’t understand the principal of rolling tights up. Now I’m dripping leakage all over the bathroom so I got in the shower (also against instructions, so don’t do it like me!). Once most of my leakage had slowed I found positioning one arm at a time the easiest method to re-dressing while holding the pads at the adit sites. Truth be told, I was ready for a nap when we finished. And you may notice in the pic of the first day when I did get my garment back on it was inside out! Oh well… in the words of Scarlett O’Hara, “After all, tomorrow is another day!” I took ½ of a pill of the muscle relaxant to ensure a good night’s rest!

All in all, it was a pretty easy procedure and a good first day.