Being brave is close to being stupid. 

I joke that bravery is me walking into an open field.

Stupid is forgetting my cane in the car.

I might stumble and fall, but I will get up.

When I went to get my CCSVI procedure, the doctor was impressed how much I knew about CCSVI.  I was his fourth procedure.   But perhaps his most comfortable in where the procedure was going to proceed.

I am somewhat hypogycimic, that is I need to eat or drink something.  Skipping breakfast is okay, but lunch please. 

The procedure was supposed to occur at 10 am.  10 am passed.  11 am.  Did I mention I was fasting.  And waiting and watching TV was no better because every good looking tc commercial came on.   I might have seen a commercial about great tasting worms.  One never knows if you are stuck watching CNN. 

At 1pm the surgeon finally arrived.  He had an emergency.  I completely understood.  I scheduled, but I was going to live to see tomorrow if I got delayed.  The other patient was an emergency, so I knew my place and waited.

Doc and I discussed the procedure and nothing seemed out of place to me.  My mother, a doctor's daughter, wanted to drop in her 2 cents about fifty times.  I cut her off nicely after 2 questions that I had already told her, but I still let the doctor answer. 

Stents were and are my greatest concern.  The gentleman from Canada had just passed away because no one knew how to deal with stents.  Doc and I agreed no stents today.

When I was finally rolled in I needed something to slow me down.  I was excited.  Amped up.  I was going to get this done when all said it was impossible.  All being family and doctors.   My friends know me to be fearless, but smartly agressive.  Family knew what was and did not know what CCSVI was and nor would they listen.  But here I was.

I have had surgeries before, but previously, I got the anestetic, and out I went.  Today was a local and I was going to be awake.  And despite whatever would be given to me, my brain was awake.

In all previous surgeries, I was asleep.  This probably helped so that I did not ask questions.  Not today. 

The dance of a surgical team is beautiful thing to behold.  Different people, with different parts to play,comfortable in their roles.  I, the patient, no longer seated in the center orchestra section, rather the main course in this procedure that few knew what to expect.

This is part I.  I will write part II tomorrow.  Stay tuned.