Wednesday

Denise was kept drugged during the day. The local regimen would start the next day. She was semi-lucid at times but never allowed to come totally to consciousness. Carol sat next to her bed and read, some of it was information the Doctor gave her about the surgery.

Thursday

About noon the nurse came in with the locals. Carol watched as she inserted the needle into Denise’s leg near the groin and injected the medication then rolled her over and injected her from behind. “Will that really handle the pain? Amputation is a terrible assault. I was doped out of my mind for a week to not be in pain.”

“Let me assure you, it will handle the pain. We are seeing patients really improve this way. They are the ones that are the worst surgical risks if they remain in bed. They get out fast and they benefit the most.”

In the middle of the afternoon the other medication started wearing off. Denise started waking up. When she recognized Carol she asked, “This feels like a massive hangover. Please tell me I didn’t get drunk. Tell me I didn’t fall off the wagon again?”

“No. You didn’t get drunk. Why?”

“Because this feels like the most terrible hangover I have ever had. I feel sick again, real sick. Oh, God. I have to puke.” Carol got the kidney pan under her mouth just before she threw up. She went through about twenty minutes of throwing up and dry heaves and then the nausea started to abate. When it did she was exhausted. Carol asked the nurse for some ice and she gave it to Denise. “I got one question. When is it?”

“When is what?”

“When do they cut my leg off?”

“You had your surgery late morning the day before yesterday. You have been out since.”

“A world record hangover.” She smiled. “It will be my last one unless I need more surgery.”

“Really?”

“Yes. For sure.”

Carol hugged her. “I hope so.”

She got a funny look. “Oh, I feel sick, terrible. This is awful. I have to puke again.” The kidney pan made it just in time.

When she finished with the dry heaves about ten minutes later she looked up at Carol, “This is worse than any hangover. Is it always like this after surgery? How long will this last?”