Wednesday, October 28, 2009

TC: Surgery Day

Surgery day started today at 4:00 am. The long rainy drive to Mercy Medical center in Baltimore was a somber one. Prior to EITM, we were forced to surf the channels while listening to the sound of rain hitting the windshield. The trip seemed endless.

Once we finally arrived at the hospital, Chris was immediately whisked away in a wheelchair so he could strip out of his street clothes and into a hospital gown. While Christy and I waited, we ran into a familiar face in the lobby. Coach Zorn, dressed in a sports jacket and sneakers, kindly greeted us and asked how Chris was feeling going into all of this. We told him he was nervous for his first surgery and chatted for a few minutes until we got the okay to go into his room. As soon as we did, Dr. Myerson grabbed Z to get him into his scrubs and ready to watch.

As the two left the room, the nurse came to prep Chris for the trip under. Sans one snag in preparation, which was between the nurse's lab coat and Chris's broken foot, the prep was flawless. As the IV began dripping, Z and Dr. Myerson came back into the room and the doc explained to all of us what would happen while Chris was under.

The explanation was that Chris would need 5 tiny punctures in the ankle to place the three hollow screws through his fractured tibia. Two on the outside of the foot to anchor the clamp that would compress the fracture and the other three on the inside for the screws. Then he said the entire thing would last anywhere between 30-60 minutes and that was that. As we watched them wheel Chris through the mechanical double doors I had full confidence that he was in great hands.

Before heading to the cafeteria for some breakfast, Christy gave the nurse her cell phone number so they could call us when he was all done. Waiting for things like this is always the worst. You never know when you will hit the threshold between nervous worry, and complete boredom. Fortunately as soon as we were about to hit the point, the phone rang.

We hurried back downstairs and met up with the doctor, and Zorn. Chris was still trying to wake up. Dr. Myerson gave us the good news that the surgery went exactly as planned and that Chris would be just fine. He showed us the x-ray and again explained what he had done.After that the the nurse took us back to see him while they were trying to wake him up. And this is what we saw...The best part of being around someone waking up from surgery is that you get to hear the greatest unfiltered thoughts of said person. I can't say everything that was said, but I can say the best thing. Chris told the snag nurse that he would never forgive her for what she did, she asked what she could do to make up for it.

"I wanna hold you down and twist your ankle!"

I will never know if it is good or bad to have absolutely no barriers between what is thought and what is said but it did made for an amazing 20 minutes. After which, Chris became more alert and Christy helped him get dressed.

Two of us left the hospital exactly as we came with a slightly goofier Chris. As soon as we got to the car he couldn't wait to tell someone. So he did. And if you want, you can listen to that conversation HERE it is a classic.

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46 comments:

chris,

feel better.

i had a nasty ankle, leg break a few years ago from hockey. plates and screws as well.

trust your doctors and yourself, but don't try to be a hero and go too quickly.

best of luck!

Sweet. :)

Anesthesia can be fun. The last thing I remember before drifting off for wrist surgery was a nurse asking me what a certain tattoo's symbolism was. "Mafia," I replied. Unfortunately, I didn't get to see her reaction.

That x-ray is nuts.. quick recovery man

Awesome! Hope you heal up fast. Maybe get a hyperbaric chamber to sleep in at home. ;)

Glad surgery went well. I spiral fractured my left leg and broke a bone behind my achilles tendon playing rugby. Very lucky no screws or plates just a cast for what felt like ever.

Get Well Soon,
Lori

so what kind of cool things are you gona do with your ankle all jacked up? Igor for halloween? wheelchair races? setting off metal detectors?

Glad to have the chance to talk with you on EITM. Sorry, but the hair is beeging to be made example of.

Get well quick, there's 6 touchdowns with your name on them.

All the best.

Chris,

Hope you are doing well. Your call to elliot in the morning was fantastic. People can say what they want about coach Zorn, he is a class act. Take care bud. Can wait to see you back on the field.

Matt

The way that Chris looks in the above picture (when he's out) and the way he sounds on EITM is the way I look and sound on any given night around 11pm...which would be right now.

And for the record Chris woke up from surgery with Jim Zorn...not with a Jim Zorn http://tinyurl.com/ygy6z95

Classy move by Coach Zorn to be there for the surgery...get well soon buddy.

Awesome post!
This is about the most intimate look into the life of Cooley.
Props to Coach Zorn for being with his man through surgery!
HTTR!

In my (weak) opinion, I think that Chris should just take the rest of the season off and recover from this injury. I just hope that Chris remains healthy for the rest of his career! The Redskins are lucky as shit to have such a talented and personable player!

Fuck Julius Peppers...just wanted to get that out!

Chris,

I wish you the best. I'm glad that the surgery went as planned and everything was successful. It will be a long road to a full recovery but, you'll get there. You're a great player and person who has fans, friends and a great family who care and who will be there with you all of the way through.

You guys are tons of fun, I know this from you guys hanging out where I work. I enjoy your company and despite not being a skins fan I enjoy seeing you play your heart out on the field.I hope something like this doesn't get you down. You are an athlete and a stellar one at that.
Please don't rush back and be too eager to get back on this field. What we want is for you to get better first. Then we want to see you tear shit up on that field. It's okay if it's 2010 when that happens.
Get better Chris Cooley.
(And don't give me shit cuz I said your full name.)
-BW

Get well soon Chris! Hope it's a speedy recovery!

I agree that Chris should take the rest of the season off. I am a loyal skins fan and have been my entire life (30 years), but I feel like there isn't much hope left for the skins and Chris should save himself for next year. We don't want him to come back too early and then mess up his ankle any further. We need him healthy on this team! I was so angry the other week when he wasn't given the chance to catch a pass and make something happen. Frustrating this season! I still love em though.

Get well soon!!!!!! tough finding a TE to fill in for my FFB team.

Troy from Utah.

GO AGGIES!!!!!

Glad to see the surgery went well. That was a hillarious radio interview...and if you need someone to drive you around trick or treating, I'd be happy to do so. I couldn't help but to think of the scene in The Animal when he was being tranquilized when you were talking about getting the cocktail prior to being put under, I am sure you put up a good fight. ha ha.. As they said in the movie The Outsiders to Ponyboy - "Stay Golden". Get Well Soon
HTTRS!

Love you chris. Hope all is well. Hope the team can hold up without you. Will always be faithful to the Skins, win or lose!! Best of luck. Hope they still get you on the camera next Sunday. Love Elliot too.

I would be pissed if my family posted pics of me right after surgery..you are such a good sport. Here's to a speedy recovery..The first couple of days are the worst...It's all better from there!

One of the few shining lights on the field every Sunday is number 47. What are Redskins fans to do now? Hope you have a quick and painless recovery Chris!

"absolutely no barriers between what is thought and what is said"

i didn't think chris cooley needed a surgery for that; it seems he's like that all the time.

fun aside, he is a tremendous football player and i wish him a speedy recovery.
but i agree with the others; this season is not worth rushing back into, so even if it takes 6-8 weeks rather than 4, just "stay medium" and look ahead to next season.

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Delighted to read that the surgery went well, dear Chris. May your pain be minimal and your recovery swift and complete. You're my fave player by a mile, and I love the blog! Coach Zorn is indeed a class act and does NOT in any way deserve the crap he gets from Redskins micromisManagement.

I have a broken ankle story for ya, too...both the tibia and fibula broke clean in two a few years back, and all I did was slip on ice so didn't even have a good story! It was my first and only broken bone, and I'm ancient. Recovery and PT aren't the world's greatest experiences, but you will bounce back in a pair of seconds.

I HAVE to ask...what's up with the hair...you lose a bet or sumthin'? 8~}

You're the best! Get better quick!

Glad to hear you might be back way sooner than what was first reported. Waking up from anesthesia can be really funny. Man, some of the shit my ex said when she came to one time, wow. . .

Get well soon Chris!!

Take your time getting back on the field. Make sure you are 100 %. We will still be here when you get back and it's going to be so cool when you make that first catch and the Cooooooley chants come ring out all over Fed Ex. HTTR!!!

chris, youre the man. hope recovery goes as fast as planned and youre back out there doin youre thing.

Get Better ASAP COOLEY! We need you back! You are the only player that keeps our team going! BEST OF LUCK IN YOUR RECOVERY! HTTR!

~VINCE

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Chris,

You are a TRUE REDSKIN and we love you.. Hope you feel better. Get well soon. We need you BUD!

Feel better, Chris. Redskins without you are soulless. But don't rush it.

Chris,

I'm a bigtime Pats fan and want to wish you the best. I ruptured my achilles playing hoop last winter, and it was my first surgery. When I came out, the nurse (male) asked me if I've had surgery before, and I told him I had a penal reduction, twice. The whole room burst into laughter, including my embarrassed mother.

Ja

Good Luck Man. We will miss on the field.

Get well quick! You were very kind and took a picture with my wife and daughter coming back from the Bahamas. Stay out for the year and recover! Zorn shows class by coming up for the surgery!!

Hope you get well Chris! Injuries blow, but if they got to happen at least it happenned when the team was at a low note. Get well soon and enjoy the time away from the chaos!

Ánimo, Chris.

Que Dios te de una pronta y completa recuperación.

Desde Aguascalientes, México.

First of all Chris, hope you're feeling much better, I'm a trauma nurse, now stop whining! Secondly, I contacted the Redskins Office to ask about a donation of "stuff" for a care package I'm taking to Camp Liberty, Iraq. We lost our son, PFC Cody Thompson, in December. His friend joined and is now a combat medic. The troops think they're just getting a couple of boxes, but I have so many organizations contributing that I have had to get a PLANE to take it! Anyway, the Redskins offered some "posters and small things!" More than anything these kids wanted notes from us... apparently the Redskins Corporate aren't interested in doing anything of any value. SO, I contacted the Cowboys!!!!!!! Anyway, hope your recovering quickly, peace of the Lord be with you and hang in there....

Take Chris. Not a fun R&R; however, am looking forward to the R&R stories. Zorn knows he is lucky to have you.

Snyder can't ban this sign:
http://fire-snyder-sign.blogspot.com/

Hahahaha i can relate to that, i had knee surgery this summer and waking up from surgery was... yeah

Chris, I can relate. I had two of my vertabrae fused together last year. I really hope you recover and its as good as new. Please dont come back too soon. I hope you recover 100% and that it doesnt effect your life at all. Your long term health is the most important thing. I wish you the best buddy. HTTR

Farbod

Hey Chris, feel better soon and know that you are in great hands. My girlfriend had ankle surgery at Mercy 2 years ago and Dr. Myserson (regarded as one of the top specialists in the world) did the consulation for us. The surgery was done by one of his colleagues (Dr. Campbell, another terrific surgeon) and if it was for him, Dr. Myserson, and the entire staff there then I don't think that my girlfriend would be walking as well as she does today.

Rest up and best wishes for a speedy recovery.

Bob

Did Zorn call the plays in the OR

The Phillips crew back here in Utah are wishing you a speedy recovery. Me and Dylan can't wait to see #47 back on the field. Enjoy your down time while you can and get well soon.

Best wishes,
Adam

Your facebook profile pic should be that hospital bed shot. Or the x-ray...

Loved the call to Elliot! Get well soon Chris...the fans are thinking about you! And we need you on the field!

I've got a matching boot! Ruptured achilles tendon. Just remember - every day is one day closer to getting back on the field. Get well!

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