The Vulnerability of the Operating Room

For those of you that don't know I had knee surgery on Monday. They replaced my ACL. I am recovering fine. Just a little bit of pain and discomfort, but I'm enjoying the break from school and work.
The surgery itself was an experience I will never forget. I don't think I have ever felt so vulnerable and alone. As I waited, each nurse and administrator along the way asked if I had any family with me. Each time I had to say no. But I was also able to say that I had a friend picking me up when it was over. My friend, Sarah, has been great through all this. She gave up her day to come take me home, and she's been coming by the house to help me out each day since. My roomate, Joel, has also been great. He has to work in the afternoons, but he spends every morning making sure I have eaten and have everything I need. Still, the time at the hospital felt very lonely because I was so far from my family.
It was also a terribly humbling exerience. They laid me down on a gurney with no clothes on other than a hospital gown and a blanket. They stretched out my arms crucifixion style, with an IV in one arm and a heart rate monitor on the other. Then they set the blanket to the side and a man, with a beard that can only be described as a pirate beard, proceeded to shave my leg. I have never before felt so vulnerable. Naked, arms outstretched, with a man shaving my leg.
On a more positive note, they gave me a machine that water cools my leg and a giant brace that runs the length of my leg. I feel like a robot. In honor of this I have decided to name my new tendon, since it is from someone else's body after all. I'm sticking with the robot theme and naming it after Robocop's partner Lewis. This way instead of refering to my self as "I" I can refer to myself as "we." by refering to myself as a plural entity We think this whole thing will be much more fun.