I was hospitalized in December and before I left for the hospital I did as I always do. I removed all of my jewelry. I took off the Celtic cross I’ve worn around my neck since the day my sister gave it to me years ago. I removed my earrings and took off my Medic Alert bracelet. The only pieces of jewelry that remained were my “BELIEVE” band and my Operation Ward 57 band. They are silicone so I knew I could go into the OR with them on.
My anesthesiologist was one I know very well. She’d taken notice of my two yellow bands and as I moved from my bed to the OR table, she asked me why I hadn’t taken them off. After all, I could always put them back on in a few hours when I returned to my hospital room as I do with my watch every time. I could see the curiosity in her eyes and noticed that I’d drawn the attention and curiosity of my surgeon’s chief resident as well so I went ahead and explained the stories behind my two yellow bands.
