I asked my doctor to take a camera into the operating room while he operated on me. Some of these pictures are terrible, because it was just a cheap disposable camera.
Also available from the surgery are the before/after pictures.
Thanks to my friend Jenner for scanning these pictures.
 Strapped on to the table before surgery. My head is to the right, wrapped up under a hot-air blanket. |
 Laying with my right side down. |
 Dr. Weissman, the surgeon, is on the right. |
 Prepped for surgery- that's betadine all over my torso. You can see the ducting for the blanket in the upper left. Also visible is the catheter (yellow tube, going down my leg) and some sort of patch on my thigh- probably part of the monitoring for the anesthesia. |
 Starting the incision- my body has been reduced to a square foot of skin. |
 Surgery team posing for the camera. Dr Weissman is holding the scapel, third from the left. |
 Cutting and spreading. Looks like they are cauterizing. |
 More cutting and spreading. |
 Look at that hardware! |
 More hardware and spreading. |
 |
 I wonder what that twisty-handled tool is.. maybe that's the tool that was used to cut my rib? |
 The kidney is out. |
 Picture of the kidney. The ruler is about 6 inches, which gives an idea of the size. |
 These are blurry because of the fixed focus on the disposable camera. |
 Poking and prodding. |
 Sealing things up. |
 All sealed up- some of the 25 staples are visible. |