Stopped in my tracks

Normally with such a thing I would want sympathy.  Like if I cut my arm slightly I would like a bandage around my head as it looks way more dramatic.
But here I am with a legitimate bandage around my leg, and it looks impressive .  But having it, I sorta wish I did not.    The reason I have it is my doctor cut a cancer out of my leg.  After painting my leg to determine where he had to cut he put this cover on it that helped him to know the area he was working on.  Seeing him cut the cover to make the area bigger made me think this is bigger than I thought.
 At surface level it did not look much.  But apparently it was all happening below the surface.  In fact he had to employ a special method and he had others in to show them what he was doing.
Before he did any cutting though he administered anaesthetic.  I told him I was glad for that stuff and asked what they did before it.  He mentioned biting on something.  I was glad those days were over.  I did ask another specialist though if they had anaesthetic and he told me they had a hammer.  I am glad he was joking.
He applied the anaesthetic and told me to let him know if I felt anything as he had more.  I am glad he said that as three times I needed it.
I must  confess I do not look when procedures are being done.  I do not think I would have made a good doctor.  I just knew he was covering a big area.
When he was finished, he sewed it up.  It seemed to take ages.  I commented there seemed to be a lot of stitches.  He showed me a photo when he was finished.  And there were a lot of stiches.  I am only going by memory as it is all covered up, but it looked like at least thirty.  I had never had so many.
He wrote me a script for anti-biotics and I am using some pain killers.  Just as well really as it was only when the anaesthetic wore off did I realize this was a bigger deal than I had realized.
Merril still will not get me a bell though.  I have this dream of being able to ring it and Merril comes a running.  I think that will remain a dream though.  This will get better.  I am told by six weeks things should be back to normal.
Oh well.  No lifting heavy weights or working in the garden for me right now.  This cloud may have a silver lining but I would prefer there was no cloud at all.  Now, where is that violin?