OR 3 - 9.10.10

I always told him that he couldn't surprise me. I was wrong.

I had been working in the ambulatory operating room at MUSC for a few weeks, which is where most of Ken's outpatient cases get done. It was nice, since we got to see each other more often than usual. On Friday, September 10, I was to be in the eye surgery room until 4pm and Ken had one short case. I saw him that morning, seemingly himself. After his case, I thought he had gone home. My attending anesthesiologist, Dr. Grace Brown, paged me during lunch and asked if I could set up in Room 3 for an add-on pediatric ear foreign body case. I hurried over leaving half of my lunch uneaten and started setting up the room - then Ken walked in. I may have complained a little about the add-on and proceeded to tell him about saving a kid in recovery when I realized that he wasn't paying a bit of attention to me and that he was visibly shaking. 

I asked him, "What's wrong with you?" He said, "I have a confession, you don't have an add-on case." I started to argue with him until he pulled out a cute little velvet blue box and got on one knee :). I honestly cannot remember what all he said after that except that it was sweet and ended with, "Will you marry me?"  All the anesthesia crew was eagerly waiting outside the OR to congratulate us and send us on our merry way to celebrate! I called and texted my friends and family and enjoyed spreading the news the rest of the day and weekend.  After a terrific dinner at Circa, a concert on Daniel Island, and a sparkly on my finger I went to bed on cloud nine. 

How I Met My Byrd

Ken tells stories best:

She was working in the Peds ER when I was on consults as a 2nd year resident. I may have been "slightly" annoyed by getting another consult, but managed to keep my cool when I found that a petite brunette in green scrub pants, a gray shirt, and a pony tail had called it. I never forgot her name afterward. I later found that her two roomies were mutual friends. We became friends over the next year, despite my teasing her in the OR every time we had a case together.

It was business as usual until the next fall (football season), when I got some rude text messages from an Alabama number regarding the Bama-USC football game. A few weeks later, she came to watch football and eat some chili with me at a friend's house. I was supposed to go to another girl's birthday party that evening, but she talked me into going to Trio (a less than classy dance club). We danced, she kissed me, and the rest is history.