Don't freak out. I never saw the gauze get taken out. If it was there at all, it was taken out before I woke up.

The pad under me wasn't that bad either, I just didn't expect it, and certainly didn't expect it to look kinda purple (blue dye & blood combined). I freaked for a second til I remembered I was having blue dye put through. Just something to remember in case they do the dye with you. It's perfectly normal to look purple.