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Monday, February 8, 2010
Lets Get This Show on the Road!
The next morning physical therapy came in to place me on the CPM machine. This contraption basically stretches and bends your legs slowly back and forth to increase range of motion and flexibility. Starting that day, I'd have to be on the machine for 4 hrs/day (which I broke up into 2 in the am and 2 at night) for the next 4 weeks. Although I could control the depth of the stretch, I hated being bound to the machine, and either watched tv or slept through it, to keep from dying of boredom. Physical therapy (PT) also made me get up and begin to walk with a walker in order to gain some strength in the surgical leg. It wasnt nearly as hard as I expected it to be, but it did take some getting used to walking "normally" again, and Im not quite there yet, even a week later. I still favor and bend the new knee the way I bent the old one because I got used to modifying my walk to protect myself from pain.
This Isnt Half Bad
I remember waking up in the recovery room and the nurses kept checking my vitals. I wasnt in much pain, wasnt groggy, and felt better than I had when I arrived. I said a quick prayer thanking God for this experience, and began to cry. Not sobbing, but tears began to fall from my eyes and I just couldnt contain how far I'd been in my short 27 years on this Earth. I asked the nurse for tissues and she asked if I was ok. I told her "I'm more than ok, I am so blessed". When the OR concierge came to ask what message I wanted to relay to my family in the waiting area, I told her to tell them that I am crying tears of joy and that Im doing great.
A little while later I made it into my room, where once again my vitals were checked (as they would be round the clock, much to my chagrin at times) and my family came up. I was all smiles and taking camera phone pics, posting once again to my facebook account the going's on. I had my first meal of jello and broth (ewww) and longed for real food. That first evening, four of my closest Masonic PHAmily members came to visit me. Trice, Los, Kim, and Carm, I love you all so much and appreciate you all taking the time after a long day of work to come and see me. We laughed, cracked jokes, hung out, and snapped pictures, and when they and my family left, I felt great.
Didnt get much rest that first night, maybe a half hour here and there. But I also didnt use the pain pump as often as the nurses expected me to. I could use it every 10 minutes, and I think I actually used it once an hour. I guess that my tolerance for pain had become so high after being in constant pain for so long, that it really didnt affect me the way it might have otherwise. I had a huge bandage over my leg that felt like it weighed 50 lbs, and there was some pain on the skin where the sutures were, but otherwise, just basic soreness. I began to experience some sciatic nerve pain radiating from my right buttock, and was forced to sleep tilted to the side for the most part. But overall, I was happy with my decision.
A little while later I made it into my room, where once again my vitals were checked (as they would be round the clock, much to my chagrin at times) and my family came up. I was all smiles and taking camera phone pics, posting once again to my facebook account the going's on. I had my first meal of jello and broth (ewww) and longed for real food. That first evening, four of my closest Masonic PHAmily members came to visit me. Trice, Los, Kim, and Carm, I love you all so much and appreciate you all taking the time after a long day of work to come and see me. We laughed, cracked jokes, hung out, and snapped pictures, and when they and my family left, I felt great.
Didnt get much rest that first night, maybe a half hour here and there. But I also didnt use the pain pump as often as the nurses expected me to. I could use it every 10 minutes, and I think I actually used it once an hour. I guess that my tolerance for pain had become so high after being in constant pain for so long, that it really didnt affect me the way it might have otherwise. I had a huge bandage over my leg that felt like it weighed 50 lbs, and there was some pain on the skin where the sutures were, but otherwise, just basic soreness. I began to experience some sciatic nerve pain radiating from my right buttock, and was forced to sleep tilted to the side for the most part. But overall, I was happy with my decision.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Operation Day - The Journey Begins
Well, here I am. Blogging via mobile phone at 3:10am, the morning after surgery. Yesterday(technically), I woke up in pretty bad pain around this same time. I popped a Vico with a tiny swig of water and tried to go back to sleep. When my alarm clock went off at 6:30, I felt like I hadn't slept at all. I laid around for a little while longer, then finally drug myself into the bathroom for a hot shower. It would be my last for at least two weeks. Completed the required Hibiclens wash of the knee area, then got out of the shower.
As I sat and got dressed, several calls and text messages poured in from friends wishing me well. I decided to check my facebook account, where I found more well wishes. I posted a 'see ya later' msg, got Ty ready for school, then headed to my GGs to drop off his clothes for the week.
My cousin had come by to drive me to the hospital, not knowing that my mother had actually been dropped off by her boyfriend, instead of brining her own car, forcing my cousin to have to go out of her way to take my mother home. BUT, I wasn't letting that ruin my day. We get to the hospital, I'm signed in, nd taken back into the pre-op area. I put on the thin gown, get my IV started, get my vitals checked, and take out my contact lenses. My mom and cousin are let into the back to wait with me, where we laug, pray, and ask questions. When it gets close to op time, I kiss them goodbye and I'm wheeled into surgical holding. Here my vitals are checked again, my leg is shaved, I speak with my OR nurses and talk with the anesthesiologist. She gives me demerol for pain, and explains how spinal anesthesia w/ a nerve block works. She gives me another shot, and I wake up in the recovery room. :)
To be continued...
As I sat and got dressed, several calls and text messages poured in from friends wishing me well. I decided to check my facebook account, where I found more well wishes. I posted a 'see ya later' msg, got Ty ready for school, then headed to my GGs to drop off his clothes for the week.
My cousin had come by to drive me to the hospital, not knowing that my mother had actually been dropped off by her boyfriend, instead of brining her own car, forcing my cousin to have to go out of her way to take my mother home. BUT, I wasn't letting that ruin my day. We get to the hospital, I'm signed in, nd taken back into the pre-op area. I put on the thin gown, get my IV started, get my vitals checked, and take out my contact lenses. My mom and cousin are let into the back to wait with me, where we laug, pray, and ask questions. When it gets close to op time, I kiss them goodbye and I'm wheeled into surgical holding. Here my vitals are checked again, my leg is shaved, I speak with my OR nurses and talk with the anesthesiologist. She gives me demerol for pain, and explains how spinal anesthesia w/ a nerve block works. She gives me another shot, and I wake up in the recovery room. :)
To be continued...
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