THREE WEEKS POST OP! Yippie! I don't have much to report, I don't feel any different. :) Although my larger than life screw doesn't look as big in this photo, that's kind of nice.
Pain: 1.5
Quote: "Try and fail but don't fail to try." -Stephen Kaggwa
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Day 20+
Almost 3 weeks since surgery. I can't believe it's only day 20.
Feels like forever has gone by! I feel pretty good! I still can't have it hang for long, but there has been a definite improvement though. I'm up to a couple minutes from 10-30 seconds. I guess that proves it really has only been 20 days, I have plenty a ways to go so I won't over react just yet that it cant hang for hours on end.
Yesterday was my first day of work since Oct. 24th. It was great to be back, I'm so tired of being in my condo alone all day! Much better being here. Only problem, not very comfy. I mean, I am posted up on our couches, but for some reason my foot goes numb and my heel hurts like crazy. I did a decently long day yesterday, a full one for sure, which made it really sore. Then we headed up to Plano for Juan's mom's bday party, it hurt! Why, every time I see them, must I be in the worst shape?! I feel so bad! I came home last night and passed out the second I layed down. Woke up a few hours later to actually wash my face and brush my teeth!
It feels better this morning, I'd like to be able to last all day. At least its a short week. I'm happy to be back, I don't really want to leave! I was contemplating calling the Dr., my cast is sooo loose already, and it's only been 1 week. I'm worried that in another 3.5 it will be much too loose, and my ankle will have been banging around too much in the cast. I'm wondering if I should come in at the halfway mark and get a tighter one? Eh, whatever. I'll be fine.
Pain: 2
Quote: "The delay of our dreams does not mean they have been denied." - Sarah Ban Breathnach
Feels like forever has gone by! I feel pretty good! I still can't have it hang for long, but there has been a definite improvement though. I'm up to a couple minutes from 10-30 seconds. I guess that proves it really has only been 20 days, I have plenty a ways to go so I won't over react just yet that it cant hang for hours on end.
Yesterday was my first day of work since Oct. 24th. It was great to be back, I'm so tired of being in my condo alone all day! Much better being here. Only problem, not very comfy. I mean, I am posted up on our couches, but for some reason my foot goes numb and my heel hurts like crazy. I did a decently long day yesterday, a full one for sure, which made it really sore. Then we headed up to Plano for Juan's mom's bday party, it hurt! Why, every time I see them, must I be in the worst shape?! I feel so bad! I came home last night and passed out the second I layed down. Woke up a few hours later to actually wash my face and brush my teeth!
It feels better this morning, I'd like to be able to last all day. At least its a short week. I'm happy to be back, I don't really want to leave! I was contemplating calling the Dr., my cast is sooo loose already, and it's only been 1 week. I'm worried that in another 3.5 it will be much too loose, and my ankle will have been banging around too much in the cast. I'm wondering if I should come in at the halfway mark and get a tighter one? Eh, whatever. I'll be fine.
Pain: 2
Quote: "The delay of our dreams does not mean they have been denied." - Sarah Ban Breathnach
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Day 14+
Yay! I got my cast yesterday! It's been two weeks today since surgery, and I feel pretty good. Not too much to report. I suppose that is good news in itself!
Pain: 1
Quote: "You won't realize the distance you've walked until you take a look around and realize how far you've been." -Unknown
Pain: 1
Quote: "You won't realize the distance you've walked until you take a look around and realize how far you've been." -Unknown
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Day 13+, splint removed, casted
Well, today was a big day. The first follow-up. 13 days post-op. Wow. So, it was a little worse than I thought it was going to be, I guess in some ways, in other ways not.
Several hours were spent at the dr.'s office today, first, they removed the splint, which probably took 30 mins. I can't believe how much gauze was under there! Glad it wasn't my leg that was that big and swollen! My leg is actually very tiny already, *tear*. What I wasn't prepared for, was all of the blood and drainage that was going to be in the gauze. Dried, and stuck to my foot. Gross and ouch. So they finally got all that off, and we went to xray. Another 30 min. And I had my foot hovering over each xray film, b/c I couldn't bear to put my foot down. Any slight touch to my heel was unbearable.
Then the doc comes in. I'm soooo happy to see him. He's a great guy and doctor. Dr. Royer. He's a good man. So he looks at me, says I look good, answers a couple questions for me, clarifies exactly what he did in surgery, and says he'll see my back in 4 weeks when hopefully, I will be through with the cast and will be in a walking boot, whoot whoot! That is definite progress, I thought I would be casted for 6-8 weeks, but Dr. didn't do the tendon xfer he thought he would need to, so maybe I saved a couple weeks there.
Surgery: cut heel bone, move over 10mm (1cm), insert screw, LARGE screw! Repair torn tendons and repair/reattach stretched out ligaments. I have 3 incisions, 2 huge ones on the outside of my ankle, and one tiny one on the back of my heel. Lots of stitches. Yes, that was the next phase. Stitches have to come out today. NOT FUN. At all. So once those were removed, another 20 min, with 5-10 minutes in between each of these events while different people were in and out of the room...this is sounding like a horrible experience but it really wasn't, although it was painful and even Juan felt faint when they were removing the stitches. It didn't help that I was squeeling b/c of the pain. I actually said out loud, "geez, how do kids handle this?!" oh yeah, KIDS dont have to have this surgery! ha! duh. it takes years to do the kind of damage i have done. :)
So I finally get my cast, I ask him to put a ridiculous amount of padding in, which he says won't do me any good but be uncomfortable in the end, so i have this pretty black cast that is so small compared to the big splint i was lugging around!
All in all, it was a successful day, and I am progressing very well. As I was laying on the xray table, I was thinking about the last day I left boxing class, when I told the instructor I was out for ankle reconstruction, and she told me I was hard core. Lying there today, I began to understand a whole new level of "hard core." I'm raising my leg in the air, looking at these ginormous incisions thinking, "all those years of soccer, I can't believe I did this, that I played through all this, that I'm actually laying here looking at this, and I'm not even playing college ball anymore..." It was just really, really, weird. I grew up a little more today. I'm not exactly itching to get back on that field...I'm just happy that I will be able to walk and run again. :)
Pain: 2
Quote: "Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional." -M. Kathleen Casey...Well, M. Casey, I'm not so sure I agree with you today. :) Those stitches were stingers!
Several hours were spent at the dr.'s office today, first, they removed the splint, which probably took 30 mins. I can't believe how much gauze was under there! Glad it wasn't my leg that was that big and swollen! My leg is actually very tiny already, *tear*. What I wasn't prepared for, was all of the blood and drainage that was going to be in the gauze. Dried, and stuck to my foot. Gross and ouch. So they finally got all that off, and we went to xray. Another 30 min. And I had my foot hovering over each xray film, b/c I couldn't bear to put my foot down. Any slight touch to my heel was unbearable.
Then the doc comes in. I'm soooo happy to see him. He's a great guy and doctor. Dr. Royer. He's a good man. So he looks at me, says I look good, answers a couple questions for me, clarifies exactly what he did in surgery, and says he'll see my back in 4 weeks when hopefully, I will be through with the cast and will be in a walking boot, whoot whoot! That is definite progress, I thought I would be casted for 6-8 weeks, but Dr. didn't do the tendon xfer he thought he would need to, so maybe I saved a couple weeks there.
Surgery: cut heel bone, move over 10mm (1cm), insert screw, LARGE screw! Repair torn tendons and repair/reattach stretched out ligaments. I have 3 incisions, 2 huge ones on the outside of my ankle, and one tiny one on the back of my heel. Lots of stitches. Yes, that was the next phase. Stitches have to come out today. NOT FUN. At all. So once those were removed, another 20 min, with 5-10 minutes in between each of these events while different people were in and out of the room...this is sounding like a horrible experience but it really wasn't, although it was painful and even Juan felt faint when they were removing the stitches. It didn't help that I was squeeling b/c of the pain. I actually said out loud, "geez, how do kids handle this?!" oh yeah, KIDS dont have to have this surgery! ha! duh. it takes years to do the kind of damage i have done. :)
So I finally get my cast, I ask him to put a ridiculous amount of padding in, which he says won't do me any good but be uncomfortable in the end, so i have this pretty black cast that is so small compared to the big splint i was lugging around!
All in all, it was a successful day, and I am progressing very well. As I was laying on the xray table, I was thinking about the last day I left boxing class, when I told the instructor I was out for ankle reconstruction, and she told me I was hard core. Lying there today, I began to understand a whole new level of "hard core." I'm raising my leg in the air, looking at these ginormous incisions thinking, "all those years of soccer, I can't believe I did this, that I played through all this, that I'm actually laying here looking at this, and I'm not even playing college ball anymore..." It was just really, really, weird. I grew up a little more today. I'm not exactly itching to get back on that field...I'm just happy that I will be able to walk and run again. :)
Pain: 2
Quote: "Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional." -M. Kathleen Casey...Well, M. Casey, I'm not so sure I agree with you today. :) Those stitches were stingers!
Monday, November 17, 2008
Day 12+
First day of tears. I want to go outside soooo badly. It's 76 and sunny and I'm tied to this stupid bed. I just want to go outside. I'm so bored, unmotivated, it's so not me. I can't stop crying. to be continued....
OOOOkay, I have regained my composure, thank you Mister House. I was able to get outside (in the daylight) and we took a nice drive in the new car with the top down to Paciugo and got some gelato. The perfect fix. I feel much better having gotten to see the outside world in the light. Who would've guessed, the trees are changing color? Go figure?!
Foot is the best today that it's been. I feel like I can have it down for a minute or so, depending on what I'm doing, before the pins and needles set in. I'm going to load up on the advil tonight, and although this will be two full days free of pain meds, I might let myself have one tomorrow depending on how painful the Dr. appt. is. Hopefully it won't be bad. I'd like to be rid of the meds until I really start rehabbing, or god forbid, get another injury...eek, dare I even say that at this point?! I guess it's realistic, although not optimal.
Pain today: 2
Quote: this made me laugh, especially following my iPhone shenanigans....Apparently you can hear a lot better if you remove the sticker covering the earpiece, I'll leave it at that. :) "I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work." -Thomas Edison
*Photo is a picture of my heel now, with screw in place. This one's really mine.
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Day 11+
Is it really only day 11? Hmmm, thought I was further along than that. Well, I feel the same today, pretty good, considering. We went out to dinner last night for Juan's birthday, again, and it was extremely difficult. There's just no way to get comfortable, keeping your leg elevated in restaurant chairs. I fought back tears several times, but was successful. It felt so good to get home, back in bed, with my foot raised. Ugh. I'm so sick of being in this stupid bed, it's starting to drive me nuts. I don't have the motivation to do projects like I thought I would. I set myself up with plenty of things to do, but I find myself just laying here, watching mostly mindless tv and being lazy. It's hard when you're in bed 24 hours a day. I can't wait until I don't have to elevate my leg constantly. I wonder what the doctor will say? Am I behind schedule? Should I be able to have it hang by now? I wonder what it looks like under there? I will probably not be happy when I see it, only because this huge splint gives me this false sense of security/confidence. But when my foot is out in the open, not surrounded by inches and inches of padding and metal support, I'm certain I'll want that cast on there ASAP.
This picture is of me and Juan waiting for my name to be called to go back and get all suited up for surgery, it's 630am and i am THIRSTY!!! that no eating/drinking thing is rough. :)
Pain today: It's hard to judge, there's no more pain when I am just laying here. If I shift the splint so it hits the side of my ankle, yes, that hurts, it gets very sore, but I can't really gauge the pain at this point. But to give it a number, I'll give it a 2.
Quote: "The pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; The optimist, the opportunity in every difficulty." -L.P. Jacks
This picture is of me and Juan waiting for my name to be called to go back and get all suited up for surgery, it's 630am and i am THIRSTY!!! that no eating/drinking thing is rough. :)
Pain today: It's hard to judge, there's no more pain when I am just laying here. If I shift the splint so it hits the side of my ankle, yes, that hurts, it gets very sore, but I can't really gauge the pain at this point. But to give it a number, I'll give it a 2.
Quote: "The pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; The optimist, the opportunity in every difficulty." -L.P. Jacks
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Day 10+
I woke up feeling pretty good today! Granted it was 1pm, but at least I got some rest and I feel better. This is a pre-op photo, my foot is still in a splint, getting a cast on Tuesday.
Pain: 3
Quote: "Determination, patience and courage are the only things needed to improve any situation." -Peter Sinclair
Pain: 3
Quote: "Determination, patience and courage are the only things needed to improve any situation." -Peter Sinclair
Friday, November 14, 2008
Day 9+
Well, I thought I'd post a more positive picture today, in an attempt to cheer me up and remind me that I will, one day, be normal again. I feel crappy today, not really sure why. I feel like I'm sick, but I know I'm not. Probably just a little depressed, with good reason. I get my cast on Tuesday, I almost can't believe it. Exciting to move onto phase 2, but I'm also nervous because my foot gets really sore in the splint, and it will be worse in the cast because there is less padding there.
Anyways, just rambling. My foot is the same as its been the last three days, a terrible horrible feeling when I don't have it elevated. I can let it down for about 45 seconds before I can't bear it. I was hoping to be past 2 minutes by now. Oh well. At least my sister is coming to visit next weekend!
Pain today: 4.5
Quote: "Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, "I will try again tomorrow."" -Mary Anne Radmacher
Anyways, just rambling. My foot is the same as its been the last three days, a terrible horrible feeling when I don't have it elevated. I can let it down for about 45 seconds before I can't bear it. I was hoping to be past 2 minutes by now. Oh well. At least my sister is coming to visit next weekend!
Pain today: 4.5
Quote: "Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, "I will try again tomorrow."" -Mary Anne Radmacher
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Day 8+
Sooo, I missed a day of blogging, oh well. Instead I got to get an iPhone! Yippie! I signed up for it online, and thought my boss would be able to pick it up for me, but it turned out that I had to be there to sign for the 2-yr contract with AT&T. I knew my foot wasn't ready for that. But I really wanted that iPhone! So I went. And so I am paying for it today. It hurts pretty badly today. I didn't sleep well at all, it's very sore, and when I put it down from its elevated position, it hurts about three times as bad as usual when the blood rushes down to my toes. its a different feeling then before too, it makes me a bit nervous. But I did get the phone, which actually has what we're hoping is a software and not a hardware issue that I am trying to fix right now.
But I took it easy today. My boyfriend's sister and her new baby came over and brought me lunch and hung out with me, it was lots of fun. Nice to have some company and good timing since I was pretty down today b/c I feel like I took a step backwards. My splint feels looser, which I guess is good since that means the overall swelling is down, but it actually makes it hurt more b/c my leg is banging against the sides of it, making it really sore. Anyways, thats my recap.
Day 7 (yesterday) pain: 5.5
Quote: "Greatness is not measured by what a man or woman accomplishes, but by the opposition he or she has ov ercome to reach his goals." -Dorothy Height
Day 8 pain: 6.75
Quote: "If you want to get somewhere you have to know where you want to go and how to get there. Then never, never, never give up." -Norman Vincent Peale
But I took it easy today. My boyfriend's sister and her new baby came over and brought me lunch and hung out with me, it was lots of fun. Nice to have some company and good timing since I was pretty down today b/c I feel like I took a step backwards. My splint feels looser, which I guess is good since that means the overall swelling is down, but it actually makes it hurt more b/c my leg is banging against the sides of it, making it really sore. Anyways, thats my recap.
Day 7 (yesterday) pain: 5.5
Quote: "Greatness is not measured by what a man or woman accomplishes, but by the opposition he or she has ov ercome to reach his goals." -Dorothy Height
Day 8 pain: 6.75
Quote: "If you want to get somewhere you have to know where you want to go and how to get there. Then never, never, never give up." -Norman Vincent Peale
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Day 6+
More pictures of me passed out! Terrrrriffic! Thanks boyfriend.
Today's okay. I need to go back and read more of Rick's blog (fellow calcaneal osteotomy survivor...thats so funny!) and see what I should expect here in the next week, month, etc. I mean, I feel good right now, but I'm mostly referring to my mental health and the fact that I am not nauseous. The pain is definitely still there, most especially when I stand up. I still can only make it to the bathroom and back. I did some leg lifts and sit ups today, I can feel it in my ankle for sure. damnit!
Short post today, getting sleepy. Thanks for stayin' with me guys, my appointment is Nov. 18th, when I get the splint off and will get to see the gruesomeness underneath this monstrosity, then I'll have my cast. And I should apologize for anything I repeat, see, the pain pills make you lose your memory, its nuts!
Pain level today: um, i should really record two or three recordings, am, mid day, and pm.
Today's okay. I need to go back and read more of Rick's blog (fellow calcaneal osteotomy survivor...thats so funny!) and see what I should expect here in the next week, month, etc. I mean, I feel good right now, but I'm mostly referring to my mental health and the fact that I am not nauseous. The pain is definitely still there, most especially when I stand up. I still can only make it to the bathroom and back. I did some leg lifts and sit ups today, I can feel it in my ankle for sure. damnit!
Short post today, getting sleepy. Thanks for stayin' with me guys, my appointment is Nov. 18th, when I get the splint off and will get to see the gruesomeness underneath this monstrosity, then I'll have my cast. And I should apologize for anything I repeat, see, the pain pills make you lose your memory, its nuts!
Pain level today: um, i should really record two or three recordings, am, mid day, and pm.
AM: 4
Mid-day: 5
PM: 7
Quote: "Stay committed to your decisions, but stay flexible in your approach." -Anthony Robbins (good quote K, all these are good! okay, well its only day 2 of the quotes, but they were both super so far!)
Quote: "Stay committed to your decisions, but stay flexible in your approach." -Anthony Robbins (good quote K, all these are good! okay, well its only day 2 of the quotes, but they were both super so far!)
Monday, November 10, 2008
Day 5+
Well, I feel a bit better! It's nice! I actually didn't sleep the whole day away, which was nice. Maybe I will again tomorrow, I dunno. I got really excited today and showered, as best I could, and cleaned up my new bedroom (our living room) a bit, kinda organized our new entertainment center, then after that my foot was kiiiiilling me so i had to take some meds and now i have about five minutes before i am out.
Juan snuck some photos of me knocked out this past week. They are pretty funny, I'm so passed out, pain killers are no joke! I feel like I should be on Intervention, I started this post with a bunch of things to say, but I can't remember any of them at the time. *sigh*.
My sister sent me a really sweet gift. It was a little card file/box she made, and it was filled with notecards. On the back of each notecard, she wrote a motivational/inspirational quote to help me with my recovery. I will post the day's quote along with the pain rating on the bottom of each post. Although it's pretty sore right now (mainly from my activity earlier), it feels pretty good. I did call the nurse today, I wasn't sure what to do b/c I would elevate my foot all day/night long, but then I would lose feeling in my toes, but when I put my leg back down, all the blood would rush to the bottom of my foot and I felt like it was swelling. She said it's normal, and not to worry. :)
Pain average today: 5
Quote of the day: "When one door of happiness closes, another opens; but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one which has been opened for us."
-Helen Keller
Juan snuck some photos of me knocked out this past week. They are pretty funny, I'm so passed out, pain killers are no joke! I feel like I should be on Intervention, I started this post with a bunch of things to say, but I can't remember any of them at the time. *sigh*.
My sister sent me a really sweet gift. It was a little card file/box she made, and it was filled with notecards. On the back of each notecard, she wrote a motivational/inspirational quote to help me with my recovery. I will post the day's quote along with the pain rating on the bottom of each post. Although it's pretty sore right now (mainly from my activity earlier), it feels pretty good. I did call the nurse today, I wasn't sure what to do b/c I would elevate my foot all day/night long, but then I would lose feeling in my toes, but when I put my leg back down, all the blood would rush to the bottom of my foot and I felt like it was swelling. She said it's normal, and not to worry. :)
Pain average today: 5
Quote of the day: "When one door of happiness closes, another opens; but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one which has been opened for us."
-Helen Keller
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Day 4+
hurts today, of course, but its a different kind of hurt. the areas around the incisions are sore i know for a fact, w/o knowing exactly where the incisions are. ive had my leg elevated since i left the hospital, and now i actually think my foot is numb because its been elevated so long. so i had to try to get some blood flowing back to it, but that's difficult b/c it's painful!
i can move my toes voluntarily today, without too much pain. i haven't taken much pain medicine today b/c i dont like how it makes me feel. but the pain is coming back in full force so i think ill take some tonight. i was up for most of the day today, feels like a long day! yesterday i had slept all day.
i also took a shower! this is big news! its definitely difficult, but it wasn't as bad as i thought it was. its harder to gather the strength to get to the bathroom then to actually take a bath! my toes won't stop tingling, not sure if this is a good thing or a bad thing. it feels like the circulation is cut off, but i'm in a splint, not a cast, so there should be some room for swelling. and it couldn't be more swollen than when i left the hospital.
well, thats enough for me, the computer puts me to sleep, something about the screen...goodnight.
approx. pain level today: 5
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Day 3+
hurts today, not much better. and actually my toes are starting to move/twitch now which is very painful. any slight movement of my foot down there is quite painful. I try not to move at all, but you can't help your body's involuntary movements. :(
slept most of the day away again, that's definitely the way to go. i'd like to wake up in a week or two when things are much better, and less painful.
pain average today: 5.5
Friday, November 7, 2008
Post-Op. Day 2+
Well, it's Friday, I think, so that would put me at 2 days after surgery. I still don't feel so hot by any means, but I am less nauseous, so that's a good start.
I'm trying to find a good pain pill/phenegren combination. Right now I'm doing half a hydrocodone every 2 hours instead of 1 full pill every 4 hours. I feel like my body appreciates that. Then I can only take the phenegren every 6 hours, so that's what I'm doing now.
I hope everyday becomes easier and easier. I'm taking good care of it so far, the only time it's not elevated above my heart is when I have to use the restroom.
Today's pain average: 6
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Post-Op. Day 1+
Post-op, Day 1, and feel like absolute dirt. Worse than dirt. Yesterday gave me this false sense of confidence that this would be easy. The nerve blocks are wearing off, and the pain meds dont seem to be working as well as i'd like them too.
6am this morning I woke to take another dose of pain pills, and I had just put it on my tongue and the room started spinning, I couldn't hold my head or body up, and I was sweating profusely. I thought I was going to throw up everywhere, and I couldnt move myself to the bathroom. Juan brought me cold wash cloths and such, and I was finally made it to the restroom and layed on the cold tile for three hours in significant pain. Luckily, I never threw up, I despise that, but I felt so awful! Ive slept most of today, which is great b/c it doesn't hurt as much when I'm sleeping. And I *think* I've figured out a better combination of pain killers, food and anti-nausea medicine. We shall see, I'm getting pretty sleepy right now.
At 6am, pain was a 12 on a scale of 1-10, 10 being the worst. Overall today I feel like the pain has been a 7-8. Hard core painful, sucks!!
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
SURGERY DAY cont., 11/5/08
Me at the nursing station, almost ready to go home! Look how happy I look with my little Shrek baby! :)
SURGERY DAY cont., 11/5/08
My heel post-op. That is one big screw! You could build decks with that thang!
SURGERY DAY! November 5, 2008
Well, it's crazy, I did it! I can't believe it! Walking up to the hospital this morning in the pitch dark, I asked my Dad, "Are we sure this is a good idea? We decided this was the best option, right?" And he chucked and said, "Yes, dear, you did. Several times."
I feel good right now. Actually, considering what I just went through, I feel like a rockstar! If you get this surgery make sure to get the pain blocks! I got two in leg, knee area, and it numbs your leg from knee down for 18-24 hours. I'm hoping for 24! I can still "feel it," but it's not crazy intense pain. I'm worried that it will be once the nerve blocks wear off though. I think I have another 6-12 hours. Yikes.
Surgery took 1h 5m. Crazy, when you think about what they did. They said the ligaments were "salvagable." Wow, creepy to hear...I guess I really did a number on them all these years. 2 were frayed and he wove them back together, and the 3rd was so stretched out he had to reattach. I haven't actually spoken to the Doc after the surgery, this is what he told my fam, I can't wait to talk to him myself and hear how f-ed up it was and how much better it should be!
The worst parts of this whole thing SO FAR has really been the anticipation. The nerve blocks HURT and they kind of electricute you (your leg) to find where the nerves are so these strong electrical pulses are being sent through you and they hold you down and your leg jumps around, its gross. My calf muscle was about to pop out of my leg and i think my toes all moved in different directions. That and when they gave me the meds in the IV to really knock me out, it hurt badly. They said I wouldn't remember it, but I do! Bastards. :)
I had my surgery at Baylor Hospital in Dallas, TX. I couldn't say enough about the nurses and staff there. Everyone was so incredible wonderful, it really made this whole experience much, much better. The nurse even let me sleep for over 2 hours after I got out of surgery b/c I was soooo tired! Usually as soon as they see you are awake they make your ass get up and out of bed!
And actually when they were checking me in, the nurses were like, "so, are you staying for one or two nights?" me: "ummm...NO nights! they said i could go home!" so that was a little scary since I was excited to get home and out of the hospital. Obviously, they let me go home. We got there at 6:30am and we left about 1:30pm I believe.
Everyone seems to be impressed at how well I am doing today. I am too. But tomorrow is going to suuuuuuck I know it. And I thought waking up in the hospital bed afterwards was going to be a lot worse than it actually was. I came to so slowly and didn't feel much pain so it was good. The nurse woke me and asked my pain level, I said 1. (scale of 1-10, 10 being the worst). Then after I was awake for a few minutes, it was increasing for sure, I told her I changed my mind, it was heading past a 3, and she grabs some morphine and shoots me up. Nuts! Morphine is crazy! But it works!! :)
Anyways, that's all for now, I have only a few minutes left before the pain meds kick back in and I get realllly sleeeepppy. Wish me luck that I don't cut my leg off from pain tomorrow. Stay tuned!
Cheers!
I feel good right now. Actually, considering what I just went through, I feel like a rockstar! If you get this surgery make sure to get the pain blocks! I got two in leg, knee area, and it numbs your leg from knee down for 18-24 hours. I'm hoping for 24! I can still "feel it," but it's not crazy intense pain. I'm worried that it will be once the nerve blocks wear off though. I think I have another 6-12 hours. Yikes.
Surgery took 1h 5m. Crazy, when you think about what they did. They said the ligaments were "salvagable." Wow, creepy to hear...I guess I really did a number on them all these years. 2 were frayed and he wove them back together, and the 3rd was so stretched out he had to reattach. I haven't actually spoken to the Doc after the surgery, this is what he told my fam, I can't wait to talk to him myself and hear how f-ed up it was and how much better it should be!
The worst parts of this whole thing SO FAR has really been the anticipation. The nerve blocks HURT and they kind of electricute you (your leg) to find where the nerves are so these strong electrical pulses are being sent through you and they hold you down and your leg jumps around, its gross. My calf muscle was about to pop out of my leg and i think my toes all moved in different directions. That and when they gave me the meds in the IV to really knock me out, it hurt badly. They said I wouldn't remember it, but I do! Bastards. :)
I had my surgery at Baylor Hospital in Dallas, TX. I couldn't say enough about the nurses and staff there. Everyone was so incredible wonderful, it really made this whole experience much, much better. The nurse even let me sleep for over 2 hours after I got out of surgery b/c I was soooo tired! Usually as soon as they see you are awake they make your ass get up and out of bed!
And actually when they were checking me in, the nurses were like, "so, are you staying for one or two nights?" me: "ummm...NO nights! they said i could go home!" so that was a little scary since I was excited to get home and out of the hospital. Obviously, they let me go home. We got there at 6:30am and we left about 1:30pm I believe.
Everyone seems to be impressed at how well I am doing today. I am too. But tomorrow is going to suuuuuuck I know it. And I thought waking up in the hospital bed afterwards was going to be a lot worse than it actually was. I came to so slowly and didn't feel much pain so it was good. The nurse woke me and asked my pain level, I said 1. (scale of 1-10, 10 being the worst). Then after I was awake for a few minutes, it was increasing for sure, I told her I changed my mind, it was heading past a 3, and she grabs some morphine and shoots me up. Nuts! Morphine is crazy! But it works!! :)
Anyways, that's all for now, I have only a few minutes left before the pain meds kick back in and I get realllly sleeeepppy. Wish me luck that I don't cut my leg off from pain tomorrow. Stay tuned!
Cheers!
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Day 3-
Pre-op still...3 days to go. I'm nervous, happy, scared, excited, and sick to my stomach. It's emotional. But I'm holding up incredibly well thus far. Maybe it hasn't sunk in yet. We just got back from an amazing vacation to Florida, The Bahamas and New Orleans, so I've still got that on my mind, thank goodness!
I have taken a million pics of my ankles as they are today, here is one of them, yes, that is the way I stand, and no, I am not kidding/exaggerating/etc. It's stupid. :)
I have gotten several emails from people that have really helped me so far, so thank you all so much. I'm not sure how this is going to be, maybe I'll be so happy when I wake up, maybe I'll be pissed (probably pissed...) it's definitely a lot to take in...
Anyways, stay tuned, surgery is WEDNESDAY! Eek!!!
I have taken a million pics of my ankles as they are today, here is one of them, yes, that is the way I stand, and no, I am not kidding/exaggerating/etc. It's stupid. :)
I have gotten several emails from people that have really helped me so far, so thank you all so much. I'm not sure how this is going to be, maybe I'll be so happy when I wake up, maybe I'll be pissed (probably pissed...) it's definitely a lot to take in...
Anyways, stay tuned, surgery is WEDNESDAY! Eek!!!
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