Arrive at the Hospital – Bruno (my husband) and I went to the hospital 2 hours prior to surgery. We were admitted – during this process I confirm name and date of birth approx 15 million times. Better safe than sorry I guess.
Time for the IV – the nurse tried one hand. Inserted the needle and moved it around until I thought I was going to scream – couldn’t find the vein. Remove the IV and try the other hand. Even better – found a more painful spot, moved it around – and guess what – couldn’t find the vein. Remove the needle and called another nurse. The new nurse inserted the IV in my upper arm – below the elbow. Great - I’m black and blue before the surgery starts.
The Operating Room – Anesthesiologist informs he is going to give me a nerve block. This will help with the pain for approx 18-24 hrs after surgery. Sounds good. He starts with a local freezing on the back of knee – not too bad. He then proceeds with the nerve block – definitely a funny sensation. My leg was twitching involuntarily. Then I’m out like a light – because that’s all I can remember in the O.R.
Recovery Room – I wake up in the recovery room next to a Mom holding her very little girl. I mumble something incoherent. Nurse comes to check on me – time to go home! She removed the dreaded IV – great. Gives me crutches, a bill for $35, instructions on using the crutches and post-surgery instructions (Silly me I thought the instructions were specific to my surgery!) Bruno has a wheelchair for me – helps me in the chair – not too bad. Go to the car – he helps me get in – again not too bad.
Arrive Home – Bruno brings me the crutches, helps me hop to the 4 stairs at the front door (this is the moment I have been dreading). He practically has to lift me up each step – poor guy. Walk in the front door and go another 3 steps to the washroom. At this point I thought I was going to collapse. I was exhausted and wondered how anyone could possible get around using crutches. My wonderful husband assists me to use the washroom and I hop to the living room – collapse on the sofa and put my feet up on several pillows.
I’m now completely in a state of panic. So Bruno heads to Shoppers Home Health Care. He comes back with a walker with 2 wheels at the front and an order for ‘forearm crutches’. Apparently much easier to use than regular crutches. He put the walker in front of me, I can’t get up from the sofa on the walker – the angle is wrong and I don’t have strength to lift myself up on one foot – and the panic grows. However, once I’m up the walker is so much easier to get around – I even used the washroom by myself – what a good girl I am!
So the remaining dilemma – not a hope in hell I’m going to be attempting the stairs for several weeks, I’m not sleeping on sofa for several weeks – and of course, I can’t get up from the sofa on my own. The solution – Bruno suggests we rent a hospital bed for a month. Not something I really wanted in my living room – along with the crutches, the walker etc…. – but the best solution we had. Remarkably we get the bed delivered within 3 hours. I sit on the bed, put the walker in front of me – and lo and behold – I’m getting up by myself.
Recovering at Home – The Nerve Block – what an amazing thing. I’m feeling absolutely no pain – great! However, my foot is almost completely numb and I can barely wiggle my toes. I’m assuming this is normal, I pull out the instructions I was sent home with to make sure. Well, the pamphlet has general instructions on post-op. ABSOLUTELY NOTHING SPECITIC TO MY SURGERY! How am I supposed to know what’s normal and what’s not? Call Tele-Health, check the Internet (so I find out that my foot is losing all circulation and it’s going to need to be amputated?), call the Dr’s Office – can’t do that it’s after hours. So I decide to wait it out and put aside my ridiculous fears.
My daughters, son-in-law and granddaughter come to visit. Lily - my 18 month old granddaughter – what a site for sore eyes. She wants me to come see the dogs with her – No sweetie, Nana has a boo boo – she proceeds to frown and gives me a kiss to make it all better – ah what more can you ask for.
Everyone goes home, I make one last trip to washroom. By this time, now my arms are getting sore. I return to bed – lie here and think – Oh My God, there’s no turning back. This is it and now I have to live with this for the next who knows how long! And the panic returns in ernest! Thinking I need a prescription for Adivan to get me through these panic attacks!
Since I was up at 5:00 am this morning, I should be exhausted and fall right to sleep. No such luck, I’m writing this a 3:30 in the morning – again wondering – Is this normal?
End of a very long Day 1. Let’s see what tomorrow will bring.
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