Post Surgery! and notes to those like me

Surgery was this morning. Here's how it all went:


The night before, I had a really hard time sleeping. I wasn't nervous about surgery until yesterday, and then sleeping had a lot of awkward dreams and stuff. The morning wasn't too hard to get up, and I made my hair look pretty since it was the last day for 3 days that I can have a full shower (can't get the dressings wet). Got to the surgery center and signed a bunch of forms, and then quickly got into the back. Got my weight, blood pressure, a few more questions, then the hospital clothes. You get the booties, the gown, and the robe--and you look like a movie extra lol. So then they took me to get my leg wiped down and soaped to get clean, and then off to get the IV and stuff.

My anesthesia guy was awesome. His name was Michael, didn't catch his last name, but he was funny and relaxed. Another girl was doing the IV first. I got it in my hand, and it hurt (duh), but because my veins are small and somewhat hard to find (that's from my Dad's side), that didn't work. Reminiscent of 5th grade ear surgery when they had to redo the IV (sigh). So then Michael redid it, and it hurt worse the second time.. ugh lol. And then I got the leg block. But first, the medication had to go through the IV. It felt warm and weird and uncomfortable. But then you get all woozy-ish and such. I got the leg shot and it hurt, and then the last shot didn't hurt at all. After a bit, I dozed and then Chris and my parents came in. And on that stuff, time truly is relative. I would talk with them and then it would feel like I would black out and then continue the conversation an hour later when really, it was all happening at the same time. Weird lol. So then two ladies wheeled me to the operation room, but I didn't stay awake to get through the second door.

I woke up and starting moaning and crying.
On a scale of 1 to 10 for pain, with 10 being the worst, I was borderline 11. Part of it is because in order to do the surgery, they have to drill into two bones to put the graft and the screws in. So it was bone pain, and that's the worst pain of all. I was crying softly, and squirming and trying not to say expletives lol. Chris said that while he was standing there with me, they gave me about 5 different pain killer shots. But because I was in so much pain and concentrating on that pain, my body was in a somewhat panic state and combating the pain killers. Any more of them and I might have had something go wrong with my respiratory (that's from my Mom's side). So they gave me some Valium to calm down and that worked. I had Mr. Tobias "Toby" Penguin (my stuffed penguin who's the bigger stuffed animal size of the beanie baby penguin) there with me :) and calmed down. After a bit and lots of information I was just like "holy crap get me out of here". So they get me in the wheel chair and we go to the bathroom, and after being horizontal for so long, UGH. I felt like I had to puke. But I didn't--yay lol. Then got in the car, came back to the hotel, had to get half carried by my Dad and then Chris just carried me in the rest of the way and got on the bed. It took me a little while to pass out, and I've already had to use the bathroom SO much lol. Ugh.

But I get Darvoset (a narcotic pill) every 4 hours, an Ibuprofen in the middle of those four hours, and then one Bayer per day. And I have that cold care thing on; I had it on right as I woke up after the operation. But basically, I feel alright right now. That first pain after waking up was expected.. but yeesh, rough. And then now it's just cold, numb, and heavy. But I feel all right, and I'm MUCH MUCH stronger than I was when the accident happened because of all the PT. And after that accident, I've perfected getting on the toilet and manuvering and such, but I'm not walking on my own yet. Too early lol.

And eating isn't really an issue. I was realllly hungry afterward, but you have to be careful. My stomach is kind of weak, and I also don't do well with pills and no food. So I had 3 slices of bread and ginger ale and apple juice and I was fine.



So that's that. For those of you that are reading this and have torn your ACL, I'll be frank. The bone pain hurt. Badly. And the needles, well I'm not afraid of them, but they do hurt some. But other than the initial nervousness and worry and those pains, it's well worth it and the pains and worries don't last for long. I'm glad I went through with it. As far as the eating, you may want to take this situation and use it as a great lifestyle change in nutrition. Eat healthy to let your body do what it needs to do--keep away from junk food, excess sugars and stuff, and try to stay away from preservatives. Take some green tea, juices, ginger ale is good for sick stomachs as is bread and saltines, and then just be healthy. ALSO: talking with a patient in the PT, after his surgery he skipped doing his exercises just once, and he lost flexion. So do it. Every. Single. Day. Really lol.

I've got my first post-op PT tomorrow morning at 8:45 am with Greg, and he'll take the brace off and start working it a little. So that's cool, but otherwise, keeping that brace locked, that Polar Care thing on, the leg elevated and my pills coming, I'm good.



Right now, I'm just in bed, writing this post, and then I might read or work on my Internet Marketing eBook about dog training. Otherwise, relaxing and staying the HELL out of the way of the moving situation with the apartment. Blam.

Thank you everyone for all the calls, prayers, well-wishes, gifts, and love. I really do appreciate and feel so very lucky to have so many friends and family members that care for me!

Onward!