Surgery Day. I was weirdly excited. All the normal surgery things happened. They brought me back, got undress and in a fancy robe. (See picture) About 70 people asked me which leg they were operating on- which again y'all should really know, but whatever. Then my doctor came by and had to sign his name on my leg, (yeah I don't know) went over what he was going to do and at this point I'm just like shut up and do this. I was so ready. Then I got to meet the McSteamy anesthesiologist. He said we were going to do a nerve block to "help manage my pain". This is when it got real. I was managing pain everyday, is it going to be worse? They said that is would help with surgery pain and could last for a couple of days and then I would have pain killers and life would be good. I was filed this away under suspicious, and got ready. They gave me relaxing drugs at first then wheeled me into the operating room. I had to get on another bed and then they gave me a mask and said breath normal. So I did, and the next thing I remember is waking up. Oh and the pain. Holy crap my leg hurt!!!!! But the nurse was able to give me big drugs. Hooray. Lowery tells me I said some unpleasant things to the recovery nurses- like their cookies were just ok and that surgery really sucks. I do not recall such things so who knows if they actually happened. Anywho, we went and got food and medicine from the pharmacy (which was a huge hassel but that's a story for my husband and it apparently got ugly). But I was at home and in my bed FINALLY.
This cast that I had looked very similar to the other soft cast that I had previously but was supremely heavier. So I did the best I could with sleeping that first day. And the second day after surgery my nerve block wore off. I know exactly when it happened because I was laying in bed and suddenly I was in intense pain. I increased my pain medicine, and sucked it up. Well really I cried, and cried and cried. About 3 or 4 days after surgery where easily my worst. I was so depressed and I had to take the pain meds every 4 hours on the dot. I could feel 3 1/2 hours and knew when I needed more. I was really scared. I told Lowery that I thought I would become addicted to these pills because I couldn't even try to go without one dose. A couple of days after that, slowly I started feeling better. And eventually better and better. I used all the pain pills and didn't need them and I started managing my pain with Advil. Soon it wasn't pain anymore and just discomfort.
So 2 weeks after surgery I got to see the surgeon and make sure everything is ok. My first mistake was thinking I could use my crutches all day. I live to regret that. I wasn't used to them and didn't have the strength or the energy to do that. But anyways I got new Xrays and they cut off my new cast- which was a plaster cast underneath the ace bandages. (Explains the heaviness) So let's talk about my frankenstein scar. It's crazy right?! I normally am pretty vain. I have no problem saying that but after this ordeal I just want my foot to work and I don't give two flips about what it looks like. But it's pretty gross. So the Doc says everything looks good. Plates and screws are good and bone is growing. Yes! Good news. And in even better news, he gave me an Aircast. That means I can take it off and shower! PRAISE JESUS! You have no idea what it is like to have what I call a partial shower. But he says we start PT the following week (which was this week) and he wants to see me again before we leave for Christmas vacation.
Hooray.
So PT. I'm kinda excited. A little nervous- I just started feeling good. I can spend the whole day downstairs now- this is something I'm only able to do this week. My energy level have been so low and now I'm seeing improvement. So is PT gonna jack with my good feelings? Am I gonna be sore? Oh geez. So I went and it was totally fine. It didn't "hurt". But Bill my PT says it's all in my brain. I've spent 6 weeks guarding this foot, making sure no one (and no puppy) comes close to this foot. But now is the time to get moving. I am flexing it, stretching it, massaging and best of all showering. So it all really starts this week- because last week was Thanksgiving and I could only go once. Next week is 3x. Yowza.
