day 4 postop. friday

I came home yesterday.

They almost didn't do the surgery because of the uneven healing of the R breast tissue. I brought up the problem during my check-in/ IV start / 20 questions time. The nurse looked at the site, said she'd have to have the pre-op Lead RN look at it. They delayed my IV antibiotics until inspection was over. The Lead looked, prodded and pronounced things good. Big sigh of relief. As it turns out there are some more conservative surgeons that would have turfed my knee replacement until my so called open sore cleared up. If that had been the case, I would have lost my job for sure. How do you spell relief??

They took me back to the OR with a little Versed on board. I was awake/aware - and not very happy with that fact. They moved me to the table and prepped my back. I was given a spinal block and positioned on the table. And then... I was waking up. Absolutely no sensation from the waist down. Weird feeling, but NO PAIN. I could have jumped from joy, if I had been able to move. I was moved to my room (#6) and waited for the spinal to wear off. It was strange sensation as places woke up before other places, the feeling was (nothing there)(vague tingling as tho my leg were asleep, but the feeling was filtered through many layers of cotton)(L leg woke up before R leg did)(the medial aspect of my calf muscles woke up before the lateral portion, making for very interesting sensation)

When I did wake up - physically I mean - the pain was there. I had Dilaudid with a PCA pump and the mandatory O2. Wore that until I could get rid of the pump. Got rid of the pump when I felt more comfortable with the pain pills. The pain pump was supposed to be set at 10 minutes, but actually ran closer to 12 minutes, progressing to 16 minutes.. and seemingly more. Not reliable for a needer/clock watcher like myself. I progressed to pain pills with bolus of Dilaudid (Morphine is back ordered and short supply everywhere). Turns out I needed the bolus to hold the worse of the pain off until the pills kicked in.

I had a cold water sleeve on my leg pretty much 24/7. I had a foley - mixed blessing. I had extreme dry mouth because of the narcotics, so I drank a LOT of water. Peed off a lot of it..... When I lost the foley, I had to make my way to the bathroom. This is day 4 post op and I still have not had a bowel movement. I have been taking softeners and last night even took 4 ducolax (2 and then2 some 6 hours later). A glycerin suppository this morning (produced nothing but glycerine and a big gush of air/gas. I feel better but still, no bowel movement. I know narcotics stopper a person up, not to mention the fact I had a spinal with my anesthesia. I'll be happy camper when can (and do) go.

Physical therapy.. Day of surgery, just foot pumps, and later that evening, up to the side of the bed - and then back to bed. Day 2 I actually got up and walked. Met Dr Banerjee. Nice guy. Glad to have him as my intensivest. My eyes are crossing and I'm having trouble spelling, so I'll log off here, for now.