It's 19 days after my surgery and my straight legs and I have been home 5 days.
The shakiest part of the whole deal came during my first 2 days in hospital with my blood pressure dropping, having a low grade fever, needing a transfusion (ended up getting 3 units), and finding the right pain meds. All was settled by the time I went to the rehab clinic and gelled by the time I left for home.
I have not yet experienced the blues, and I'm glad. But if I do, I'll know that it's normal.
I've been monitoring my regularity (which I have to report to my home PT) and have added raisins and prunes to my diet. And more water.
OT has been by and said she won't come back since it looks like I can handle myself in the house.
I tried to do without one dose of my meds on Friday night ... and it's way too early. I find that 2 Norco (5-325) every 4 hours keeps the pain away (except in the wee hours of the mornings when my legs BURN!). I've set my alarm to go off every 4 hours, because I know that if I don't my legs will start hurting ... then, I'm chasing the pain. I have a refill (from the rehab facility doc) which will take me exactly to the day of my 4-week visit with the OS.
I make myself sleep at night: cuddle with a kitty (if she'll let me):cat-kittyandsmiley:, not worried about hubby who's in the guest room with the other 2 kitties
, and I listen to a number of comedians go thru their stand up routines. Yes, that relaxes me because I'm not listening to anything that coming from my own mind! During the day, I can nap sometimes, and sometimes not. I go with the flow. I have yet to read a book ... I'm afraid I'll fall asleep and read the same paragraph a bazillion times. But, I do read the threads here (there's SO MUCH to read). While I was at the rehab facility, I attended a wheelchair yoga class which ended with 10 minutes of meditation. Keeping your mind totally empt ... oh look! A shiny object! Might be worth checking into.
The PT says to look forward to using a cane this coming week. Another sign of progress, right?
I do my exercises, I rest, I ice and elevate, I walk about every so often. I thank hubby for taking care of me ... and mean it.
My only concern is (dare I say it?????): ROM!
Not so much the number (95 & 90) but the feeling I have in my knees that they're locked up to a certain point. The whole area in and around the incision feels really really tight. I didn't overdo at the rehab center. I don't overdo at home: gentle stretching, gentle movement on a rocker, then more assertive heel slides (to the point of real tightness but not so hard that I hurt after my session). And I'm not seeing any progress at all. And yes, I've read the threads on ROM from the library and know that people experience progress months and months after surgery. It all just feels so weird to me.
Before I left the rehab clinic, the doc asked me when I was planning on going back to teaching exercise. I told him "when my knees say it's OK." A BoneSmart answer, right? He wanted to be sure I didn't have an agenda ... like going back to teaching in a couple of weeks. I assured him I had no such plan. He smiled. I'm careful not to play music at home. I might unconsciously break out in an aerobic dance routine!
Well, that's my recap of the past 3 weeks (with some reiterations, just in case someone missed earlier posting from this gripping drama! :th_heehee: Except for a very few seconds the very first time I stood up on Day 2, I have not regretted having the surgery. I may encounter some bumps along the way, but this journey is going to end on an up note!
United States
You will get back to teaching and I will get back to my YMCA, my elliptical! The morning crowd will be keeping it safe!!:hysterical: My 18 yr old daughter will be giving them morning updates since we are gym buddies! Keep up the good work your doing awesome! I will try to update how everything went from my ipad. Im so excited to be starting this process!!
He's been my MT for 20 years.
