Part 2 of My Surgery Day (It’s long and drawn out… but you asked for it.)
Wow! It’s been almost 3 weeks since I had my second knee done. Since then I have been experiencing a great recovery, minus the ODIC day, that set me back a bit, but THAT’S LI-IIIIIFE!
Anyhoo, where was I? Oh Yes, I finally got a bed and had my legs strangled by the Ted hose. My kids were allowed back and we were whisked off to Pre-op room. I guess this first area was the Pre-pre Op room, or the HOW BAD DO YOU WANT IT room, since I subjected to the
trash can leg scrub. Maybe at this point some patients turn back. That’s one way to deal with over-booking. If you missed that little detail of my saga, do go back and read Part 1 of my surgery for clarity.
So I’m gliding through the hall like the Queen, and I decided to add
the wave for the full effect… couldn't resist.
My son decided to videotape it. I don’t know what the big deal was, doesn't every one “
do the wave” as they ride off to surgery through the corridor in a hospital bed?
One guy had the nerve to sarcastically say, “What, are you in a parade?” I responded to my attendant… “He’s quick! Can’t put anything by him.” We laughed all the way to “the point of no return” where my kids were dismissed and I was wheeled inside.
The next segment was really uneventful. Vital check, easy IV insertion! That’s usually a problem, but the nurse got it in on the first try. Well, she spanked the **** out of my hand, so she had BETTER gotten it in quickly. I then met doc, the ane$the$iologist and I was wheeled into surgery. I remember getting the spinal, because it took her like 48 sticks to get it right.
On number 49 I felt a nice warm sensation moving down my hips to my legs. It was like I was wetting myself, but without the guilt or urge to race to the bathroom. I guess that made the impromptu acupuncture session worth it. I was hey! Let the good times roll. Lol
Fade to black
I woke up to a sensation of pulling and tugging on my surgical leg. Yep, they were putting in the stitches. Or, as the nurse said, “they’re just putting in the zipper.” She was a little shocked at first to see me awake. I can’t say that it hurt with all that I was on
, but I could have lived without experiencing that. I was told that my OS had left to speak with my kids and was transported to the recovery room… no wave this time.
Now, after re-reading through my surgery packet I realized that my stay in recovery was standard. Howeverrrrr, at the TIME! It went a little something like this, my nurse was interesting. I can’t quite find the words to describe her, or most of the people I met from this point on. My son’s word for everything is "bootleg." Lol I’m not sold on that adjective for them, but a few of them have a little role reversal going on, like they’re the patients and in need of attention. I remember this particular woman speaking to me like I should be alert, and of course I wasn't quite playing with a full deck right out of surgery. :rolleyes: All I wanted to do is see my kids and get to my room.
It seemed like this was about to happen… when the head nurse, I’m not sure of her exact title,
Ms. All That seems appropriate, since she decided to take the FULL attention of my recovery nurse away from me and hold a job review session. I kid you not. “So how do like working in this department? You’ll find that BLAH BLAH BLAH! What about the other floor you were on? Now the difference with this department and your previous one is….. I think you’ll like it here better.” Yes, my nurse and her boss were having a performance review right here in the recovery room! From what I could gather (being drugged and aggravated) was my nurse had some sort of issue where she was and was now working in this department (which would explain why she seemed new.) Anyway this meeting went on for at least 30 minutes. I remember interrupting to see if I could get someone to check on my kids. I wanted to let them know I’d be out soon, because I KNEW they were growing as impatient, as I was!! “Oh, I think they went to your room, that’s where they’re usually sent” Okay, well can I-iiii go to my room and miss the remainder of this “Apprentice” episode.
Well, when “Ms. I know how to abuse my power” was done with her housekeeping meeting, she turned and patronizingly said to me, “Enjoy your family.”
My nurse now free to do her job, called to check to see if my room was ready. HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Of course it wasn't but good thing I had my bed, because I wasn't about to be standing up again.
Finally after 2 hours, I was taken to my room. When I got to the room, it looked awkward and as I looked around the room everything seemed reverse. I was told that I was on the “overflow” floor. The nurse said to me (and I kid you not) “Since you couldn't wait for your room to be ready, we had to put you on the overflow floor.”
I knew we were gonna be BFF’s from that point. I said, “I did wait, for 2 hours!”
Looking back I realize that’s the standard time-frame, but you’re usually still under when they wheel in to the recovery room. I also realized that manners and empathy were in short supply in this young lady’s character. This is the one my son used the term “bootleg” to describe and he wasn't even there to experience our exchange. Nope, he missed that moment because they were told to
go home after my surgery was done. Or at least that's what they heard.
Now I know why I was so antsy to speak with them when I came out of surgery.
Well they came back with their grumpy selves acting like they had just had surgery.
I say 2 rounds of Empathy training for EVERYBODY! Basically, as far as the nurses and attendants go, it’s like they anticipate you being difficult and they've developed the “get them, before they get you mentality.” Once I realized that, I defused that bomb with my humor, which was lost on some… but you can’t win’em all.
When my kids returned to the hospital, I had to send my oldest and non-thinking one back to the car to get my things and Oreo pound cake I made the other night.
While I was enjoying my delicious post-surgery treat, my CPM machine arrived with the paparazzi. The nurse informed me that there was some new-fangled way to get a patient on to the machine and wanted to try it out on me. The thing was they needed to demonstrate it with a room full of staff members. I guess it was training day. I said, “If I say no you’re gonna do it anyway right?” She said, “No, you can refuse.” Well just then the CPM guy said from just outside my door, “Well she’s got to get on it anyway!” EXCUSE YOU!
I said something like, “I JUST HAD MAJOR SURGERY, WHEN YOU HAVE YOUR KNEE REPLACED YOU CAN DECIDE IF YOU WANT TO GIVE TUTORIAL THE MINUTE YOU GET BACK TO YOUR ROOM.”
They went away. lol
The thing is, they make you wait for everything… a bed, a room, but the minute they’re ready to roll, it’s STAT! Not to mention I’m ALL DRUGGED UP, stop talking to me like I’m supposed to make sense and acting like I’m being difficult and I won’t cooperate. Um, I just had my knee slit open and my bones sawed off, I’m DONE COOPERATING for a minute. Just trying to relax… “Please Don’t Kill My Vibe.”
I guess after I bit the CPM guy’s head off, he came back with a whole new pleasant, let’s server the patient attitude.
He had all kinds of handy tips like, “Don’t leave the ice on for more than 18-20 minutes or you’ll freeze the joint.”
Okay, That's a good one.
I refrained from commenting. He also stressed the importance of exercise. I then told him this was my second knee. It seems that whenever someone hears that you've had knee replacement surgery they instantly stress the importance of working really hard during P/T. I think if they could, they’d have me drop and give’em 10! Speaking of which, guess who was the first person I saw when I was rolled onto the “overflow” floor, doing the Queen wave this time? THE JOINT CLASS LADY! She remembered me… ya think.
All in all, I had a great stay after I broke the ice, went Wu Tang and soothed savage beast in them and myself. I also saw the nurse from my first surgery; she’s the one who wanted to know “if she did anything to offend me.” I played sleep the minute I saw her.
Lol I was SO not in the mood to be her Dr. Phil, Oprah is not on today… PDKMV (please don’t kill my vibe.) Later on she came in my room and said, “Weren't you here before on the other floor?” I said yes, and “dosed” back off.
My night nurse was a man, I thought he’d be an issue, but he turned out to be the best of them all,
with the exception on CCM (I think it’s called.) She was a very nice woman, we had things in common… like
sense and we bonded.
So the overflow floor turned out to be pretty good experience after all. I remember my spirit being in such a state of peace…
I'm glad I had to wait.
I will ask the nurse to scratch off my magnetic strip. 
Ok, not literally, actually we purchased a 2014 Polaris to do off roading and it is fun to drive! I love it! 
United Kingdom
Right now I'm having a great recovery with knee #2 and I keep forgetting ALL that was done to it and me in general. It's probably because my spirit is so high and I haven't watched the video yet. I'm waiting for my boys... we're gonna have popcorn. 
Oops, I did it again for real!
Hence, WHY I HAVEN'T BEEN POSTING MUCH.
I bet I sat my multitasking behind down somewhere after that and sang, ICE ICE BABY! Oh, and I'll BE seated till my P/T get here tomorrow morning with her magic hands. 
Even if he's healed already, he is the exception, not the rule. You have the rest of us "slow and steady" people recovering at a snails pace right beside you. 
I was so scared that I messed up my newborn knee over the weekend going ODIC. I was extremely happy that I didn't lose any ROM, just paid the painful price of foolishness. 
I'd like to hear from these people myself, I'm sure their story would have a couple of valleys in it. It's only natural. Even when we hear folks on this site talk about a speedy recovery, a few posts later when their body catches up to them, it's a different tune. I was Whistling Dixie last week. 
It's for the PAIN! Right daughter stalker!
, bland and I did not like him. May he NOT come to your house. 
