Hi folks .... well, I finally made it back. But, I've been following along with your posts. My revision was Aug. 19 - a Tuesday. He said the prosthesis was loose, that's what was causing the pain. During my days at the hospital my surgeon took several samples when he was operating. He and the "house doctor" examined them and found them clean. But, the Infectious Disease specialist said she saw one little rod that was not moving and was not growing. She wanted to put me on a very strong antibiotic. The other 2 doctors (including my surgeon) disagreed, but finally agreed since she was the "specialist." So, they inserted a picc line, and began me on a medication called "Praxium" (I think that's how you spell it). I went to the rehab facility and after 8 days of the med. I broke out in hives .... I obviously had built up an allergy to it. I went to the nurse - it was 11 PM - showed her my hands and arms and she DID NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO! OMG .... talk about scared! She gave me a Clariton (which doesn't do squat for hives) and pulled out an Epi-Pen. Well, I knew enough about my own body to know I did not need an Epi-Pen ..... I needed Benadryl - 3 of them pronto. They didn't have any! WHAT????? Well, thank goodness for good friends, because just 2 days before a dear friend of mine, who knows my allergy history, brought me a box of Benadryl. I put them away because they would have taken them if they knew I had them. I asked the Nurse for a glass of very cold milk, which she gave me. I went back to my room, took 3 Benadryl with the milk and went to bed, laying there for about 2 hours til the itching subsided. By the next morning they had called my Surgeon and the house doctor, my Surgeon's Assistant called me and told me, "he's filling out the papers to 'spring' you out of there right away." I refused the rest of the Primaxin and went home the next day.
The P.T. staff was amazing. They were really, really good ..... "brutal" but good. I had it every day for 1-1/2 hours and wow ...... it was rough. But, by the time I left I could walk without assistance from walker or cane and it felt very good. When I went in to see him - 1 week later - he told me how long the extensions were up my femur and down my tibia ..... they are HUGE. He called it "a brute" ..... he also said, "don't overdo anything, take it easy, no matter how good you feel." I really was good, except for the passed 3 days. Smartie pants me thought, oh it's been awhile now, and off I went running about 4 or 5 errands every day. Well, by last night I was paying big time for it. I used ice, kept it up, and took Ibuprofen. It's a little better today, but I'm staying here right now and continuing with the resting of it. Guess I learned my lesson. When I first met the Anesthesiologist prior to the surgery I told him what happened the last time and I did not want that to happen again. So, I had a nerve block instead and some sort of sedative, and I only remember occasional things of the surgery. I was awake in just a few hours - much better than before. I only took the Vicodin for 4 days in rehab. and really didn't need them after that. I'm fine here at home with Advil.
So, that's the story ..... it's over, but now I absolutely have to take it easy. Feeling good does not mean "things are normal and I can go back to my normal routine." I've learned that.
abby
United States
. For what ever reason I always get compliments on my Converse hi tops, go figure.
