Last night was a bit rough. My fever came back and went up to 100.8, which still isn't an emergency, but was extremely uncomfortable. I took some Tylenol and monitored my temperature as it slowly went down. It was a bit gross being awake for my fever breaking, since I got all gross and sweaty. But I felt better afterwards. Walking had been just as difficult.
Today has been one week since surgery, which meant it was time to take off the original dressings. Eeee! My mom came over, and we slowly peeled away the ace bandages. I knew that there had been a lot of layers, but I still wasn't prepared for how small my calves would look when I got them all off. There were so many layers of bandage and gauze, I couldn't believe I could feel the ice packs through all of that. I also understood why they had no problem sending me home with fresh incisions. There was no way anything was getting through all of those layers.
First, we did my right leg. The first incision we uncovered looked fine, and we didn't even notice that much additional bruising. The second one was similar, but there was some old blood on the gauze that was directly over the incision.
My left leg was worse, as expected. Both incisions had some dried blood on the gauze, but what was worse was that directly below one of the incisions (below as in closer to the ankle, not deeper in the skin underneath the incision) was a HUGE dark red blotch, with an even darker center. We immediately panicked and called. In the meantime, we wrapped the leg up anyway. We didn't notice anything else weird, just the scary blotch.
Without the old bandages, my legs look so much smaller. The discoloration isn't that bad, not as bad as we were expecting. The compression from the bandages must have been ridiculous because even right now, a couple hours later, my (swollen) ankles look huge against my strangely regular-sized calves. The compression also has left my legs very, very numb. When I called and left a message for my surgeon with his assistant, the assistant asked me if the blood-colored patch hurt. I admitted to her that my whole leg was kind of numb, and she replied, "Oh, yeah," indicating that numbness is completely normal. Besides, I would be shocked if it weren't; I did everything right this week, so if it's because the wraps were too tight, that's they're fault. But compression is good; it improves circulation. So I think the tightness was intentional, and the feeling is slowly returning to my calves.
Walking isn't easier. While the light bandages are much easier to walk with, the numbness is fading enough that the pain is worse. Arg. Most of the pain is in the deeper part of my calves, which is unsurprising, but unpleasant. I can't wait for it to fade; I miss being able to walk!
I am one (figurative) step closer to being able to run! Next week (on Friday), my stitches come out, and I can start physical therapy. One week down, 5-11 weeks to go!
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
More of the same
Today isn't much different from yesterday, minus the AWESOME THUNDER STORMS. Say what you will about New England weather, but it really never gets old.
I woke up around 6am with lots of stiffness and pain. And by lots, I really don't mean lots, I just mean that it's not as great as my first couple of days. I left Loki uncovered, so he woke up when I did. I got up to pee and start my ice pack usage for the day, and Loki moved to follow me. He was a complete brat about it, shrieking and flying and being annoying. While I was getting my ice packs ready, he decided to fly back to my room, but I had closed the door to keep the cool air inside. So he sat on the floor in the hallway, crying, waiting for me to get him.
I share that little hallway with one roommate, and let's remember that it's 6:15 in the morning on a weekday. Loki wouldn't shut up, so I leaned down a bit to get him to jump on my finger, and my right calf didn't appreciate it. It felt as if my stitches were being pulled out of the exterior-side incision. Fuck. After discussing things with a medically-inclined friend, I figure that my incision oozed a bit and got stuck to the gauze, which isn't an emergency. It just hurts like a motherfucker. My left leg is much the same, still worse than the right leg. My left ankle is in rough shape, too, very swollen. No fever yet today.
I covered Loki up, but couldn't fall back asleep for the rest of the morning. I finally uncovered Loki and changed my ice packs around 10, which is around when I did finally fall asleep, until about 2. since then, I've been mostly awake, taking very quick naps here and there. I had dinner about an hour ago, but I'll probably nap again as soon as I bring my dish back to the kitchen and switch ice packs again.
Two more days till the dressings come off! It's going to be gross.
I woke up around 6am with lots of stiffness and pain. And by lots, I really don't mean lots, I just mean that it's not as great as my first couple of days. I left Loki uncovered, so he woke up when I did. I got up to pee and start my ice pack usage for the day, and Loki moved to follow me. He was a complete brat about it, shrieking and flying and being annoying. While I was getting my ice packs ready, he decided to fly back to my room, but I had closed the door to keep the cool air inside. So he sat on the floor in the hallway, crying, waiting for me to get him.
I share that little hallway with one roommate, and let's remember that it's 6:15 in the morning on a weekday. Loki wouldn't shut up, so I leaned down a bit to get him to jump on my finger, and my right calf didn't appreciate it. It felt as if my stitches were being pulled out of the exterior-side incision. Fuck. After discussing things with a medically-inclined friend, I figure that my incision oozed a bit and got stuck to the gauze, which isn't an emergency. It just hurts like a motherfucker. My left leg is much the same, still worse than the right leg. My left ankle is in rough shape, too, very swollen. No fever yet today.
I covered Loki up, but couldn't fall back asleep for the rest of the morning. I finally uncovered Loki and changed my ice packs around 10, which is around when I did finally fall asleep, until about 2. since then, I've been mostly awake, taking very quick naps here and there. I had dinner about an hour ago, but I'll probably nap again as soon as I bring my dish back to the kitchen and switch ice packs again.
Two more days till the dressings come off! It's going to be gross.
Monday, August 1, 2011
Slogging along
Today continued in the same vein as yesterday did. Definitely feeling drained, partially because I'm just lying in bed all day, and partially because my body is still a bit shocked from surgery. My legs are starting to get very uncomfortable. I keep readjusting my pillows so my knees aren't locked, but I keep getting the sensation that they're locking anyway.
The pain and swelling in my right leg is significantly decreasing. The only pain I get right now feels like it's from stitches catching onto my bandages, although it's hard to tell. It's an unpleasant pain, but I try to avoid it. The swelling is down considerably, or at least that's what it looks like to me. It's hard to tell with all the bandaging!
My left leg is not doing as well. It feels worse in general, and the pain makes it hard to walk somewhat normally. Because my right leg is so much better, I walk with a limp, and because of how bad my left leg is, I just sort of slowly shuffle towards my destination. The swelling isn't any better, and even though (again) it's hard to tell what's going on, it looks bigger than my right calf does.
Last night, I felt some twinging pain in my left calf and called the on-call doctor. He reassured me and explained that if I had a blood clot, I wouldn't really know about it or be able to do much about the clot on its own. Instead, he told me to look out for a racing pulse and shortness of breath. I asked about the trouble urinating, and he said that was normal on oxy. I didn't mention bruising or fever, like my mom wanted, because I know both things are normal. My fever was a bit high (for me) last night, around 100.6, but it broke overnight again.
I slept most of the day, waking up to pee at 6:30 and 10am. I noticed some numbness in my left pinky and ring finger, but after talking with a few people, I know it's nothing serious, probably just from lying down since Thursday. My fever hasn't come back yet, but I also took more Tylenol this morning. We'll see if it comes back tonight or not.
I slept more, from 10ish to almost 1, and then I napped again before my mom came over around 2:30. I fell asleep again around 6 and woke up about 20 minutes ago. I mean, I know part of it is because I'm bored, but wow, I'm tired.
I hate my dreams on oxycodone. They're worrisome, even when they shouldn't be, and I end up waking up a lot and being confused. I actually woke up from this nap thinking that my lip was swelling up, and that one of my roommates had come into my room multiple times to lecture me on my Netflix usage in very condescending and inappropriate ways. Best part? The guy in my dream was just some made-up guy, not even one of my roommates.
I will NOT miss these dreams!
The pain and swelling in my right leg is significantly decreasing. The only pain I get right now feels like it's from stitches catching onto my bandages, although it's hard to tell. It's an unpleasant pain, but I try to avoid it. The swelling is down considerably, or at least that's what it looks like to me. It's hard to tell with all the bandaging!
My left leg is not doing as well. It feels worse in general, and the pain makes it hard to walk somewhat normally. Because my right leg is so much better, I walk with a limp, and because of how bad my left leg is, I just sort of slowly shuffle towards my destination. The swelling isn't any better, and even though (again) it's hard to tell what's going on, it looks bigger than my right calf does.
Last night, I felt some twinging pain in my left calf and called the on-call doctor. He reassured me and explained that if I had a blood clot, I wouldn't really know about it or be able to do much about the clot on its own. Instead, he told me to look out for a racing pulse and shortness of breath. I asked about the trouble urinating, and he said that was normal on oxy. I didn't mention bruising or fever, like my mom wanted, because I know both things are normal. My fever was a bit high (for me) last night, around 100.6, but it broke overnight again.
I slept most of the day, waking up to pee at 6:30 and 10am. I noticed some numbness in my left pinky and ring finger, but after talking with a few people, I know it's nothing serious, probably just from lying down since Thursday. My fever hasn't come back yet, but I also took more Tylenol this morning. We'll see if it comes back tonight or not.
I slept more, from 10ish to almost 1, and then I napped again before my mom came over around 2:30. I fell asleep again around 6 and woke up about 20 minutes ago. I mean, I know part of it is because I'm bored, but wow, I'm tired.
I hate my dreams on oxycodone. They're worrisome, even when they shouldn't be, and I end up waking up a lot and being confused. I actually woke up from this nap thinking that my lip was swelling up, and that one of my roommates had come into my room multiple times to lecture me on my Netflix usage in very condescending and inappropriate ways. Best part? The guy in my dream was just some made-up guy, not even one of my roommates.
I will NOT miss these dreams!
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Better in some ways, worse in others
Last night, my fever kept climbing, and I kept feeling worse and worse until I went to bed. I was otherwise in a good mood, and I'd spent a lot of time with my mom, talking about break-ups and school and life. I know that a low grade fever is fine, so I wasn't terribly worried, but even so, fevers do suck.
I prefer not to take fever reducers when I've got a fever. It's not that I don't want to feel better. I just like knowing just how sick I am; it's hard to monitor an illness when you're masking a symptom. So I went to bed with a fever hovering between 99.7 and 100.0.
I woke up at 5:45 in the morning feeling wretched, and as much as I love any chance to use that vocabulary word, it sucked. My fever was hovering around 100.4, my head was throbbing, and I just felt like crap. I caved and took one more oxycodone and two Tylenol. I also texted my mom to let her know, and went and got my ice packs for my legs.
About an hour later, I woke up feeling no better, but no worse. My fever was still going strong, so I just switched my ice packs.
I woke up around 8:30 covered in sweat, which was gross, but it meant that my fever had finally broken (confirmed by the thermometer). Yay!
I'm still dealing with a bad headache and fatigue; I suspect my fever will be back tonight. But my legs feel all right. A bit twingy and uncomfortable, but nothing unmanageable. My knees didn't end up locked over night, my feet aren't any more swollen. All in all, a good night for my legs.
Not much on tap for today. I need to rest some more because I didn't get a lot of restful sleep. My mom is going to come over again to watch a movie with me. Loki will do hilarious and annoying things. Predictable day!
I prefer not to take fever reducers when I've got a fever. It's not that I don't want to feel better. I just like knowing just how sick I am; it's hard to monitor an illness when you're masking a symptom. So I went to bed with a fever hovering between 99.7 and 100.0.
I woke up at 5:45 in the morning feeling wretched, and as much as I love any chance to use that vocabulary word, it sucked. My fever was hovering around 100.4, my head was throbbing, and I just felt like crap. I caved and took one more oxycodone and two Tylenol. I also texted my mom to let her know, and went and got my ice packs for my legs.
About an hour later, I woke up feeling no better, but no worse. My fever was still going strong, so I just switched my ice packs.
I woke up around 8:30 covered in sweat, which was gross, but it meant that my fever had finally broken (confirmed by the thermometer). Yay!
I'm still dealing with a bad headache and fatigue; I suspect my fever will be back tonight. But my legs feel all right. A bit twingy and uncomfortable, but nothing unmanageable. My knees didn't end up locked over night, my feet aren't any more swollen. All in all, a good night for my legs.
Not much on tap for today. I need to rest some more because I didn't get a lot of restful sleep. My mom is going to come over again to watch a movie with me. Loki will do hilarious and annoying things. Predictable day!
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Good mood fading a bit
Thursday and Friday both went so well. Saturday is definitely a let-down.
Last night, I decided that my pain wasn't bad enough for oxycodone while I slept, especially since I don't like sleeping while I'm taking it. So I just took some Tylenol, and some hydroxyzine. I should have adjusted my pillows better as well. I'd been making do with three pillows (one throw pillow, one standard IKEA pillow, and one giant king-sized pillow), but I had set them up badly before calling it a night.
I woke up in a lot of pain around 4:45 in the morning. My pillow arrangement had left my knees extremely hyperextended, and my feet and calves weren't elevated enough, leaving my ankles and feet very swollen and in a lot of pain. I took one oxycodone (difficult, since I was out of it and my vision was crap), readjusted my pillows, and went back to sleep. I woke up again at 8:20, not feeling much better. I added another large pillow to the pile to fix that problem, and then went to get ice for my legs. I should have iced my legs more on Friday, so I'm making up for it by icing them as constantly as possible today. I then took two more oxycodone.
I've been sleeping on and off the rest of the day so far. I got up to change my ice packs, and when I did that, I washed up (hair, face, body), put in my contacts, and changed into clean sweats. Walking around was exhausting, but it's good for my legs. There's a sizeable blue bruise growing on my foot, which I find amusing. My mom is a bit grossed out, but it's expected--just lots of fluid. It's definitely uncomfortable, but I guess it's turning the bandages into compression stockings. They're staying on very tightly! It's irritating, skin-wise and pain-wise, but I'm glad the dressings are staying on so easily. One less thing to panic about.
My mom is here with noodle kugel and some of her work for school. I will probably nap for a bit and then watch a movie with her. I'm trying not to eat too much (stuck in bed + no appetite), but I'm also trying not to eat too little (body needs fuel to heal + oxycodone).
The biggest downside to today, besides all the painful swelling, is Loki. He was a huge pain in the ass all morning, waking me up by slamming toys against the side of his cage and screeching at the top of his lungs. He knows when I'm sleeping or trying to sleep, and has known for a long time (since college), so this isn't a case of, "Oh, he doesn't know any better." I can tell he's a bit freaked out by the strange circumstances: mommy is home all week, her legs look funny, her mommy is around a lot, there are those scary crutches, etc. I wish he would be better at remembering, though, that when mommy is lying down with her eyes closed, SHHHHH.
UPDATE:
I was feeling a little warm, unrelated to the weather, so I checked my temp. Unsurprisingly, I have a low-grade fever (99.1). This doesn't mean that I have an infection, of course. My immune system is very aggravated right now from surgery, and fever is part of that system. Unless it goes up to 101.something, I should be fine. I'll just keep an eye on it, but it does explain the loss of the good mood a bit.
Last night, I decided that my pain wasn't bad enough for oxycodone while I slept, especially since I don't like sleeping while I'm taking it. So I just took some Tylenol, and some hydroxyzine. I should have adjusted my pillows better as well. I'd been making do with three pillows (one throw pillow, one standard IKEA pillow, and one giant king-sized pillow), but I had set them up badly before calling it a night.
I woke up in a lot of pain around 4:45 in the morning. My pillow arrangement had left my knees extremely hyperextended, and my feet and calves weren't elevated enough, leaving my ankles and feet very swollen and in a lot of pain. I took one oxycodone (difficult, since I was out of it and my vision was crap), readjusted my pillows, and went back to sleep. I woke up again at 8:20, not feeling much better. I added another large pillow to the pile to fix that problem, and then went to get ice for my legs. I should have iced my legs more on Friday, so I'm making up for it by icing them as constantly as possible today. I then took two more oxycodone.
I've been sleeping on and off the rest of the day so far. I got up to change my ice packs, and when I did that, I washed up (hair, face, body), put in my contacts, and changed into clean sweats. Walking around was exhausting, but it's good for my legs. There's a sizeable blue bruise growing on my foot, which I find amusing. My mom is a bit grossed out, but it's expected--just lots of fluid. It's definitely uncomfortable, but I guess it's turning the bandages into compression stockings. They're staying on very tightly! It's irritating, skin-wise and pain-wise, but I'm glad the dressings are staying on so easily. One less thing to panic about.
My mom is here with noodle kugel and some of her work for school. I will probably nap for a bit and then watch a movie with her. I'm trying not to eat too much (stuck in bed + no appetite), but I'm also trying not to eat too little (body needs fuel to heal + oxycodone).
The biggest downside to today, besides all the painful swelling, is Loki. He was a huge pain in the ass all morning, waking me up by slamming toys against the side of his cage and screeching at the top of his lungs. He knows when I'm sleeping or trying to sleep, and has known for a long time (since college), so this isn't a case of, "Oh, he doesn't know any better." I can tell he's a bit freaked out by the strange circumstances: mommy is home all week, her legs look funny, her mommy is around a lot, there are those scary crutches, etc. I wish he would be better at remembering, though, that when mommy is lying down with her eyes closed, SHHHHH.
UPDATE:
I was feeling a little warm, unrelated to the weather, so I checked my temp. Unsurprisingly, I have a low-grade fever (99.1). This doesn't mean that I have an infection, of course. My immune system is very aggravated right now from surgery, and fever is part of that system. Unless it goes up to 101.something, I should be fine. I'll just keep an eye on it, but it does explain the loss of the good mood a bit.
Friday, July 29, 2011
Hey, I had surgery!
This is going to be a long post because I want to remember as much as possible about my surgery yesterday. Apologies in advance, all you tens of readers! Warning: I'm writing about surgery; while most of it isn't that squicky, some of it might be a bit TMI.
Wednesday night, I had some trouble sleeping. I had to sort of re-dump my friend earlier that evening, and although I hadn't pigged out before midnight, I was feeling extremely nauseous. I thought about throwing up so I could maybe sleep more easily, and ensure that there wouldn't be anything in my stomach come morning, but I decided I'd rather feel sick now than get dehydrated later.
I woke up around 5:30 and slept on and off until 6:15. I got up and went to the bathroom, and while I knew I could brush my teeth if I wanted to, I opted for quick mouthwash instead. I wore a comfortable cotton tank top, which was not too tight, but clingy enough that it wouldn't be baggy and revealing any boobage. I also wore sweat shorts, as recommended by the clinic, and my new BU zip-up hoodie. I had to wear sneakers, which sucked. I knew why I had to wear sneakers, but even so, I knew my feet would be a bit swollen after surgery, and that it would be tough to get the sneakers back on.
My mom picked me up at 6:30 and we arrived at the center around 6:50 for a 7:00 check-in. Check-in was smooth and easy. The nurse at the front desk was very informative and very friendly. We sat around for a bit longer, maybe until 7:45 or so, and then I was called in for pre-op (before I went in, I gave my mom my sweatshirt because it was cold in the waiting room, and I was just going to be putting it in a locker until after surgery anyway). I changed into socks and a gown, got weighed for anesthesia purposes, and got on the gurney with some awesome warmed blankets. My vitals were taken, and I got my IV set up. I was really amazed at how great the staff was; they were obviously busy and working, but always smiling and conversing with me. I felt really safe and comfortable.
They brought my mom in for pre-op for two reasons. First, she would be given my prescriptions (to fill while I was in the OR), and very often patients don't even remember pre-op instructions. Second, I was just going to be sitting around and waiting for surgery, so she was there to keep me company. She was still cold, though, even with my sweatshirt, so the staff brought HER warmed blankets! First one, and then two more later on when she was still cold. At one point, my mom (wrapped in three blankets with the hood of the sweatshirt up) rested her head on the gurney and took a nap. We were both pretty warm and comfortable!
The anesthesiologist and some nurses came by to talk to me about what to expect, asking me for my name, DOB, and surgery each time (gotta make sure they have the right patient). The staff was surprised and a bit concerned that I was having both of my legs done at the same time, which made me a bit worried, too. Finally, around 9:20ish, my surgeon came out to talk to me. He had been in one surgery already that morning, hence the lateness, but hey, at least I wasn't the last procedure of the day, waiting even longer :) We went over the procedure one last time, and he checked with me one last time to see if I really wanted to have both legs done.
His concern wasn't rude or even misguided. My risk of blood clots is relatively high. Not only do the chances increase because I'm having two legs done, but the pill I used to take had twice the risk of blood clots as most other birth control. I know I've been off the pill for two months (I've got massive weight-loss and extensive acne to prove it!), so I hope that means that whatever risk I had from the pill is now gone, but I'm still worried. Finally, my doctor (and most doctors) usually give patients aspirin post-op to help prevent blood clots. Aspirin is really great for that, but I'm allergic to it. There really aren't any drugs in between aspirin and the super powerful blood thinners, which would be extremely dangerous, so I'm not on anything at all to prevent clots.
I'm just being vigiliant, and hopeful that if I get a clot, the pain will be obvious and I'll call the doctor right away. Hopefully, there won't be any clots at all!!
So he marked both legs with a marker, and the anesthesiologist came by and gave me a cocktail of sedatives. I handed my glasses to my mom for safe-keeping, put on the hair net, and got wheeled into the OR. I moved from the gurney to the operating table, and they gave me a mask. That's all I remember before waking up in recovery two and a half hours later.
I was not happy when I woke up, which sucked. I'd been in a good mood all morning, so it was a downer. My legs were uncomfortable and in a lot more pain than I thought they'd be in, or at least that I'd hoped. They had given me pain meds during surgery, and so I guess I expected them to not have worn off by the time I woke up. I was happy that my throat didn't hurt from the breathing tube, though. I don't think it was the pain, just the stress of surgery in general, but I couldn't help but cry a bit as I woke up. It was distressing because I didn't emotionally feel like crying!
After another half hour or so, I was definitely awake, and the staff helped me change back into my shorts and tank top (my mom still had my sweatshirt, but I felt okay, temp-wise). They also got me crutches and helped me move into a nice, soft arm-chair that had leg support. That was really painful, and it made me worry that I was really screwed. I mean, it hurt that much and was that difficult to move from the gurney to the chair, and I needed two people to help me. They got me settled in and brought me some crackers, ginger ale, and oxycodone.
My mom came out to sit with me and listen to post-op instructions from my doctor and the staff. My doctor said that the surgery went well, and that while he didn't notice any signs of compartment syndrome, he didn't expect to. My CS is exercise-induced, and I hadn't induced the symptoms, so there shouldn't have been any. He did say that there was some increased pressure in the right calf, which wasn't surprising; when I arrived that morning, my right calf was aching, and I had mentioned it to my mom and to the staff. My mom questioned him a lot about how to prevent blood clots, and the only advice he had was to make sure I was getting up and moving around every hour or so. Because I just had my fascia worked on, and not my muscle or bone, my legs are fully weight-bearing. It's a bit uncomfortable and painful, since I do have incisions and I literally had pieces of fascia taken out of me (some of it was deep inside each calf), but I can walk without even using crutches. I use them sometimes, though, because my balance isn't great.
The staff gave us more instructions after that. I got information about who to call if I had any questions or problems. I also was told that I would need to keep the current dressings on for a week, and they gave us materials and instructions to put new (lighter) dressings on when the time comes. I won't be able to take real showers for another week, after I get my stitches out. Bummer! I also got a cool ice-pack holder and some ice packs, so I'm switching legs every so often.
They gave me three different medications. I got oxycodone, which has been working very well. I also got a stool softener because oxycodone can cause constipation. I find that highly annoying, but I'm glad they at least warned me. I also got hydroxyzine, which I find hilarious. I first took hydroxyzine back in high school for my hives and edema. I hated it; it wasn't that effective, and it knocked me out. My allergist at the time was a total tool, and he kept insisting that I stay on this medication even though it was ineffective and the side effects were interfering with my life. I was falling asleep in class every day, and whenever I woke up in the morning, I'd be extremely groggy. After falling asleep while sitting in traffic on the way to Boston, I stopped taking it completely and demanded a new med.
Hydroxyzine isn't just an antihistamine or a sedative. It's also an anti-anxiety med. But that's not even why they prescribed it for me. It's an anti-nausea med, just in case I have post-surgery nausea! Cool.
A nurse helped me into a wheelchair and brought me downstairs, where my mom was waiting with the car. I got home around 3pm, and my mom and I got me all set up in bed. We spent the next few hours hanging out, resting, watching some TV, and talking. She made sure I ate some food, even though I had no appetite, and that I took my meds on time. I got up every hour or so to walk around, which went pretty well. Loki is unsure of what to make of the whole situation, but he seems okay!
Even though I know I'd be in a worse mood if my pain were worse, I don't feel loopy from the meds. I'm just in a really good mood. I wasn't even sleepy when I got home yesterday. I did get hit pretty hard with sleepiness later in the evening, but generally, I'm awake and alert. Pain is not completely gone, but it's nowhere near how it was when I first woke up, and even that wasn't excruciating.
Right now, my biggest complaint is that I keep needing to pee, but when I go to pee, it's like I don't really HAVE to pee that much, and I don't pee completely. I'll sit for several long minutes, and when I'm finally done, I'll stand up ... and feel like I have to pee again. Arg! If this persists through Monday, I'll call my doctor.
This morning, I woke up at 8:40 in some pain, so I took my meds. The staff called me at 9:30 to see how I was, and the nurse I spoke with said that if I was doing this well after surgery, it bodes well for my recovery. I'm very happy about that! I forgot to ask about the peeing thing, but I did ask about clots, and she told me what to look out for. I was feeling pretty icky at that point, not leg-wise, so I got up, put in my contacts, washed my face, washed my hair in the sink, and did a quick sponge-over before changing into clean clothes. I feel a lot better now! Just a little sleepy; my mom broke up with her boyfriend last night, and called me afterwards, so I stayed up to talk to her about it and didn't get as much sleep as I thought I would (I got about 9 hours instead of, like, 12).
We'll see how today goes, but I'm so relieved that surgery is over, and I hope my recovery goes smoothly!
Wednesday night, I had some trouble sleeping. I had to sort of re-dump my friend earlier that evening, and although I hadn't pigged out before midnight, I was feeling extremely nauseous. I thought about throwing up so I could maybe sleep more easily, and ensure that there wouldn't be anything in my stomach come morning, but I decided I'd rather feel sick now than get dehydrated later.
I woke up around 5:30 and slept on and off until 6:15. I got up and went to the bathroom, and while I knew I could brush my teeth if I wanted to, I opted for quick mouthwash instead. I wore a comfortable cotton tank top, which was not too tight, but clingy enough that it wouldn't be baggy and revealing any boobage. I also wore sweat shorts, as recommended by the clinic, and my new BU zip-up hoodie. I had to wear sneakers, which sucked. I knew why I had to wear sneakers, but even so, I knew my feet would be a bit swollen after surgery, and that it would be tough to get the sneakers back on.
My mom picked me up at 6:30 and we arrived at the center around 6:50 for a 7:00 check-in. Check-in was smooth and easy. The nurse at the front desk was very informative and very friendly. We sat around for a bit longer, maybe until 7:45 or so, and then I was called in for pre-op (before I went in, I gave my mom my sweatshirt because it was cold in the waiting room, and I was just going to be putting it in a locker until after surgery anyway). I changed into socks and a gown, got weighed for anesthesia purposes, and got on the gurney with some awesome warmed blankets. My vitals were taken, and I got my IV set up. I was really amazed at how great the staff was; they were obviously busy and working, but always smiling and conversing with me. I felt really safe and comfortable.
They brought my mom in for pre-op for two reasons. First, she would be given my prescriptions (to fill while I was in the OR), and very often patients don't even remember pre-op instructions. Second, I was just going to be sitting around and waiting for surgery, so she was there to keep me company. She was still cold, though, even with my sweatshirt, so the staff brought HER warmed blankets! First one, and then two more later on when she was still cold. At one point, my mom (wrapped in three blankets with the hood of the sweatshirt up) rested her head on the gurney and took a nap. We were both pretty warm and comfortable!
The anesthesiologist and some nurses came by to talk to me about what to expect, asking me for my name, DOB, and surgery each time (gotta make sure they have the right patient). The staff was surprised and a bit concerned that I was having both of my legs done at the same time, which made me a bit worried, too. Finally, around 9:20ish, my surgeon came out to talk to me. He had been in one surgery already that morning, hence the lateness, but hey, at least I wasn't the last procedure of the day, waiting even longer :) We went over the procedure one last time, and he checked with me one last time to see if I really wanted to have both legs done.
His concern wasn't rude or even misguided. My risk of blood clots is relatively high. Not only do the chances increase because I'm having two legs done, but the pill I used to take had twice the risk of blood clots as most other birth control. I know I've been off the pill for two months (I've got massive weight-loss and extensive acne to prove it!), so I hope that means that whatever risk I had from the pill is now gone, but I'm still worried. Finally, my doctor (and most doctors) usually give patients aspirin post-op to help prevent blood clots. Aspirin is really great for that, but I'm allergic to it. There really aren't any drugs in between aspirin and the super powerful blood thinners, which would be extremely dangerous, so I'm not on anything at all to prevent clots.
I'm just being vigiliant, and hopeful that if I get a clot, the pain will be obvious and I'll call the doctor right away. Hopefully, there won't be any clots at all!!
So he marked both legs with a marker, and the anesthesiologist came by and gave me a cocktail of sedatives. I handed my glasses to my mom for safe-keeping, put on the hair net, and got wheeled into the OR. I moved from the gurney to the operating table, and they gave me a mask. That's all I remember before waking up in recovery two and a half hours later.
I was not happy when I woke up, which sucked. I'd been in a good mood all morning, so it was a downer. My legs were uncomfortable and in a lot more pain than I thought they'd be in, or at least that I'd hoped. They had given me pain meds during surgery, and so I guess I expected them to not have worn off by the time I woke up. I was happy that my throat didn't hurt from the breathing tube, though. I don't think it was the pain, just the stress of surgery in general, but I couldn't help but cry a bit as I woke up. It was distressing because I didn't emotionally feel like crying!
After another half hour or so, I was definitely awake, and the staff helped me change back into my shorts and tank top (my mom still had my sweatshirt, but I felt okay, temp-wise). They also got me crutches and helped me move into a nice, soft arm-chair that had leg support. That was really painful, and it made me worry that I was really screwed. I mean, it hurt that much and was that difficult to move from the gurney to the chair, and I needed two people to help me. They got me settled in and brought me some crackers, ginger ale, and oxycodone.
My mom came out to sit with me and listen to post-op instructions from my doctor and the staff. My doctor said that the surgery went well, and that while he didn't notice any signs of compartment syndrome, he didn't expect to. My CS is exercise-induced, and I hadn't induced the symptoms, so there shouldn't have been any. He did say that there was some increased pressure in the right calf, which wasn't surprising; when I arrived that morning, my right calf was aching, and I had mentioned it to my mom and to the staff. My mom questioned him a lot about how to prevent blood clots, and the only advice he had was to make sure I was getting up and moving around every hour or so. Because I just had my fascia worked on, and not my muscle or bone, my legs are fully weight-bearing. It's a bit uncomfortable and painful, since I do have incisions and I literally had pieces of fascia taken out of me (some of it was deep inside each calf), but I can walk without even using crutches. I use them sometimes, though, because my balance isn't great.
The staff gave us more instructions after that. I got information about who to call if I had any questions or problems. I also was told that I would need to keep the current dressings on for a week, and they gave us materials and instructions to put new (lighter) dressings on when the time comes. I won't be able to take real showers for another week, after I get my stitches out. Bummer! I also got a cool ice-pack holder and some ice packs, so I'm switching legs every so often.
They gave me three different medications. I got oxycodone, which has been working very well. I also got a stool softener because oxycodone can cause constipation. I find that highly annoying, but I'm glad they at least warned me. I also got hydroxyzine, which I find hilarious. I first took hydroxyzine back in high school for my hives and edema. I hated it; it wasn't that effective, and it knocked me out. My allergist at the time was a total tool, and he kept insisting that I stay on this medication even though it was ineffective and the side effects were interfering with my life. I was falling asleep in class every day, and whenever I woke up in the morning, I'd be extremely groggy. After falling asleep while sitting in traffic on the way to Boston, I stopped taking it completely and demanded a new med.
Hydroxyzine isn't just an antihistamine or a sedative. It's also an anti-anxiety med. But that's not even why they prescribed it for me. It's an anti-nausea med, just in case I have post-surgery nausea! Cool.
A nurse helped me into a wheelchair and brought me downstairs, where my mom was waiting with the car. I got home around 3pm, and my mom and I got me all set up in bed. We spent the next few hours hanging out, resting, watching some TV, and talking. She made sure I ate some food, even though I had no appetite, and that I took my meds on time. I got up every hour or so to walk around, which went pretty well. Loki is unsure of what to make of the whole situation, but he seems okay!
Even though I know I'd be in a worse mood if my pain were worse, I don't feel loopy from the meds. I'm just in a really good mood. I wasn't even sleepy when I got home yesterday. I did get hit pretty hard with sleepiness later in the evening, but generally, I'm awake and alert. Pain is not completely gone, but it's nowhere near how it was when I first woke up, and even that wasn't excruciating.
Right now, my biggest complaint is that I keep needing to pee, but when I go to pee, it's like I don't really HAVE to pee that much, and I don't pee completely. I'll sit for several long minutes, and when I'm finally done, I'll stand up ... and feel like I have to pee again. Arg! If this persists through Monday, I'll call my doctor.
This morning, I woke up at 8:40 in some pain, so I took my meds. The staff called me at 9:30 to see how I was, and the nurse I spoke with said that if I was doing this well after surgery, it bodes well for my recovery. I'm very happy about that! I forgot to ask about the peeing thing, but I did ask about clots, and she told me what to look out for. I was feeling pretty icky at that point, not leg-wise, so I got up, put in my contacts, washed my face, washed my hair in the sink, and did a quick sponge-over before changing into clean clothes. I feel a lot better now! Just a little sleepy; my mom broke up with her boyfriend last night, and called me afterwards, so I stayed up to talk to her about it and didn't get as much sleep as I thought I would (I got about 9 hours instead of, like, 12).
We'll see how today goes, but I'm so relieved that surgery is over, and I hope my recovery goes smoothly!
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Let's have surgery!
In 7 hours, I will be on my way to the surgical center in the 'burbs! It's finally time to have my bilateral fasciotomy.
I was supposed to get a call from a nurse three days before my surgery, and a call from the administrative assistant two days before to give me the exact time of my surgery. On Monday, I was feeling a bit panicky, so I called to see why I hadn't heard anything. You know, because surgery was supposed to be Tuesday.
The administrative assistant was confused. Apparently, my surgery was Thursday, not Tuesday. And they would never have scheduled it Tuesday; the surgeon is in the office on Tuesdays, so clearly, I just put down the wrong date.
I wouldn't have put down the wrong date. I don't do that, not with stuff like this. Do you think I put down the wrong date for my colonoscopies? I don't think so.
Fine. So I was cleaning my room on Tuesday night, and lo and behold, as I am cleaning up my desk, I find all the paperwork from my consult. Including a form where the administrative assistant, the same one who told me that I must have been mistaken about the date, had written that my surgery was scheduled for Tuesday. So, I wonder why I thought surgery was on Tuesday!
Yeah.
Whatever. The downside to the mix-up? I backed out of the flute ensemble I do every summer. I hadn't been feeling well last week, and knew I needed to take some time off to recovery before surgery. With flute ensemble, I wouldn't have a day off at all; rehearsals were Thursday through Saturday, the concert was Sunday, and Monday I'd be running around doing errands, and cleaning up my room. So I cancelled. It turns out, I didn't have to; I would have been able to rest all day on Monday and most of Tuesday.
The upside? I was able to meet up with a bunch of friends for ice cream in my hometown. Two of my friends are leaving Boston on Friday and Saturday, and I'm not going to be able to get to their going-away party tomorrow night, so this way, I actually got to see them before they left. D'awwww!
I'm all ready for tomorrow. I'm going to sleep in my loose clothing (got a sweatshirt ready to go as well), I'll be wearing glasses, and I've got my phone all charged. My mom will hold my phone and wallet while I'm in prep and surgery. I know I'll be bored during the two hours between arrival and actual surgery, but I'll either nap or daydream. Or a combo. My apartment is clean and my fridge and pantry are stocked. I have a key for my mom so I don't have to get up to let her in for the next week.
As for entertaining myself, I've got a computer with internet and Netflix, some Netflix discs on the way, a coloring book and crayons, a book of brain teasers, a ridiculous parakeet, lots of books, and lots of friends to entertain me.
I bet I'll still be bored, though. When can I go running again?
I was supposed to get a call from a nurse three days before my surgery, and a call from the administrative assistant two days before to give me the exact time of my surgery. On Monday, I was feeling a bit panicky, so I called to see why I hadn't heard anything. You know, because surgery was supposed to be Tuesday.
The administrative assistant was confused. Apparently, my surgery was Thursday, not Tuesday. And they would never have scheduled it Tuesday; the surgeon is in the office on Tuesdays, so clearly, I just put down the wrong date.
I wouldn't have put down the wrong date. I don't do that, not with stuff like this. Do you think I put down the wrong date for my colonoscopies? I don't think so.
Fine. So I was cleaning my room on Tuesday night, and lo and behold, as I am cleaning up my desk, I find all the paperwork from my consult. Including a form where the administrative assistant, the same one who told me that I must have been mistaken about the date, had written that my surgery was scheduled for Tuesday. So, I wonder why I thought surgery was on Tuesday!
Yeah.
Whatever. The downside to the mix-up? I backed out of the flute ensemble I do every summer. I hadn't been feeling well last week, and knew I needed to take some time off to recovery before surgery. With flute ensemble, I wouldn't have a day off at all; rehearsals were Thursday through Saturday, the concert was Sunday, and Monday I'd be running around doing errands, and cleaning up my room. So I cancelled. It turns out, I didn't have to; I would have been able to rest all day on Monday and most of Tuesday.
The upside? I was able to meet up with a bunch of friends for ice cream in my hometown. Two of my friends are leaving Boston on Friday and Saturday, and I'm not going to be able to get to their going-away party tomorrow night, so this way, I actually got to see them before they left. D'awwww!
I'm all ready for tomorrow. I'm going to sleep in my loose clothing (got a sweatshirt ready to go as well), I'll be wearing glasses, and I've got my phone all charged. My mom will hold my phone and wallet while I'm in prep and surgery. I know I'll be bored during the two hours between arrival and actual surgery, but I'll either nap or daydream. Or a combo. My apartment is clean and my fridge and pantry are stocked. I have a key for my mom so I don't have to get up to let her in for the next week.
As for entertaining myself, I've got a computer with internet and Netflix, some Netflix discs on the way, a coloring book and crayons, a book of brain teasers, a ridiculous parakeet, lots of books, and lots of friends to entertain me.
I bet I'll still be bored, though. When can I go running again?
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