Pop…What was that??

Ok it’s been a while since I updated on what’s going on so I figured I bring everyone up to date…Well I was suppose to have surgery on Tuesday, Oct 13th.  I get a call early that morning around 6:30 AM and was told to be in around 8:30 to start filling out paperwork and what not to have surgery that day.  Remember my injured occured late Thursday October 8th.  Anyhow I go in on Tuesday, fill out the paperwork, talk to the admission nurse and then the anethesiologist and then was asked to sit in the waiting room and wait for my name to be called.  5 hrs later the Doc comes to me and explains to me that they are unable to fit me in that day’s schedule and that I was going to be rescheduled for Friday.  For those who have followed my story so far, remember I had arrangements to fly out to visit my family on Friday Oct 9th but was told by the surgeons that I could not travel because I wasn’t going to be back til the 18th and they suggested the surgery be performed soon.  So for them to postpone my surgery almost a week later really added to my frustration but what could I do. 

So it’s Friday October 16th and here I am back at the hospital to repeat the admission process but this time it goes more smoothly and after about 3 hrs I’m in my backless gown with my head apron on in my bed about to be wheeled to the Operating Room.  My anethesiologist was very cool and comforting and she could sense my nervousness and had did her best to comfort me.  I asked about the pain afterwards and she reassured me that she would do everything in her ability to make me very comfortable afterwards if she is still on her shift, but if not then the next anethesiologist will take care of me just as good.  I was anxious to get this party started as I sat there waiting and then some good stuff was put into my IV and I felt really good.  My younger brother was there with me and he started laughing at me because I was supposedly talking funny.  I didn’t think so but who was I to judge myself I guess.  Anyways I was laid down and I told my brother see you laters and he said the same back.  The wheels were rolling and I saw the two huge double doors open up and then I saw nothing but huge bright lights in the room.  It was pretty busy in there as there were several people walking around prepping the room for the operation.  Next thing I heard was goodnight Dean and we’ll see you soon as I saw the nurse put something in my IV and that was the last thing I remember. 

I woke up a couple hours later, my throat was sore from the breathing tube I had and I looked around and took me a while but I recognized where I was at.  I looked at my leg and this time the cast was enormous.  Damn I was hoping to get the boot but oh well….I also noticed I was completely naked under the blanket as well..(what happened to my gown???)  I didn’t feel any pain because so I thought they had admistered the pain block they explained would be put into place towards the end of the surgery before I woke up…About an hr later here it comes…Wow…I didn’t know what to realize or expect…Was the pain block working or did I have any at all?  Maybe it can only block some I thought and this pain is what I had to deal with…?  I sat there trying my hardest to deal with it as it became only stronger and I was like I can’t deal with this too much longer and I flagged down the nurse…She saw i was in some really bad pain and I explained to her that I thought I was suppose to get the pain block so she went to ask the anethesiologist to come to my side.  He looked at my chart and explained that I wasn’t given and post meds and I couldn’t believe it.  He explained to me that if he did the pain block now that it would hurt even more now because I was awake so he gave me some other pain meds in my IV and it all went away…Thank God…My brother picked up my prescription  and brought in my clothes and crutches and I left soon thereafter.

I was given some percocet for the pain and was instructed to take 1-2 every 4 hours as needed.  That stuff the doc gave me before I left in my IV lasted a while but I played it safe and took the percocet about an hr later.  Friday night wasn’t so bad but I was extremely hungry but knew if I ate it was only going to come right back up.  It’s Saturday and here comes the pain.  I’m taking the percocet but it’s not working like it’s suppose to so I get frustrated and I’m scared to overdose but I’m hurting.  I remember I have some Tylenol3 from a dental procedure about 2 weeks back leftover and I take 1 of those and it works.  Thank God.  It’s Sunday now and I don’t need to take any more percocet or Tylenol 3 and from here on out I just take a packet of Goody’s Headache/Pain Relief Powder and some Aleve and I’m fine.  My first follow up is on the 26th to remove the stitches and see how my healing is going and hopefully I get the boot then.  It’s a long road to recovery but at least I started finally.