Time to Cut

So, I had surgery last Monday, 11-19-12.

Overall, it went pretty well. It was a standard out-patient procedure. My admission nurse was awesome! As dumb as it sounds, the part I was most nervous about was the placement of the IV cathedar. She talked me through it and to be honest I didn’t even notice. The worst part of the whole morning was just the waiting. I was there at 815a but was schedules to be the second patient on the table. I guess it could have been worse.  My parents were both in town so they both able to hang out. Which for my mother meant nervous chatter and for my father meant getting out his laptop and knocking out some e-mails! But it was good none-the-less.

At about 1045a, the anesthesiologist came in to go over ‘a few things’. Once that was done she ducked out of the room and came back shortly after with a syringe of ’sedation’(or midazolam for anyone medically inclined). As soon as she gave that, I urged my parents to go. I’m glad I did cause the next minute or two consisted of me musing out loud about what animals must be going through when we anesthetize them.  The last thing I remember is going through a doorway mid-sentence. Then nothing…

I guess it was about an hour or so later and I was waking up. It was certainly much less sudden than going to sleep. I think I was in and out of it a few times.  Unfortunately, my recovery nurse (who was not the same awesome admissions nurse) was in no mood for any humor.  Which was problematic cause from what  I remember I was hilarious.  After a little while, we had the pain managed and I was discharged and sent home.

In the week since surgery, the level of discomfort has steadily decreased.  Accordingly, so has the amount of pain medications that I’ve been taking.  I have been keeping the leg elevated as much as I can.  The first few days, I could feel it swell when I got up to go to the bathroom.  However, over this weekend that swelling while standing has greatly improved and I’ve even managed to haveit he leg down quite a bit more.  There have been a couple rough nights as its been an adjustment to sleeping with my legs elevated.  Also, I’m not sure of the cause (maybe a side effect of the drugs, either pain or anticoagulant) but I’m having some weird vivid dreams. Last night, I dreamed that my cast fell off and I couldn’t find it… It was so real that when I woke up, I had to reach down to check and see if it was still there!

Anyways things seem to be progressing well. Two steps forward, one step back!  I am in a wedding this coming weekend… Not sure if I am going to be able to do it by then or not.  I guess the next few days will tell!