Day 1 Post-op
Uncategorized November 6th, 2012Well I have made it through the surgery and hospital visit and so far all has gone well. My surgeon said I did a very good job at shattering the tendon and had to make a larger incision that first anticipated.
The hospital staff at Castlecrag Private in Sydney were all great and really made my stay a lot easier than I was imagining. I would recommend them to anyone unfortunate enough to need a hospital stay.
After a long trip home in the back seat of the car with the ankle elevated and hips twisted, I have finally made it to we’re I will spend a lot of my time over the next ten days before hopefully getting the cast off. The doc ended up putting a back slab cast on which has then been wrapped up tight with bandages.
Today is Melbourne Cup day here in Australia which is one of the biggest horse races is the world. They call it the race that stops a nation so what better way to spend the day then on your bum with the leg(s) up.
Pain level has been up and down so fingers crossed it does not get any worse.
November 6th, 2012 at 4:52 pm
Glad your surgery went well. Make sure to take care of your self these first few days, get plenty of rest, don’t be afraid manage your pain, eat well, stay hydrated etc. And make sure to elevate and ice as much as you can to keep the swelling down.
Happy recovery Paul.
November 6th, 2012 at 5:11 pm
Thanks for the comment. How do you apply ice for swelling when the whole thing is wrapped up? I have been given two different meds, one a lot stronger codeine based tab plus general paracetamol. So far the paracetamol has done the job for most of the day and then the stronger Endon at night (if needed).
November 6th, 2012 at 6:13 pm
I applied the ice just like I normally would (with a small towel) so the cast wouldn’t get wet. It’s not as effective as it could be, but it does help a little with the swelling. I had horrible swelling the first 3-5 days and elevation of my right leg above my heart level helped better than anything else.
As far as pain management. My doctor gave me Loratab and I was taking 10-15 mgs every 4-6 hours the first 4 days and then started to take less after that. I’m still taking some in the evenings as it gets closer to bed. I haven’t heard of Endon, but I also know my surgeon was very conservative in giving pain management, which can be a good thing. Happy Healing and Good Luck.
November 6th, 2012 at 7:17 pm
You can put some ice cubes in a ZipLoc bag and drape it over the cast, or one above and one below. . .
November 8th, 2012 at 7:42 pm
Im 3 days postop. I have one of these to use for a week. http://www.airbracestore.com/product/cryocuff-ic-w-ankle-cuff/adult