For starters, I got up at 1:30am to shower with some special soap, and we hit the road at 2:30am to drive to Columbus. We had to check in at 5am. Everything went pretty well in pre-op, but once I saw the NP (whom I really like),the tears started flowing. Just nervousness. Then the doctor came in and signed my right leg, followed by anesthesia to go over that. Before I know it, I'm getting wheeled back to the OR. On the way they gave me meds to make me a little loopy. I remember scootching over to the operating table, and the nurse said they had to go around and introduce themselves and their roles in this surgery. At the time there were maybe 6 people in the room, but I fell asleep after the 2nd person (my doctor) said his name. :)
Next thing I know, I'm being woken up. It seemed like it was from a dream, and then I realized how badly my right hip felt, and it all came back to me- that I just had surgery. I think I was going in and out of sleep, but I was also crying bc of the pain. I can remember my doctor asking the post-op nurse how I was, and she said I woke up crying--- I feel like I tend to do that after surgeries. Anyways, my doctor briefly went over the surgery, but that was a little foggy to me. From my hip down to my knee felt like immense pressure from all the fluids. I mean, brutal! It felt like a balloon that was about to pop! My actual hip did not hurt much, just the pressure was unbearable! I was given more pain meds, and I started feeling a little sick.
Suddenly, it was time for my nurse to go to lunch, so I got these 2 male nurses. Here's where it all went downhill. I was in terrible pain and crying, and they were talking about apartment hunting. Then they were saying they wanted me to get dressed so I could go home. For all I knew I just woke up 2 minutes ago! Finally my nurse came back. My doctor also came back again and went over everything again for me, and I was able to understand a bit better (more on that later). Once he left, my husband came back to wait with me. I was dressed at this time, and they called PT to come meet with me. She gave me a few exercises to do at home, and had me practice with the crutches. Getting up to move around made me feel SO SICK. But they sat me down in a wheelchair so I could get ready to go to the car.
Side note: I remember my doctor telling me that I would stay the night if my pain wasnt under control, or I was really sick coming out of anesthesia. Well, the nurses made a bad call in sending me home bc I felt that way until 8 hours later.
So I'm wheeled out to the car, get situated, and start throwing up. A lot. But we kept driving. I was also in and out of sleep too. But the drive was just miserable. I felt horrible and sick.
We got home and I'm still not in any better shape. Just lots of sobbing. I finally force myself to eat Jello to settle my stomach, and it seemed to work. I took a nap while hooked up to my CPM machine, and woke up feeling much better around 7pm. I could eat Goldfish crackers and finally take more pain meds.
The rest of the night and all of today was a bit of the same- ice with the Game Ready, do the CPM, my PT exercises, take meds, nap. My parents brought us dinner tonight so that was good.
All in all, once I got over the initial awful phase, it's been going fairly well. I'm really sore, but doing ok. I don't have to use my crutches but for stability. I don't use them a lot bc it's just easier not to half the time.
Tomorrow I have PT in the morning, but not before a shower that I'm really excited about, hehe. The kids are going to my sisters house for the day... I think that'll be so good for them bc they seem
to be going stir crazy in the house- at least the little one.
I know I left off details of the actual surgery, but I will have to do that tomorrow. I'm just exhausted after writing this much!
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