dancepulse

It’s a busy process, this healing. And not without some moments of agony:

• Moment of agony #1 was physical therapy session #1, when it came time to bend my knee. What was a piece of cake before surgery was a real wake-up call after!
• Moment of agony #2 lasted about 6 hours. That was on the night between Day 1 & Day 2 after surgery, when I was being switched from IV to oral painkillers. They turned off the nerve block (SO effective!) at midnight, in order to get my leg ready for my (3rd) physical therapy session at 7:45 am, but the Oxycodone didn’t kick in.  Before that, on the pain scale of 1-10, I ‘d been cruising along at 2-4, and then suddenly the numbers 6&7&8 seemed far more descriptive. That was a long, can’t-stop-thrashing, how-many-minutes-are-there-in-an-hour, OMG night. When it came time for my 5:30 dose, I suggested we change medication, which the nurse did, but not at full dose.  Lesson for the future:  Ask “Is this the largest dose I can have?!”
• Moment of agony #3 was the physical therapy session I endured before the new painkiller had time to take effect.

But the pain calmed by late in the afternoon on Day 2, and I passed all the tests: walking across the room and down the hall with the walker, climbing 4 steps to simulate the front steps at home, climbing in and out of their pretend vehicle, and depositing enough pee in a cup.

It’s been a busy time since… who knew it would take all day & then some to heal? No, I mean I knew it would take weeks-and-maybe-months to heal, but I thought I’d be doing some other things at the same time! Perhaps it’s too soon to tell, but Day 1 of being home has been plenty tasking.  I’ve…

• eaten at regular intervals (nope, didnt’ cook, just ate),
• traveled from bed to bathroom to bed to couch to table several times over,
• sorted my pills,
• done my physical therapy regime twice,
• wrapped my leg in Glad wrap & taken a shower,
• put on my tight socks (couldn’t have done it alone — boy, do I have great support!),
• iced my knee,
• taken several serious naps, &
• read the newspaper.

The best news?  That so far every time I do my physical therapy it’s easier & better. Very motivating!  But I have to go now — I’m late for my next nap.