One week ago was the day I remember very little of, since of course I slept most of it away. Mom came the night before and drove me to UAMS at 5am to get my clothes changed into a fashionable gown with complementary compression socks.
The lighting, the gown! It's all so flattering!
I pumped some milk, walked to the bathroom, got my leg signed by Dr. Sachleben, asked the anesthesiologist to keep me alive, and then was wheeled away. In the OR, they got to work quickly with my anesthesia taking me to dreamland before I knew it was coming. It may have been the prior dose of Versed that took all my awareness away, but the last thing I remember was a med student being instructed on how to hold my "oxygen" mask and me being told to take deep breaths. Apparently I was stretched into a position like this to dislocate my hip during surgery, which I can only assume accounts for some of the post op stiffness:
I awoke to a nurse talking to me and I told him my back was really hurting. It seems like he gave me a pillow for it before he gave me pain meds. Who knows which of those actually took the pain away? ;) Somehow Mom and I got a dress on over my giant brace and ice pack, put my shoes on, and suddenly I was in the car with Mom asking me questions in my very drowsy state, like, "How do we get home from here?" It wasn't a trick question, and I had a hard time coherently answering, but I think she was trying to keep me awake so she knew I was conscious. Don't ask me about the rest of the day or night. Or Friday, for that matter.
Saturday Mom left and Jeremy's mom and aunt arrived just a bit later. I spent the next two days lying on the couch in my CPM while the three other adults took care of everything else. And I do mean everything. I'm responsible for letting them know what I need that may not be obvious, like an escort to the low low toilet seat. And that's it. Since Monday, Jeremy has been back at work and Mammo and Nanny have no idea how invaluable they have been to me. Josie mostly wants to ride around in my lap in the wheelchair, and Nanny has been driving us a good bit, even getting Josie to sleep that way.
She is seatbelted in with a Maya sling.
She gets frustrated at me for not carrying her around and playing on the floor with her. And Hunter has been affected too, although he is taking it very well.
And he is helping out with Josie, even when she's not that into it :)
But usually she's having a blast. This is exactly what she wanted to do!
Wednesday was my first PT session, and I do believe I have found a PT who is worth paying upfront and filing my insurance myself. She's cautious, knowledgable, and makes me very comfortable. I was a bit sore from those strenuous heel slides we did a hundred million of yesterday. But in a good way.
I'm feeling mostly good, able to get in bed on my own, and even got my underwear and shorts on by myself today, though it took a good 20 minutes. The bandage came off to reveal more blood than I'd expected and three tiny incisions neatly sutured. Also a rash where I left the thick waterproof bandage on a bit too long. Oops.
I can't imagine what I'd do without this caring husband and family I have around me. They have done everything. Well, except they also may be trying to kill me with all the plastic eggs, toy trucks, random blankets, and Legos scattered around on the floor, making me crutch through obstacle courses.
I keep on healing, and the days fly by as we wheel around, watch Hunter, take selfies. But that could be the meds talking.
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