Hi all. Well been three weeks since the big chop and things are going pretty good. They said it was going to hurt and it did, a hell of a lot. I'm still on some very strong pain killers but now it's more around what I am doing or going to do. Before Physio I take Endone 10mg so I can push through with leg flexing and things like that. it will then ache for a while and some times I'll them take a slow release Tramadol (200SR) and an Oxycontin 10mg. The hardest thing has been trying to get a good nights sleep. It's funny how you get so sick of lying in one position - your back. I'm able to lye on my side but not for very long.
Anyway I'll tell a bit of a story along with the pics.
I'd flow to Perth on the Tuesday before the operation which was Friday, I had to attend 2 clinics on Wednesday which were all about what was going to happen and what help I would need once home. Because I'm over 50 they gave me a ECG and another full blood work up which they keep for 14 days just in case they need to track down some thing with in the blood that say caused an infection.
After that I then had to answer a bunch of questions around my home with things like do you have a bath or shower and you''ll need a shower chair so you can sit while you shower. I didn't take any of these things back to the unit as I was fairly sure I would be OK
So on Friday off to the hospital at 10am and headed strait for admissions. I changed into a gown and my own pair of very flash paper undies and after more questions had my right leg shaved and a compression sock placed on my left leg
At about 3pm this very nice looking anesthetist came up to have a chat and inform me she would be looking after all the anesthetics and would see me soon. She was a real good looking girl, South African. they finally came to get me at 4:30 which was fine, I didn't have anything else to do and off I went the the theater pre-opp. First I have a cannula in my left hand and some form of Benzo (Valium) to chill me out. I then had to turn around and sit on the side of the bed while South African chcik gave me an Epidural. I then had to lay back down again when miss South Africa advise that she was now going to expose me and ripped the paper undies out of the way. In my drug induced stupper I said No worries, anytime - Oh did I then blush realising what I had said. The reason for this was to insert a catheter in my groin to give me a femoral Block which would keep the pain away better than just the Hydromorphone. Anyway she then proceeded to move the old fellow out of the way and using an ultra sound inserted the Catheter showing me the nerve when all I was doing was trying not to get excited
So into the operating theater and off to sleep.
Woke up not long after finishing, the opp takes about 1hour 30 mins. They took me up to the ward and I was lucky to have my own room which was due to the fact I needed acute pain management.
I had a Hyrdomorphone self adminiter suringe in my left hand along with an antibiotic drip. I had a 15mg Bupranorphine patch on my back. I have the Catheter in my groin and one up the old fellow and two self inflating compression cuffs on my legs. I didn't have much pain as the block was working well along with the other
Anyway after that there wasn't much I could do except lye there and watch TV
Leg Cuff, you can see the one on the right
Femeral Block in the groin
Drips etc in left hand
I didn't sleep at all that night, not because of pain but I just didn't feel tired. Watched Tele and wrote some note on things I wnated to do at work. Thought it would be funny to read it back once I was off the JuJu juice.
The next day they wanted the Pysio mob turned up to get me out of bed. That all went find and after I proved that I could they were happy to take the Catheter out.
The nurses then turned up to change the bandage
And this was the wound 12 hours later. Looking good with no bad signs of redness or weeping
So on Monday they sent me home so to speak. I was staying in an apartment of friends of ours which was great and on the 6th floor. it was p1ssing down when the lad took me to the Taxi rank out side the hospital and I had gone shopping before I wnet in so had a few cases of beer and lots of TV diner ready to go.
I was sent home with various medications and along with pain killers I had to inject ,y self once a day with Clexane which is an anticoagulant. I don't have an issue with doing that stuff to my self which was luck else I would need to see a nurse once a day.
I got sent hoe with Bupranorphine Sublingual tablets, Slow release Tramadol, quick release Tramadol and Panadol
All went fine and I had no trouble going to the loo or having a shower so decided to ring the Patient Travel service in Broome to arrange my flight home on Friday.
Dressing change 3 days after
Friday was long day ad I had one lot of drugs left but did have an appointment with the Doct later that day. They upgraded me to Business class for the trip home and blocked out the seat next to me which was great but how much hoo-haa going through the security screening, funny as.
The knee hurt like hell by the time I was on the plane so took my last heavy drugs and waited for the to kick in. The pressure on the knee was a pain - well in the knee
and was glad to get off the plane. Went strait to the Doctors and topped up on narcotics for the week which included what i listed above.
So got the staples out on Friday, two weeks after surgery
A couple of days after that. They were really pleased with the way I was healing
Difference in the two knees
And today
