Day 8

Pretty much the same start as yesterday except I didn't wash and condition the hair just wet it before throwing in a braid. The long acting analgesia hasn't really shown it's worth yet but that's not unusual.

Tracy arrives we have a coffee and then do the halls again  together with the exercises and I had shorts on today rather than the track pant of yesterday and it was easier for Tracy to correct posture and dropped pelvis which the best was to describe how I walked. I have even started to try walking without a single crutch to but that is just pushing a little to far right now.

The compression socks were not on yesterday but I got her to put them on me before all this today because my leg is still swollen and after this it could be seen to have continued. I decided to walk her down to her car when she was ready to leave the hospital and Sydney but that turned out to be wishful thinking and I only made it far as the paying station.

Apart from lunch, a few DS9 episodes and a nana nap, it's been an icebag and elevation.


Be Excellent to Each Other and See You at the Big One!

Taz

Day 7

Significant progress today, well I thought so.

Pain control was a problem from before dawn. Paracetamol at 0400 Endone later around 0600.
Breakfast done then a shower. Without assistance, standing, wash and condition the hair and shave with the ol' safety razor. Completed without having to pause or sit in the shower chair, altered stance to left leg and nearly successful at putting full weight on it and straighten it.

Went for a stroll do the corridors and did the exercises before returning to my room and breifly waited for Tracy to arrive.

Mid-morning we strolled down to the visitors lounge and watched TV while sitting together on a couch.

Returned to the room for lunch and afterwards another hall walk with exercises. Mid-afternoon I left the ward for the main foyer and the cafe where Tracy and I enjoyed an Ice Coffee each before returning to the room and dinner.

After dinner we did the hall walk again and the exercises which sometimes are  easier and others not. A conversation with this afternoons RN about my concerns with the inadequacies of dose and frequency saw her arrange for me to go onto Targin 10/5. We'll give that a try and I'm giving the wound and knee a real workin' over with the ice bag.

Dr Boyle dropped by before Tracy left so I gave him a show. He's happy.
   

Be Excellent to Each Other and See You at the Big One!

Taz

Day 6

Got a late call from the receiving rehab hospital they won't have a bed for another three days so really I just linger here, do my exercises work on the pain and flown out on Friday.

So I alternate the crutch movement, sometimes both when the left leg is down, sometimes the opposing crutch to leg. Right arm with left leg, left arm with right leg.
I have some side stepping exercises while facing a wall, I'm pretty much not holding on to the handrail. Then there are toe lifts with both feet and on the other side of that short squats.

 
So it's wet and raining outside, Tracy is not going to drive solo home today and has been able to arrange a single bed room at the Greenwich Inn.

Be Excellent to Each Other and See You at the Big One!

Taz

Day 5

Well I seem to be impressing on the Tallboy walker, why don't I have a crack on Canada crutches.
Well lucky for me I spent months learning years ago.

Last of my Oxycontin today and I need to manage the pain with Endone alone. I only get it every 6-8 hr and it's lasting only for the 1st 3 hrs ,,,,hmmmmmm.

Everything is now an inch crooked and twisted. The replacement of  an arthritic hip generally returns the patient to normal, I however have not been in this shape since 1975 and it's going to take a very long time to change what has been normal for me over the last 43 years 

Be Excellent to Each Other and See You at the Big One!

Taz

Day 4

We have a visitor today.

Aunty Val and a long time friend Cecily will visit for a half hour just after lunch.
The visit lasted nearly an hour and was wonderful both for Val and us.

We discussed options for discharge after they had left with Gabby from physio and she and the ward staff are happy to look into rehab in Calvary Wagga, they'll make calls tomorrow during normal office hours to investigate.

Be Excellent to Each Other and See You at the Big One!

Taz

Day 3

The only really interesting thing I'm told about today was that my pain was going to get a whole lot worse.
This I'm told will be as a result of the accumulated drugs from the epidural, anaesthesia and daily dose's evening themselves out, being eliminated and the body hurts everywhere and from everything.
The bruising has started to show, I had a sponge wash while sitting in the bathroom.

Slept some and enjoyed another meal with my caring wife.

Be Excellent to Each Other and See You at the Big One!

 Taz

Day 2

Slept on poor Tracy for several long periods today, but I did warn her on that.
Staff and significant others are harping at me to be more regular with my pain meds, Twice daily Oxycontin 10mg and then 4/24 Endone 5mg.
Cracked a fever overnight and started to feel shit all day. I'm told it's the last of the anaesthetic drugs leaving my system.

My the end of the day staff are bringing in my meds and waking me to take them and had dinner with the wife in my room.

The surgeon dropped in and he is happy with my progress, getting to go home will depend on the physio's plan.

Be Excellent to Each Other and See You at the Big One!

 Taz

Day 1

Up early to have 4 glasses of water at 4 am then Nil by Mouth.
Hospital advised to be there at 10 but why wait in the motel room so got there early.
Admitted at 10 am anyway and lay in waiting area till 1 pm and then off to surgery.

An epidural was administered with good effect and they bombed me before pushing me into the theatre. One thing that did leave me a little perplexed was there were two different sound tracks playing, one from the anaesthetics bay and a different one in the theatre!

I remember looking at the clock in recovery at 5pm. 

Taa Daa

Hahahahahaha

No the prosthetic

A mostly a sleepless night with hourly obs and fluids, the epidural has a prolonged effect on your BP.


Be Excellent to Each Other and See You at the Big One!

 Taz

Day -1

Tracy and I departed Wednesday 22nd, the day before the planned surgery.
Tracy did it all herself and you could imagine what  joy it was to be back in Sydney.

Google got her to the motel in one go and it even did it the way I had planned. Clean but small Tracy should be there comfortably by herself here and it is 300 meters from the hospital.

Be Excellent to Each Other and See You at the Big One!

 Taz