Day three, day three.. where to begin. How about the morning.
I woke up at some time in the morning feeling pretty good. In fact, compared to the day before I was feeling great. I had slept wellish, (woke a bit more between my med alarms) and my leg seemed more alive and useable than it had the day before. I got up and decided enough is enough. It was time to get clean. My mother brought a shower chair up to her and my dad's shower that allows you to walk in without taking any big steps. So I crutched over to their bathroom, my two huge and heavy Pantene Pro V bottles and a towel somehow in tow (carrying things while using crutches is a real feat!) and prepared myself. I took a seat on the chair, removed my brace, tossed it aside, and got the water going. From there, because my leg likes to remain straight, I had to leave the glass door ajar while showering. Luckily there were no flash floods in the kitchen later that day. From this position I was very comfortable washing myself and my hair. I tried to keep my wound out of the direct hit of the shower head, and though I soaped around it I didn't do anything to it directly. I later re-read in my FAQs that I should have covered it with a plastic bag but the nurse the other day said nothing of the sort.
All clean and dressed, I made my way downstairs to the couch, feeling pretty worn out from all that intense exertion. There I lay, icing the leg. I think I noticed a tiny bit of fresh blood (two little droplets) escaping from behind the steristrips. The FAQ sheet says that more than a teaspoon is cause for concern. So that was fine. I took some photos of how she looks.
From what I can tell, the bruise is growing. Also, the steristrips are now cleaner than they once were. Is the swelling going up? I cannot tell, but probably. It feels quite stiff and full of whatever swelling consists of. I miss seeing the form of my kneecap. There is also numbness all around my knee and the front and sides of my leg, as well as a lot of heat radiating throughout the wound. Jealous?Anyway, after this I promptly fell asleep. I think. I can't quite account for the morning, actually. Today was a grey, humid day. It's Steve's birthday and he's back in Hamilton having fun and doing birthday things. Nobody visited. My mom was here taking care of me, and my dad was out and about. My mom and I got bored.
She brought me a bagel and peaches to eat before I fell asleep, and so around lunch time I wasn't too hungry. Nevertheless I thought eating would be a good thing to do so I hobbled about heating up the vegetarian chili she'd made the day before and grating cheese over it. I took a few bites and realized I couldn't eat it. What? Since when does not being hungry stop me from eating?! It was tres bizarre. I felt generally lethargic, kind of clammy, and just unwell.
I can't remember whether I did exercises at this point. I feel like I did but the day is a blur of percocet making me feel pretty crappy. I went up to my room and watched Arrested Development (thanks Emily!) and played facebook scrabble with my brother in Montreal and my mom who kept calling from the other room when I took longer than two minutes to play my turn.
As far as discomfort goes, the bulk of it really was coming from the medication more than the knee. I've been sticking carefully to the two pills every four hours routine and my knee hasn't really been in pain at all, not counting a slight twinge or painful bump every now and then, or the strange heavy/useless feeling it has. I decided to start the process of weaning off the drugs, so I waited five hours instead of four for my next dose. Then the next time I waited six hours. I think I'll stick to two pills every six hours overnight, and tomorrow I'll start on one percocet and one tylenol every six hours. Hmm.. we'll see how that leaves me. I don't want to get the addict shakes or anything.
I was lying in bed chatting on gmail at around 5 or 6 when I started feeling very hot and feverish. My mom came in and got worried, bugging me to go to a walk in clinic. I was pretty sure a fever is relatively common, so I wasn't too concerned, but I hobbled downstairs again and went outside for the first time today, kicking up my feet on the backyard hammock while re-energizing with a delicious frozen apple juice box snack (This is a trick I developed in highschool: freeze the juice box, cut open the top, scrape with a spoon, enjoy!) The fever disappeared immediately! My parents and I sat outside debriefing ever more about Rick and Carina's wedding. I guess when you spend more than a year and a half planning something you don't just let it go like that.
Soon it was suppertime and they went inside to prepare while I iced. I've been trying to ice as often as possible but still I can afford to do it more. I need a personal ice assistant. Any takers? I came into the kitchen and, with newfound frozen apple juice energy, performed almost all my physio exercises! I have a list of things to do given to me at the pre-op. So today I did squats against the wall, sitting on the table bending, and standing with an elastic band stretching the operative leg out to the side and out behind me. I am finding the exercises that focus on bending FAR more difficult than the ones that utelize other muscle groups. Thank you, Body Pump! Working those muscles pre-op was a definitely plus. I wonder what the physiotherapist will say on Monday about my prognosis. I must work on my bends.
So, we ate a lovely dinner of chicken broth and salad (still, my appetite is not quite normal but the soup was a good thing) and then watched Hotel Rwanda and Before Sunrise back to back. I practiced some bending while I watched, and also fell asleep during both, one time dreaming that Romeo and I were in a movie with Ivan Rietman, and when Steve called my cell to say hello during a cut, Ivan answered. Maybe Romeo Dallaire's name came into my dream or something...?
It's now just about two and I should really get to sleep.
I'm planning to return to my downtown home tomorrow though the thought of getting all my stuff back home now is a bit overwhelming. I need my personal ice assistant to come help me out. Steve will be back tomorrow with his car so that'll be good.
Back in Toronto I'll be lonely and sorry for myself. I can already feel the process starting after a lousy day of nothing much like today. Please pay me a visit, friends. I will feel happy.
Lastly, as far as ability, I was able today to walk around with two crutches easily, with one crutch with some effort, and without any crutches shakily for fear of buckling I think, but weight bearing on the bad leg is no biggie.
Let's hope for some further improvement tomorrow! And also some drug weaning! Yay!
No comments:
Post a Comment