Week 4

This week I had a bump in the road.
It was an emotional and physically hard week. I had trouble with muscle stiffness and soreness. But the pain medication was making me sick--literally. I finally ended up cutting it in half. That helped and still was giving me relief to get through the day and try to get things done.
The kids last day of school was Thursday. They were out at 11:00 am. This was also Dusty's last day before officially returning back to work. So I called the babysitter and we picked her from school. She watched the girls and Edgar while Dusty, myself, and Brady went to see the Pirates of the Carribean movie in the Imax theater. It was really good. I did get a butt spasm. That is another thing that was happening frequently this week. I did have to take a Valium Wednesday for this but it makes me feel so druggy and sleepy. So I only take when needed. I did notice that on the bottle it said to take one 4 times daily for 21 days. Oops I wasn't doing that.
I have also had a really hard time giving my lovenox injections to myself. I have had to have Dusty give me some of them. The medication does burn. I am finally down to my last box so that is good.
Friday and Saturday I was home by myself with all the kids. It was interesting. Saturday I was a bit emotional. I was having trouble keeping up. But I did manage to get all the laundry done. I was very tired after that. I also had some sore hands and wrists too. I moved all day and didn't sit until around 2pm that day. So I was tired and did nap for a little bit.
I do find the screws bothersome too! The three little ones seem to know the spot too. Edgar does kick as he is feeding. I do have numbness which at times it itchy but when I scratch it doesn't help. It is weird. I do still like to ice the incision site and muscle. Heat does feel good too. I also have been removing some of the steri-strips. They were itchy too and then starting to hurt. So I removed one at a time and talk about relief. Not sure if I am to do this but it has felt good. I do have about 5 left on the lower part of the incision. Maybe I will leave them on until my first follow up appt on Wednesday.

My Personal Goals

• Able to get myself dressed completely. I still need the occasional help putting on my sock and shoe. (Depends on the muscle stiffness)
  
• I drove the car!
• Went to church
• Sleeping with only one pillow under my leg
• Can lay on my right side
  
• 
  

Week 3

This week I had a goal for going downstairs. But that ended up happening last week. Last week I also started to put some clothes away. Having a big family means lots of laundry. So me putting just some clothes away means that there is still alot that was left folded in baskets. I have been able to start some laundry. And this is where the kids come to very good use. They are my "go to kids". They help me carry the basket around or bring me Edgar. They are my hands!
Dusty went to work Tuesday. My sister, Jessica, came over to help. I still am taking one oxycodone in the morning to help with muscle stiffness and soreness. Well all this week I have struggled with it upsetting my tummy. And Tuesday was the day that my pink bucket was used. I tried so hard to fight the feeling off but after an hour it won the battle. :( The rest of the day I just was wiped out.

My Personal Goals

• Able to put on my underwear but easier to get help
  

Week 2

Sunday I ventured out for the first time. To target we went. I was wheeled around by Brady and Hannah. I was never wheeled into anyone. Whew. We also left the temporary handicap sticker behind so no handicap parking. But it was all good. We still ended up getting front row parking.
Monday we went to Walmart. I used a motorized for the first time ever. It took just a little bit getting used to. Paylynn and Emma loved it. They sat on my good leg but only one at a time. Paylynn sat there like a good girl. Emma on the other hand was ready to go and drive that scooter. I did feel a bit awkward.
Tuesday night Arianna had her second band concert. The fifth graders have really improved since the start of the school year.
Wednesday we went out for breakfast at Jimmy's Egg. Yum! Then we went to Micheal's craft store. I crutched around the entire store. I thought moving around more would help stimulate my bowels. I don't want to take my stool softener or biscodyl tablets anymore. The biscodyl makes my tummy upset and gives me horrible cramping. I also rode along to get the kids from school. When we got home, I crutched down to the mail box with Brady to get the mail. I must say that all the movement did work! It was an uncomfortable one but at least that was motivation for me to get my rear in gear. Well at least to start moving around more.
Saturday we celebrated Hannah's birthday with family. We cooked hamburgers, hotdogs, and brats on the grill. I wasn't much help with cleaning up the house. Thank you hubby you did wonderful at cleaning and cooking! I love you! My seat was already staked out---the recliner. I had my boppy and heating pad and read pillow all set up. I just explained to family that the recliner is the easiest chair for me to get comfortable in. And they all were very understanding.

My Personal Goals

• Venture outside!
• Go for a car ride
• Able to left my own leg up and over the tub wall
• Go downstairs
  

Week 1

Home!
My goal for the first week home was to adjust with crutches and learn how to care for myself. I had to start somewhere so why not with basic care.
I could use the bathroom without the toilet seat raiser. I could wipe myself. But the challenge was showering and getting dressed. But even more then that just how to get around the house and make myself comfortable.
I found I was worried to sleep in bed the first night home and the second night. So I just slept in the recliner and Dusty on the couch(in case I needed him). After a full night in the recliner I decided I was going to attempt the bed. Night 3 was the first attempt and was successful. I had many pillows in bed with me and I must include Dusty and Edgar in there too. The full size bed definitely was full :) But the bed felt so good. Each night I tried to sleep more on my right side. It wasn't bad sleeping. I did feel a little incision pulling but with a little adjustments it was fine.
Mornings are a different feeling. My left leg muscles are stiff and sore upon waking. Still bearable compared to the pain presurgery! But I do have trouble moving the leg without some help.
I do need help putting on my pants. I can get my unoperated leg in but need help with operated leg. I need help getting lifting my operated leg over the tub wall but it is getting easier. The first shower at home hurt a little bit. But it felt so good to shower. Unfortunately I am not getting a shower everyday. That is ok because things are little bit crazy around the house.
By the end of Week 1 I could cross my goals off.

My Personal Goals

• Able to get myself into bed just need help placing pillows but can adjust myself
• Able to shave my legs without help
• Can use the bathroom without help
• Very good at clearing a path using the crutches
• Can situate myself in the recliner but easier to ask for help
  

Day 6

I had met the goal of having a bowel movement, pain control, but still needed PT.

PT came that morning. She wheeled me to the room and had me do the stairs the twice! And then walk back to my room! I felt good but was tired from last night. But I decided that I wanted to sit in the wheelchair, where I fell alseep for about two hours.
Dr. Millis came in and told me that since I have met all the requirements and I was doing good that he didn't think insurance would cover another night in the hospital. It was fine by both Dusty and I. Dusty was already looking at flights home. He did find some that flew into Kansas City. Dusty's dad was agreeable to pick us up. So we booked our flight for almost home :)
Dusty filled my prescriptions at the hospital pharmacy. And the nurse gave me my discharge papers. They called a cab for us that was to be there in 30-40 minutes but they actually showed up while we were still upstairs being discharged. No big deal we just gave them a call back and they showed up again.
Getting into the mini van at first was a challenge but did manage to get into the front which was easier. At the airport, I was pushed around in a wheelchair. We did get to skip to the front of the security checkpoint. They were all really nice and were trying to help get me through the metal detector so I wouldn't have to be patted down. But I just couldn't do it and I had already planned to be patted down. It just seemed easier. It wasn't bad. I just told them where my incision was. We were seated first and then we would wait until everyone else got off. We landed in KC at 1045pm. His dad, Papa Lou, and Edgar showed up about 15 minutes later. It was easier to get into the van but it was also pulled right up to the curb so it wasn't as high to step up.
The 3 hours it took to get home wasn't bad either. I did fall asleep twice though. Once home I slept on the recliner and Dusty on the couch since he had to get up in 3 hours anyway to take the older three to school. It was good to be home.

Day 5

Saturday!

I did stairs with PT today. I was going to go for round two but was just so exhausted and not feeling very good. She said we would go again tomorrow. I was fine by that.
Nurse Kathy kept giving me poop pills to take. It started out with the usual colace and miralax. But that wasn't having any results so she gave me two biscodyl pills to take along with two rounds of milk of mag (YUCK!). She was giving me until 2pm to have a bowel movement. And I was given orders by her to walk in my room and the halls to hopefully stimulate the bowels. So I did.
At around 2pm no result but Dr. Millis had come to my rescue and wheeled me down to get an xray. For some reason when it came to getting on the xray table I had pain when moving my leg but it was in my knee, not hip. Dr. Millis told me to relax and that I would feel better so I did feeling very hesitant about it but he was right. The xray was taken and I got back in the wheel chair and had to face what was coming next.
Suppository time! And Nurse Kathy was there ready to go. Once placed she told me to wait at least 10 minutes. As it got closer to 10 minutes I was getting a little worried I wasn't feeling any urge to go. I really didn't want an enema. So at 10 minutes I got out of bed and headed for the bathroom maybe that would be enough. And it was!
But that night I was up three times. It kind of had a domino effect and got the bowels going. And when I had to go I had to go. And yes even though I was slow at getting around, I made it every time. So I must say I definitely met the having a bowel movement successfully!

Day 4

Friday!
Busy Busy day. But that is a good thing. I still do get a wave of nausea. And I was given zofran thru the IV one time. I also have a patch behind my ear that helps with that too. I am still not very hungry. So not like me one bit because I love food. But I think it is from having surgery and the pain medications that I am given. My favorite combonation of drugs are 2 Tylenol and 1 Oxycodone. Not too much and not too little but just right.


I did get out of bed and took another shower. That just feels so good to wash up and shave under my arms and put deodorant and brush my teeth. It is so refreshing. I then sat in a recliner chair until PT came and took me down to practice walking the parrallel bars. That was different because I tell my leg to move and it won't so PT had to encourgae it along. But as I worked my back I was able to use my toes and creep my foot very slowly ahead of me. It was a very slow process but I made it back to my wheel chair and sat down. PT returned me to my room. Again I just wanted to sit in the chair. It just felt nice to be out of the bed that I had been in since surgery.



Chair



I did order chicken and noodle soup for lunch and ate most of it. But the waves of nausea interfere with really wanting to eat a whole lot right now. I was told by Kathy, my nurse, that I need to drink, drink, drink otherwise she would hook me back up to the IV since I am nursing a baby.



I did a get a new nurse later in the afternoon, Chris. He is absolutely amazing!!! All my nurses have been great. I was to do PT again at 345pm so he offered some pain meds to take. Which I decided would probably be a good idea so I took 1 oxycodone and 2 Tylenol. PT came and wheeled me back to there room. This time instead of using the bars I used crutches. It was a little more challening at first because I was still doing this toe crawling thing to move my foot forward. But when I turned around to come all of a sudden I was able to slide the foot. YEA! I did sit in the wheel chair for a little bit to get a little rest. But I crutched back to my room and they followed me with the wheelchair in case I did get tired. But I made it. I again chose to sit back in the chair. Thank goodness I did because it made it easier to go to the bathroom, which is something I have been doing frequently. So I feel that I well hydrated. Dusty does help me to the bathroom and helps me get back.



Crutching



I do notice that my left feels stable. It doesn't feel like it is living on the edge anymore.

Dr. Millis came in and said that I am doing such a wonderful job that I might get dismissed tomorrow. I still need to poop, which he said they can give me a supportory if I don't go and I need to pass PT stair climbing.

I am just blessed to be taken care of well. Everyone has been just so wonderful.



Day 3

Thursday
At 6am the night nurse came in to turn off the epidural and start me on pain medications. I am given oxycontin twice a day. And then for any breakthrough pain I can get ocycodone.
I did have my O2 monitor removed, along with the heart monitor tabs. A few hours later pain control team came to remove the epidural. That felt so good because my back was itchy and sweaty. I also had my foley catheter removed! I wasn't so sure how the first time would be go on my own since I had the foley in place surgery day. It went great because an hour later, I had to use a bedpan and ahhhh that felt so good. It was easy. I also had my IV fluids stopped since I was able to go on my own.

I did get to meet two hip chicks today. The first was Jill. She has had both her hips done. She is currently 6 weeks out and she managed to get out of her wheelchair and walk over to my bed to get a picture. She does have should surgery. So if you are reading this please say prayers that she does really good.



Jill and Me



 I also met Arpine and she brough me a good bag. It was so wonderful to see these ladies that I have talked to through yahoo hipwomen and hipchicks.



Arpine and Me

PT did get me out of bed. But right before they came i felt so sick to my stomach. I did get some IV zofran and a new patch to go behind my ear. I was disappointed because I was looking forward to sitting in a chair. I did get a shower though. That felt so good to wash my hair and shave my underarms.

Anesthesia did tell me that I may get a bit puffy from the fluids they pump into you. It really seemed to go to my feet. But boy i have had to use the bedpan quite frequently. I like for Dusty to help place it under me. When I have to go I have to go. Dusty has been a great sport about it. Even when I ask for the bedpan with in 5 minutes. It would be easier if I could just pop right out of bed. I will there in a little while.

Just wheel me over the toilet for it does have a toilet seat opening. 

Day 2

Wednesday.

I did get my second unit of blood last night. That is a great perk me up. I battled the itchies all day long and night. So I was given some nubain for that. The itchies I think must be from the epidural. The night nurse told me that she would bring it in every 4 hours so I could sleep better and to keep comfortable. That was a very good idea because boy was I itchy.

PT came in and worked on some basic leg exercises. The same exercises as before. I do have waves of being nauseated.

Not much else was done except laying around.

Day 1

Not too much. I just really rested and battled the itchies. That is absolutely no fun. But I was nubain to help which it did help!
I ate two things of jello, orange and strawberry. I was given a sponge bath. That felt so nice. My sheets were also changed. Ahhh clean sheets felt really good too especially since I have been sweaty.
Physical therapy came to do some basic exercises I can do while laying in bed. Point my toes to and from me. Tighten my upper leg muscles and then tighten my butt muscles.

My added form of PT---helps so I can pull myself up.

I did start to feel uncomfortable. I couldn't tell what was causing it since I ace bandaged up. I though it could be the incision it self. My night nurse did give me two Tylenol to take which helped out a lot. I was given Valium to help relax the muscles. I also like the ice pack on the site and my back.
I am also to use this breathing apperatis. The goal is to get all three blus balls to raise. At first I could only do the light blue one. But by late evening I was able to lift the medium blue slightly.
Dr. Millis stopped by in the morning and then again in the evening. He told me that he would call my mom back home and give her an update. He said told her that I was doing great and that i would most likely be getting out of bed by Thursday. That just made my mom's day. She even mentioned it on facebook and so did I. Dad was impressed too when mom told him. Dr. Millis is very caring and wants what is best for his patients.
So far I have been pleased with all the staff.
Dusty even went to see a Red Sox baseball game. I just told him to make sure i was comfortable before he left. And when he got back he rubbed some rubbing alcohol on my back to help with the sweaty itchiness.

Red Sox game

Surgery Day 0

On Sunday night I did manage tp get some sleep. But I had two dreams. The first was that the surgery was cancelled and they would call me when there was an opening. Sad no one called me back. The second dream was that the little ones kept getting into my suitcase and taking out my nursing cover up.

We did get up at 5 am. I showered and just wore what I had on the previous day. No point in dirtying clothes that I would just be out of in a couple of hours. I did dry my hair. Packed up our bags and had them stowed and the Bestrn Western Inn at Longwood, where he stayed.

We then began the short walk to Children's Hospital Boston.

Once there we checked in at the Preop clinic. A nurse called me back, took a set of vitals, and had me leave a urine sample to make sure of no posibilitu of pregnance. Standard for female patients over 12 years old. I then was given a hospital bracelet.

A volunteer took three of us at a time to the preop holding area. There I as given a gown to change into. I did get a warm blanket. Anesthesia came to discuss about the epidural and being inder general. He then started my first IV so they could give me some medication to relax. But only after a met with the Dr. Mills and his fellow. He initialed my leg with EN.

I then was wheeled back and an epidural was put into place. Once it was placed they laid me down and put a mask over and then I out.Then did start two more IV's for blood. They did give me back one unit back in the OR-

When I was back in recovery, I did get sick so they gave me lots of anti-emetics. After that they put a patch behind my ear. That worked the best. Then I was brought to my room. I did need zofran one more time. And a valium to help with the muscle pain.

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I'm Here Boston

We made it to Boston! We are staying at the The Best Western Inn at Longwood. We have hung out in the room most of the day. We went down to the Galleria and ate at Subway. Then for dinner we ate the Longwood Grill and Bar. I decided that a salad would be the way to go. I didn't want anything to heavy on the stomach.
After dinner we walked to the Children's Hospital just to see how long it would take. I do plan on having Dusty set his alarm for 5am. That should allow me enough time to shower, dry my hair, and pump. And then we will make our way to the hospital.
Until then here is to a good night sleep or at least what I can get!