Finally Over

My surgery is finally over and done.  I fasted and survived.  My surgery time was pushed back from 8am to 10am to noon.  I arrived at the OSF Center for Health at 10:45am and was processed pretty quickly.  My nurse was excellent and placed my IV on the first try.  She talked and talked and talked and talked and did everything she needed to do.  I then sat and waited.  And waited some more.  And some more.  Gene left around 12:30 to get some lunch.  The doctor finally showed up right before 2pm.  I was fast asleep because the pre-op room isn't really meant for a 3 hour stay.  I had no tv or even a magazine.  What else was I supposed to do?

The first question out of his mouth was "Do you have a walker in your car?"  I was like "WHAT???"  I'm pretty positive I would have remembered if he had told me I needed a walker!  Seriously!  He sort of freaked out because his office closes early on Fridays and he had to track down one of his "girls" to meet Gene to get him a walker.  It was annoying and sort of typical of this doctor, but at least we didn't have to buy one.  I walked back to the OR and then got IV anesthesia that put me out immediately.  I woke up an hour later, still in the OR, but the surgery was over.  Whatever drugs they gave me were great!  I had a silly laughing fit while in recovery, but had no hangover whatsoever and was able to eat and drink almost immediately.  My foot had some kind of local anesthetic and didn't hurt at all.  I had to stay in recovery longer than I would have liked, but it was quitting time for the nurses and I had several people ahead of me and only one after me.  I finally left around 4:30pm.

It was weird and awkward to use the walker the first time, but the more I use it, the more I like it.  It is so, so much better than crutches!  I don't know if I'll only need it for the first week or if I'll have to use it longer.  My bandage looks like I have a mini basketball under my wrap.  It seems a bit extreme, but I guess it's necessary.  Until Wednesday, I'm only supposed to get up to use the bathroom.  Otherwise, I'm supposed to be either in bed or in my recliner with my foot elevated.  I'm also supposed to ice it regularly and I do, but the bandage is so huge I don't know how the cold is getting through.  The pain has been very manageable.  It only really hurts when I walk, and then it's mostly the incision sites and the pulling sutures.  I spent most of the day today watching movies and reading.  I'm sure I'll be bored half to death by Wednesday.  I have to keep it completely dry so I can't shower.  Otherwise, so far, so good.