Surgery Update

Yep, the long awaited left-foot surgery was this past Thursday. You may recall that in December 2006 I had reconstructive surgery on my right foot and the recovery was horrible, long, drawn out, painful, and I think I never even wore a regular shoe until April or May of the following year! This is NOTHING like that!! THANK GOD!!

The procedure included breaking the halex (big toe) bone about halfway between my toe and foot joints. Then he secured it with titanium brace, screwed it down to hold it in place. That will help to straighten out the bone thus the toe. Then my second toe bone and toe are too long, which is the source of these problems. He shortened my toe. He's counting on my foot readjusting itself. The procedure was less than 1 hr. I was home a little more than 2 hrs after the surgery started. Very Cool!

My honey is here taking good care of me. I'm so relieved, I couldn't have done any of these without his support and help. He's cooking for me, giving me moral support, helping me around the house, driving me crazy (but in a good way). He's sweet. The dogs have been really good too. Charlie, the wiener dog, is steering clear of me - maybe it's the surgical shoe, maybe it's the cane - but whatever it is, he's not getting in my way at all. Snicker has been great, he follows me around, makes sure I get where I'm going, sits and waits for me to get done or get in bed or get into the chair - it's more than cute. Then, he just hangs out and watches me.

Thursday was a breeze, in fact, they sent me home walking on my heel into the house. Instructions pretty simple: elevate foot, intermittent ice packs, only walk to go to the bathroom and wear the surgical shoe and walk on my heel. That all sounds pretty simple. Until Friday!!!! OMG! It was painful! My strategy for Friday was to stay in bed (close to the bathroom) and take enough drugs to sleep all day. It was a good strategy and I only came into the living room Friday night to watch the Presidential Debate.

Saturday, I saw a marked improvement, so I came into the living room and camped out all day. Stayed off the phone, took lots of drugs, ice packs, and just recouped all day. The best part, I really got good sleep when I went to bed - I actually slept from 11pm - 4am before I took more pain killers. The cool part, I woke up and listened to 2 hoot owls in my back yard calling to each other. It was sooooo sweet! I loved it. The dogs were quiet, and didn't react to them hooting out there.

And today, I'm feeling even better. Wow, I've been up since 7 and only taken 1 pain pill about an hr ago. But I'm still keeping it elevated, iced and only going to the bathroom and walking on the heel. I'm very hopeful that the rest of the week I will feel better and better. I think I'll take Monday and Tuesday off - but by Wednesday, I should be able to get involved some - just check in and read emails. Maybe I can have friends over by Wednesday night for wine night! Wouldn't that be good!

"...And in the end
The love you take
is equal to the love you make."
---The Beatles

Thanks for reading my Heavenly Thoughts

Surgery - Day 9 - It's amazing!!

I have to say that I am blown away by how quickly I am feeling ok. I mean, my foot does tingle, I do get pains in it, but it's nothing like I was worried it would be. I've been very careful with it, I've followed the Dr's directions to the letter. Elevation, keep it totally dry, no direct pressure on my foot only using my heel for balance from time to time. resting, staying in bed (which I am quickly becoming to hate), using all of my mobility helpers - crutches (haven't used yet too much), the walker (it's been my lifesaver) and my wheelchair (another lifesaver, it has allowed me to actually go out of the house and enjoy a little outing or two or three!!).

I've taken my pain meds, and so far, so good. I have weaned myself down to just a little each day, I'm not even taking them every 4 hrs now, just when I need them. So, I'm really proud of my progress. In fact, tomorrow I go to the Dr's, get the stitches removed and I think I get a hard cast put on, right now I have a soft cast/splint up to my knee protecting my foot, not allowing it to bend at all. That's been a good thing!!

I have been out of the house thanks to the use of a wheelchair and my loving family taking me out - it's kind of hard - almost like taking a baby out by the time I get all of my "stuff" together. Pillows, jacket, purse, wheelchair, heave wheelchair in back of SUV - that takes a little muscle! But they have been wonderfully kind in taking me out just a "Little".

Friday - Beka took me out of the house, for the first time since the surgery. It was a beautiful day, sunny, warm, a little windy. We went to her college for an art fair. There were so many wonderful, charming pieces that students made and were selling. Blown glass of all shapes and sizes, pottery, knitted scarves, handmade nature greeting cards, ceramics in every shape and size and utility, and of course the ever popular jewelry. I bought a few things for the kids and a couple things for myself. It was fun just her and I going out and she was ever so mindful in taking care of me. :)

Saturday - Roland and I went up the street (drove this time) to the neighborhood movie theatre to see a matinee. We went to see "Deck The Halls" with Matthew Broderick and Danny DeVito. It was very funny, I caught myself laughing out loud several times. I totally enjoyed it - maybe it partly the percocets and partly just being out of the house, but it was fun!! Besides, there was only a grandma with her grandson in the theatre. So, it was kind of like a private showing!! That's why we LOVE the matinees!!

Sunday - Roland and I went to a co-worker's home for a lovely Christmas party. It was a little of a hassle in the wheelchair, getting in the house was an issue. We had to go thru the garage, hop up a little step and then in thru the house. The thing is here in California houses are not that big, so we pretty much had to rearrange as we went through the living room, to find me a spot that was off to the side and out of the way. It was nice to go though, and I had previously warned Sue that if I did come, I would be in a wheelchair. I got to meet quite a few people's spouses and children from work, so that was very nice. I think there was a lot of people there, I couldn't see everyone, of course from where I was. The food was lovely, I had some things that were quite different. Cucumber chunks stuffed with crab salad, that was delish. Then there were nacho chips (full sized) with guac, sour cream and chipotle chicken stuffed in them. That was good too. Lots of sweets appeared on my plate thanks to my adoring honey!! Such as: miniature cheery cheesecake in graham cracker crust EXCEPT it wasn't cheesecake it was a graham cracker crust, a dab of choc pudding the rest of vanilla pudding and a spoon on cherry pie filling on top. It was very good. There was cheese trays, lots of imported beer, some dinner food that was a little too exotic for my tastes, but nonetheless, there was something there for everyone and everyone was having a good time.

So, today, I rest, I might venture outside to sit in the sun later, I'm not sure. But I will rest, relax, and enjoy because I'm going to get back to work on Wed. I'll work from home, I can't go into the office, but I can help with some issues that have been going on while I've been out.

Thanks for all the well wishes from my kids, family and friends, glad they have been calling and checking up on me. Thanks for my daughter, Beka, for being a wonderful assistant, waiting on me when she is here to help out. And mostly for Roland's dedication to serving me, helping me and taking care of me. I couldn't have done this without you, sweetie! I love you every day more than the day before. (He's been off work the entire time to help me, I love that man sooooo much!!)

"There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure."

-- Colin Powell

Whew!!

I think the worst is over. Or at least the worst of the beginning is over!!

I survived my surgery with very little side effects or issues. There was no one BIGGEST thing, but there were some things that were challenging.

1. the anesthesia got to me after the surgery, but to be honest, I had been lying in recovery for nearly 4 hrs before it got to me and only because I really should have been in a room by then, snuggled in for the duration. I think I got sick because I needed a drink or ice chips or something and there was no one there to help get that for me. They wouldn't let Roland come back there with me, which was a total bummer. He was irate and I needed him by my side to help me.

2. I got to my room, finally, and they didn't prop up my foot properly - but I didn't find that out until the NEXT morning when the orthopedic resident came in to check on me. She works with my Dr. and was totally familiar with everything he had done to my foot. She fixed my bed, propped my foot up more, which helped with the pain.

3. speaking of pain - OUCH!! 6 mg of Morphine every 3 hrs and 2 percocets every 4 hrs (alternating of course) only took the EDGE off for the first 28 hrs. Until I got released. I think just the idea of coming home, having my total sweetheart take care of me made me feel better.

4. and the bedpan - YUCK!! Need I say more?????

All-in-all, it was pretty intense until I got home. It still hurt until I got past the 48 hr mark, then it started getting better. I took a bird bath, he washed my hair, changed my clothes, fed me great food and let me sleep as much as I could. He's a GREAT CAREGIVER!! The recovery process is long, drawn-out: can't walk on it for 6-8 weeks, can't drive for 3-4 months, won't be 100% for a year, but it will be better than it was.

When I get pictures I'll put up before, during and after pictures. For the time being, it's still too embarrassing to post the pics. I swear, it's unbelievable how crippled my foot was and how I was walking. But I managed because I could NEVER have had this surgery without Roland's help. My kids would have helped, but it's not the same - they would not have been able to stay home every minute of every day to take care of me. I'm still in bed and will be for the week. Then he wants me to stay in bed for another week, only going out to go to the Dr's next Tuesday.

I'll get the stitches out on Tuesday, get a hard cast and go to the next step of recovery. But again, I could not have done this without him helping me. This is what relationships are about - it's love in action, that's what it is................I love him so much!