All Together Again

[reldnahkram]

Went down to Chester-Crozer, got in abot 10. Filled out paperwork, had basic stuff done (vitals) for about two hours. Then went upstairs, got in the gown, and waited. 1-1.30ish they came, wheeled me away. I lay outside the operating room for a while as they prepped stuff, then went in. They gave me the oxygen mask, and things went fuzzy and I was gone.

Came to in the 4/4.30 range with a dry throat and a sharp pain in my ankle, which I grimaced and groaned about. Eventually, they put some morphine in the IV. I was very drowsy and a wee bit dizzy - the cobwebs just didn't go away. They wheeled me back to the room I was in before around 5. Still foggy. Got a percoset for the ankle, which still hurt. Had some saltines and a can of Ginger Ale. Still foggy and groggy. The single day care unit closed at 6.30, and they wheeled me down to a regular room. By this point, the foggyness is in and out, but there are still times when I just lie back and close my eyes. My dad and I do the cryptograms in two papers, the jumble, and the crossword puzzle in the Inquirer (which was very easy). I have some more saltines, some water, and a lemon water ice.

By about 8.30 I'm feeling more on than off, but the stomach isn't happy (this is a side effect of something they gave me, but I forget what). I go to the bathroom, put on pants, and get back in bed, waiting for the nurse of the watch to take the IV out. She comes, along with a guy with a wheelchair to get me out to the car. I take the gown off, get my shirt on, and things go south. My dad has been commenting I've been looking pale for a while now. My eyes go wide and I grab for one of the yellow tubs lying around the room. A little water ice comes up, but then things stabilize. We leave the hospital a little after 9, and I'm all sorts of perky by the time we get home. A little soup and I'm in good shape.

Anyway, there's a plate and some screws in my left ankle, which is now wrapped in a cast. I think it's slated to come off a week from Monday, to be replaced by a brace. I'm allowed to put weight on it, and I can. It's got a bootish thingy to keep it directly off the ground. I'll still use the crutches to get around, but standing around or sitting ought to be more comfortable now.

Comments

[crystalpyramid]

Yay, pants!

Love you, Mark. Get better so you can do our work for us.

[uncleamos]

Sounds like a speedy recovery.

[nautiluspq.livejournal.com]

::sends love::

[meanfreepath.livejournal.com]

Feel better soon!

General anesthesia often induces nausea in people (it's certainly happened to me). Also, having to fast before surgery means you wake up in recovery with an awfully dry mouth and the taste of bile. The sore throat is probably from the intubation during anesthesia.

[reldnahkram.livejournal.com]

I didn't get a tube, they apparently have some fancy new gadget that means they don't need it.

[miraling.livejournal.com]

::sends good feeling vibes::

[aryky.livejournal.com]

May the all sorts of perky be a good sign (and saying "all sorts of perky" as a noun makes me feel like I'm talking about some sort of licorice. . .).

[ccommack]

I remember having the combination of general anesthesia and painkillers trigger nausea the last time I went under the knife. I think the painkiller in question was codeine, though.

Ibuprofen and acetomeniphen are your friends.

[reldnahkram.livejournal.com]

Ibuprofen is not my friend - it keeps me from sleeping (this is a less common side effect).

[qianian.livejournal.com]

Jesus Christ, Mark, what the hell did you do? I thought this was a sprained ankle, not an irreparably-tore-every-ligament-and-tendon accident.

Anyway, sounds exciting. I think I'll take ibuprofin in sympathy.

[reldnahkram.livejournal.com]

I hoped it was sprained, but X-rays revealed that I broke the little bone (fibula?) right by my ankle. As I mentioned to ccommack, ibuprofin keeps me awake, a less common, but known, side effect.