Of Crashed Computers and Rainbows
I have yet to get my computer back and I am starting to freak out. I start back up with teaching again next week and I don't have my syllabus finished yet. I'm teaching the same course as last semester, and only one this time, so technically, I have a completed syllabus. But I have things I need to change and stuff that needs to get done and copied before next Tuesday. I am about to have a major freak-out.
Mr. Computer Doctor Man had to wipe my computer completely clean and install an entirely new hard drive. While Mr. BBM was able to get most of my teaching documents off while in safe mode before taking it to him, I have no way of using those documents because my daughter's laptop doesn't have any of the programs I need to get it done.
I spent this morning revising my syllabus with a pen and hoping I get my computer back today. He's been saying, "I'll be finished with it today" for a good week now. More actually.
I could just type the sucker up but it's six pages and my daughter's computer doesn't even have a word processing document, so I guess I couldn't actually just type it up.
In addition to the teaching related freaking out, my leg is turning lovely shades of yellow, purple, red, blue and green. It's like a rainbow, but not quite so pretty. I peeled up the edges of the steri-strips the other day because they were driving me insane. This morning, I woke up to find that the one strip is peeled up clear to the incision and it's sort of goopy, oozy and thick bloody under there. It is totally grossing me out. Dried blood I can deal with; live blood, I can't.
Once I get my computer back and my stitches out I am popping open a bottle of champagne to restart the New Year. 2009 can not continue at this pace. It must get better; my sanity is at stake.
Improvement
The bandages came off yesterday and within minutes I was in the shower. Having a shower after child birth or surgery is like a little slice of heaven. I was actually surprised how little swelling I had, but the bruising is another story.
When I had ACL reconstruction last year, I didn't have any bruising. I thought that was weird. Everyone gets bruising from that, but this minor insignificant surgery has caused more outside bruising than I thought it would.
The knee before surgery. The bruising has been a regular issue for me since my surgery last year. At the very top of the scar on the left side, you can see a bumpy area (difficult to see on a photo), which is what my surgeon removed. There was a vein right over top of it that was causing rubbing and bruising every time I did something active.
I've been avoiding bending because it burns and feels sore and stiff, but last night I slept with my knee bent and it seems to have loosened things up a bit. I'm still pretty sore, but the bruising seems like it's stopped getting worse and may start to clear up gradually.
After bandage removal yesterday.
Not too bad in the swelling department considering he was scraping my tibia and cutting stuff out.
I have several steri-strips over the incision but I can tell he did one of those running loop stitches again which means it will sting when it comes out but I'll have less of a scar, so that's a good thing.
My stitches come out on Thursday and I hope to be back to normal better than normal soon after that.
And Then There was Barfing
Last night the local wore off and I started to hurt. I took some meds and went to bed. This morning, it's that burning incision fun every time I bend. I'm not complaining. I expected worse. With this, I can deal. I am definitely more sore today though, than I was yesterday.
To add to the fun, Lil C woke up this morning, ate her breakfast and then promptly barfed all over herself. 10 minutes later she did it again. There is no way this leg is bending enough to clean a floor, so it was a good thing Mr. BBM was here to clean up the floor. I sat on the edge of the tub and gave her a much-needed bath.
We've spent the day lounging and watching the Food Network. We decided after several episodes that neither of us can stand The Barefoot Contessa and her snotty attitude. We also decided we're going to try to make phyllo dough pudding cups when we're both feeling better. When Lil C wasn't lounging on me, she was kissing me a lot. I sense fun things in my future, don't you?
Tomorrow morning, I'm allowed to remove the bandages, check out the swelling and take a much-needed shower. I'm thankful I won't need a lawn chair this time around. It's the small things that make me happy people.
Keep your fingers crossed (or your eyes if that's more your style) that the barfing stops with the little one.
Relief
That's the only word I can think of right now. I am just so relieved it's all over. I last looked at the clock in the OR at 7:50 a.m. and I woke up in recovery at 8:30. They told me it took my surgeon exactly 9 minutes to do the procedure.
I had a great anesthesiologist who served up a "double mojito, minimal ice." He also kept me laughing until I went to sleep. I apparently told one of the nurses when I was still loopy, that I better be able to go out and dance on my birthday (one month from today). She said I also told her that I'll be turning 29. . . again. Good to know I keep consistent with my lies even when I'm groggy from narcotics.
They told me I could keep my undies on during surgery so that really made my day. When I told them they made me take them off at the hospital, they were as puzzled as I was as to why.
My surgeon talked to me after I woke up a bit more (apparently he talked to me right when I woke up and I don't recall any of this), and he said that he checked my ACL and it is solid. He said he cut down the part that was protruding from my tibia and smoothed it all out. He said I should not have any more problems.
I walked in the house without crutches and have spent most of the day in bed with my leg elevated. I have a massive wrap and bandage around my knee that can come off on Friday, so that's made bending a bit difficult. But the discomfort is minimal at this point.
My surgeon gave me a stern warning to take it easy until I get the stitches out. I'm guessing this was prompted by me asking when I can go back to the gym. He said he wants the leg elevated to deal with the swelling that I can tell is already alive and well under all this bandaging.
Overall though, "relief" is the word of the day.
Thank you so much for all your emails and encouraging comments over the past few days. They helped me last year a great deal and they really helped calm my nerves leading up to today. I know I have the best readers ever.
And now this groggy girl is going back to sleep.
Surgery Eve
I've been given a report time tomorrow morning of 6:30 a.m. No food after midnight; no liquids after 4:30 a.m. Yeah, because I'll be up drinking coffee at 4. Not.
Early times like this concern me. Is my surgeon a morning person? How about the anesthetist? The nurses? I don't want any screw-ups.
I am so not a morning person so I'm thinking I will probably just roll out of bed around 6, take a quick shower and go. It's not like I can eat or anything anyway.
Last year, I barely slept the night before surgery and I have a feeling tonight will be more of the same. I have to keep reminding myself that this time won't be as bad, but unfortunately, the only thing I have to compare it to was pure hell.
Wish me luck tomorrow, and for a steady hand for the surgeon.
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