alysten | General updates and ramblings

The drugs are making me a little loopy, so just follow along for the ride that will be this post. It is just easier to update everyone at once.

It has been an interesting couple of days. I am struggling with my independent nature and being totally helpless. I've had to learn how to give myself shots, maneuver around cats and set up an online grocery delivery. This week I go file for disability placard for parking and get authorized for Septa's CCT transportation service. My knee scooter should be here sometime this week, and that will be a whole new level of learning to move around.

The surgery was successful, or so they said. I don't remember much of Friday except that I was hungry going into surgery and I was hungry coming out (when your stomach is as big as your thumb, not eating all day kinda tends to be noticed). They ended up not doing the tendon transfers. But they fused all 5 toes (3 pins and one really long screw). The removed about an inch of bone in my big toe and screwed that break together to heal. Finally they released the planer fascia (the long tendon that runs under the bottom of the foot). Apparently my tendons are very thick as a result of the CMT and extra strain that has been on them.

The OR staff was a riot. They had my x-rays on the wall. I remember asking the doc, is my heel suppose to look like that? No. Apparently it isn't. I asked if I could get the same crew for the next go around. Dr Sahota then told everyone that we would get to do this all over again in 6-8 months when we do the other foot. "Oh so this is a 'practice' round?". We were joking about random stuff up to the point where the anesthesiologist said "here take a couple of good breaths of this". Bu-bye.

I generally have a really hard time with pain medication. I either have the full gambit of side effects or I have an out right allergic reaction. So in the hospital they gave me a continuous drip nerve block (like an epidural, but in my leg). I wasn't feeling anything. It was blissfully awesome. Then they took it out and my foot "woke up". OMG and I have a high pain tolerance.

They sent me home with an opiate derivative, which we are "trying" to see what my reaction will be. They also sent me home with a bunch of drugs to counter the side effects of said pain medication. It is quite the cocktail. They had me start the narcotics before the drip came out. And an interesting thing happened. My blood pressure (normally about 105/65-70) dropped to 85/48. And stayed around there. Though it did go up to 90/58. Wooooo. So I have the side effects of light headed, insomnia, queasy, dizzy, not hungry and low bp. Vertical has been a serious challenge for me. I have had to learn how to give myself shots for anti-clotting. It still kinda freaks me out. But they know if you haven't been doing them as the shots all leave a tell tale little bruise.

I am now tearing around the house on crutches, for a very loose definition of "tearing around". I have managed to figure out how to heat up food, and get it to a location to eat. I have been carrying a ziplock bag around in my teeth. I look like a saint bernard. TV is right out as the couch is too low for me to get off of with out help The one day we did try it, I was over-helped and I ended up with some weight on my foot and I thought I was going to die. No way in hell I am putting any weight on this thing until they tell me I can.

Though there have been some funny moments. Apparently last night I was having some insomnia and I was trying to send an email. Somewhere between start new email on the crackberry and my hands hitting the bed, I had fallen asleep. I woke up with my hands ready to type a message. Then I did send a message to IanRaven, explaining that this was an indication that I should go back to sleep. He concurred. Also I have set myself up with a wash station at the kitchen sink so I can wash my hair (and stuff). I need more practice because I managed to hose off everything before even getting my head a little wet. I think I even hosed down poor Matt.

Matt is in NYC at the Toy Show and I am here, alone, with 3 cats who think my cast is a high jump bar. We were able to exchange Valentine's gifts (sorta) before surgery. In keeping with Valentine's day is the "weapons holiday" tradition, I got a 4ft "battle paddle" to use as a marshal stick (actually it is a 4ft sugar/kettle paddle). He got a "its not here yet..." and not a clue more than that.

So that about wraps up this edition of random ramblings. Thank you to everyone for all the well wishes. They have really been keeping my spirits up. I am almost at the point where I kinda feel like doing things other than sleeping, eat, check the interwebs, repeat. Once vertical becomes less of a challenge, then I can get started on my embroidery projects. I am hoping tomorrow or Wednesday. Tonight I am just hoping for a good night sleep for longer than 2 hours at a time.

Best quote of the weekend "Sorry Sad Panda, but you are kinda missing the point."