One Week Later

It's been a week since the surgery, can you believe it? Time really flies when you're in excruciating pain.

Last Tuesday, I had to be at the hospital at 6:45 AM. My awesome father-in-law, with my equally-awesome sister-in-law in tow, drove me and stayed the whole day (really, I can't say enough great things about him). I wasn't in the waiting room for all that long before they called me into the back to start getting ready. They, as expected, made me put on a gown, asked me a bunch of questions (the same ones repeatedly), and put in an IV. After saying goodbye to my wife and her dad and sister it was time to go in.

I was told the procedure took about an hour and a half. But it took me two hours after that to wake up from the anesthesia. During that time, the doctor came out and showed my wife pictures of the inside of my knee and explained to her what he did, but given the stress of the day, not exactly taking much away from it other than "it was gross" it perfectly understandable. When I finally woke up (and stopped worrying my wife, who was convinced that I wasn't going to), they gave me the aftercare papers and started to send me on my way. It was at this point that I had to remind the nurses that the doctor had told me that I would have to wear some kind of full-leg brace after the surgery. They said I didn't. I said I did. They called the doctor, who told them that, yes, I did have to wear an immobilizer. Apparently, since I said "brace" that was the problem. Idiots.

So, I've been spending the last week recuperating. I'm doing my very painful exercises religiously (two that have to be done hourly, one that has to be done three times a day), but mostly just sitting in my lazyboy, playing Xbox, and taking copious amounts of very strong pain killers. I'm using crutches to get around the apartment, and can't put any weight at all on my left leg. However, the pain is getting better, and the swelling has gone down a lot. The range of motion is starting to come back though, slowly.

There's more to tell, I think, but I believe I've about reached the amount of time I can spend away from the lazyboy for right now. Another update soon.


Right now my bipolar is Surprisingly Level (though it's been Kinda Depressed or worse for days).

Right now my pain level is 8.75 (now let's get some pain killers in me).