KNEE +1

My surgery was YESTERDAY!  Can’t believe that it is over, I am so happy.

I didn’t sleep a lot during the night, although the pain was not that bad.  I don’t think it ever got beyond a 5 on the 1 -10 scale.  It was probably the fact that the “sisters” were continually in and out of the ward administering medication to the six of us.

The Floor Nurse was one of the first ones on the scene when everyone was getting up.  He was concerned with getting a couple of us dismissed that day.  He said that unless something changed, I would be out of there by noon.  That did sound good to me, but I have to admit that is also was a bit concerting to me.  I was only 24 hours removed from surgery, and they were sending me home?  The OS had explained to me that his goal was to get his patients out of the hospital the following day if possible because he felt that it decreased the chances of infection.  His words, “After all, this is a hospital and sick people come to the hospital.  Who knows what germs they are carrying!”  Sounds good to me!

One of the sisters came in to dress my knee and remove the drain tubes before my departure.  Yikes!

Drain tubes

Incision

So, with everything ready, all the paperwork signed, a list of prescriptions to be filled at the hospital pharmacy on the way out and my wheelchair driver dutifully waiting – away I went.  If I thought this would be easy I was mistaken.  Getting into the car was by far the biggest challenge to this point in time.  With the help of my driver I finally made it though.

Getting home and situated inside was not difficult.  I was so tired and drained that I went straight to bed.  I am not sure how long I slept, but I did sleep!  After I woke up I walked outside around the parking lot.