I survived! Surgery is done and dusted and I’m now at home resting with my leg elevated. It seems like the last couple of days have been a bit of a blur as it all happened so quickly.
An 11am check-in to the Avenue hospital meant I had to fast from 8am that morning. I was second in line straight after a hip replacement so it wasn’t until after 5pm the anaesthetist unloaded the magic in my arm. If you know me well enough, going without food for 4hrs is hard enough let alone 10+ hours! Lucky the anaesthetist was super lovely as was all the hospital staff.
The surgeon Dr Young paid me a visit whilst the theatre was being prepped. Again he assured me that it was going to be a simple procedure and that my pain would be minimal. He also snuck in a nice little compliment of how impressed he was of my leg muscles. Love him!
Making small talk in theatre is a little awkward but I managed to remind the Dr Young to sharpen his knife (don’t want him to use a blunt one) and commented that the operating table was a bit narrow for a big unit like myself. The nurse assured me that ‘one size fits all’ of which then she laughed out loud. I think from those two comments the anaesthetist quickly got to work in getting me to sleep!
Next thing I knew I was in recovery waking up and it was all over. Just a low level ache in my knee was present and a lightness in my head from the anaesthetic. Immediately all I could think of was food. My stomach definitely rules my brain! Back to my room where trashy TV and a bed tilting remote control awaited to decrease my boredom. As I was too late for the dinner run, I got to enjoy some leftover sandwiches which I mowed down before I could take a breath.
My partner Bec arrived with some beautiful flowers and a little dessert (liquorice logs my favourite!). Dr Young paid me a visit to run me through the outcome of the operation. The lateral release was very successful and no stitches were needed on the medial side so that’s great. The cartilage beneath my patella was pretty messy so he has cleaned it up nicely but there is a lot of wear and tear. Further surgical intervention may be called upon in years to come if I experience pain again and a resurfacing implant can be added. Let’s hope we don’t have to go down that path.
After a broken nights’ sleep of regular BP checks and various other observations, I have been discharged and allowed home. Now it’s just rest, elevation, compression, ice and medication until my next check up with Dr Young next week. I have some light exercises to do regularly which promotes blood flow and activation of muscles. Best I get back to Ellen, a few daytime movies, cuddles and naps with our cat Smelly, and reading the paper. It’s a tough life.
