Category Archives: Pain Medicine

Day 5

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I have been home for three nights and two full days. So far, my recovery is fortunately pretty stagnant. My pain never increases or decreases, only my energy and crankiness levels fluctuate. I get easily exhausted by visitors (please don’t let this deter you from visiting!) and from moving around too much. I’ve tried to take some quality naps, though it usually ends up with me just laying in bed half asleep.

My home CPM machine arrived on Thursday. This was a MUCH better experience than the hospital. It helps that our bed is (obviously) perfectly flat and I can readjust however I desire. I really enjoy sleeping in the machine because it keeps me from getting stiff and sore, and for some reason it also is uncomfortable to have my knee perfectly straight.

Two amazing home nurses came to visit on Thursday. They changed my wound dressing, allowing me the first view of my scar. It’s amazing how much work they can do through only a 4-inch incision! It was smaller and neater than either Jon or I anticipated, so I am looking forward to minimal scarring. The nurses will come twice a week until I can start outpatient physical therapy. They both brightened my day by admiring how well I was recovering.

My ice machine made a miraculous return. Friday morning I got a call from Barnes-Jewish, and it was the security lady I had left a voicemail for on Wednesday when it went missing! Amazingly, some kind soul turned it in to lost and found. Jon’s mom went and picked it up for me immediately and I have been happily icing ever since.

I kicked out the Vistaril from my pain management regimen yesterday. After researching my medicine side effects, I deduced that it was Vistaril that was making my eyes unable to focus and my brain just generally mushy. I woke up today feeling more clear-headed and focused than I had all week, and no noticeable difference in my pain, so that’s great. My goal for this coming week is to gradually cut down on the frequency with which I take Norco.

Everything is going well. I can’t believe how lucky I am with a relatively issue-free recovery so far. Looking forward to my next Clohisy visit (in 3.5 weeks….) and an X-ray to see how my bones are growing. Onward!

What the heck was I thinking?

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(Written Wednesday evening, a few hours after we arrived home from the hospital. Most of it didn’t hold true starting the next day, but I still need to post it because it shows the horrible, along with the great)

Day 3.

I have made a horrible mistake. How could I have decided to do this to myself? Every time I make a movement my crotch cries out “WHYYYYY WOULD YOU DO THIS TO ME?!” And I cry right back, because I don’t have a good answer. It feels like there’s a little elf in there with a tiny knife when I move in a terrible way.

Otherwise, The last two days have been pretty good pain-wise. I was walking and talking and had a great appetite and all of that went downhill the second I got home. Actually, it got shitty the second the nurse tried to “help” me into the car but didn’t realize I couldn’t put full weight on my leg/hip and let me almost fall and die. Traumatic. I think that episode is the cause of my extreme discomfort currently.

Then we get home and realize we had left my saving grace, the Kodiak water machine ice pack, on the curb of the hospital. Jon zoomed back to get it but it was gone for good.

Now I am positioned ever-so-carefully in my bed with a zillion pillows and all my pain pills within arms reach. I can’t see myself sleeping very well, though I don’t have the CPM machine tonight strapped in tonight, so we will see. I already miss the nurses coming in every 4 hours to give me meds and take care of my needs. It was nice to not have to worry about my pill schedule, and it was extra nice to be able to try out a bunch of different meds to figure out what worked best. My current concoction is 2 Norcos every 4 hours, a Vistaril every 6, and a naproxen every 12. It worked well in the hospital but I’m a little concerned about my pain levels now, so we might have to reevaluate tomorrow.

Well, wish my husband luck. I’m so unhappy. This is a side of Lydia you never ever want to see.