GOOD NEWS!!!

[AragornElessar]

Yes, I'm shouting, but I have good reason...

As many know, I've been waiting, begging, pleading for four years now to get my left foot taken care of. Between the what is now sadly normal wait times in Ontario, plus two cancellations I couldn't take for various reasons, it sadly stretched into four years.

Well Thursday my Foot Surgeon in Toronto's Office called and...FINALLY!!!

May 10th I finally get this thing taken care of, but the best part? I was already going to be in Toronto, as that's when I was planning on heading back as far as my Sister's in Sudbury after my week down for CSOI and a couple Jays games, not to mention a few other things. So no having figuring out how to get me to Sudbury to in turn to get down to Toronto this time.

Follow ups OTOH...Well, I'm going to have to talk about that w/him on Pre Op day and figure something out. He's really awesome though, so hopefully...

Anyway...FINALLY!!! It's now at the point where thanks to how I'm putting my foot down in order to try and not put weight on where everything's going on, which since it's the middle of the ball of my foot...Yeah. Anyway, I've got my hip muscles so tied up, walking is not fun, plus I haven't been able to even use my recumbent bike, since there was no comfortable way to push that left pedal and I miss my nightly workouts.

Plus being to stand to bake, cook and do a lot I've been missing just because because of the shape the foot's in. What's really sad though? I know deep down this is going to be more complicated due to the time it took to get to this point. I hope not, but I'm not stupid either and I know it's gotten worse as time's gone by, but nothing I can do about it except hope for the best.

I would have shared this sooner, except we've been having power outages here the last few days. I did want to let everyone know though.

 

[Buzz]

Congratulations and good luck! I hope everything turns out well.

 

[AragornElessar]

Thanks!!

 

[Cachoo]

Well I know you didn't have a lot of say in the matter but excellent timing to be there with CSOI and baseball. Good luck with the operation and have fun in Toronto.

 

[AragornElessar]

No, didn't have much say, but beyond grateful it turned out this way. Thanks for the good wishes.

 

[icie]

Wishing you successful surgery & a speedy recovery.

 

[Vash01]

Happy for you for the 'good news'. Best wishes for the surgery.

 

[Garden Kitty]

Congrats and good luck!

 

[agalisgv]

Hoping your treatment goes well, and your mobility and comfort are quickly restored!

 

[AragornElessar]

Hoping your treatment goes well, and your mobility and comfort are quickly restored!

Me too!!

Thanks to all for the good wishes!!

 

[Japanfan]

Best of luck with it all and hoping you make a full and satisfactory recovery.

 

[paskatefan]

All the best with your surgery, and may you have a complete recovery!

 

[AragornElessar]

Thank you!!

 

[AragornElessar]

Today was the day and everything went just as it should have, there's just one thiing....

Three things actually, as for the first ever time over all the Ortho Surgeries I'v,e gone through, I'm dealing w/pins. Oh fun. Oh joy. Oh Blech.

At least I was listened to regarding IV's, my crappy veins & having the $!?$#% thing started in the OR & not the Day Surgery area/floor. It wasn't just personal preference, as there's so much scar tissue in my veins, it makes it even more painful sometimes to the point of screaming.

There were too many other scared and nervous people on the floor and they certainly did not need to hear me hitting close to High C if it did turn into one of those kinds of an IV start. It was tricky enough as it was when the Anesthetist got it started in the OR, but at least there was only the Surgical Team to hear me and not everyone in Day Surgery.

This Anesthetist though? Best I've had in a very, very, very long time. He really did an amazing job of putting me at ease, or as much as could be considering what was going on, and trying to distract me when that thing was being started. In fact, he even asked me if he should stop talking when that thing was being done or keep on babbling. I chose the babble. I even said please.

He's into Sports just like the rest of us, so when I told him I prefer College Basketball over the NBA in answer to if I was a Raptors fan, it was like hitting a Bull's Eye on a target. We chatted about that and the Leafs and Jays until it was time for me to go off to La La Land.

I've only had three other Anesthetists who treated me like...Well...The scared person that I was this morning. Don't get me wrong, the others over the years have been kind, but Doctor kind as I call it w/that professional reserve in place. Which I get and too, I know they have to watch very carefully when the drugs start kicking in, just in case, but they could talk to you while you're drifting off IMO.

It just...I think what I'm trying to say is, it was lovely to be treated like a Person, instead of just another Patient. I also hope I made some sense up there. Considering the latest dose of my Pain Meds are kicking in, it just may not.

Speaking of that, I'm quickly losing steam here, but did want everyone to know it all went well. Also wanted to say THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU for the Prayers and Good Wishes coming my way earlier today/yesterday. It meant a lot knowing so many were doing that for me, so THANK YOU EVERYONE!!

Oh!! Before I hit post, the funniest thing happened when I met the Anesthetist for the first time this Morning. There on his cap were Winnie the Pooh and his Friends. Including Tigger.

Members who have been online since waaaay bqck in the day will understand that one. I'd be Tigger here too, only I'd forgotten the Password and....Yeah.

And on that note, I'm literally falling asleep here in front of the iPad mini. THANK YOU so much for all of the support!! It really does mean a lot.

 

[skateboy]

So glad it was a success! Congratulations.

 

[Buzz]

@AragornElessar =

 

[Vash01]

Congratulations, and take lots of rest.

 

[AragornElessar]

Thanks and as far as lots of rest, that's been easy to do, as I really do not feel like doing anything else today. The pain's bearable and under control w/the meds, so that's a good thing. On that note, I need to get some food into me.

 

[AragornElessar]

More good news...but it came in an odd way...

Okay, I'm om some pretty powerful pain meds ATM due to other stuff going on & have been for close to 15 yrs (name an excuse for a Dr to use to not touch someone, I've more than likely heard it) , so what would knock someone out in a heartbeat, is like sugar water to me. Well, the Discharge Nurse on giving me my discharge orders & script noticed my other Meds and she freaked out. She got so worked up about me accidentally overdosing, she scared me, so yesterday I was overcautious w/the pain meds and...

The morning was OK, but more than likely I still had leftover drugs in me too, yesterday afternoon and last night though? Between the pain and the muscle spasms, it was not good and I got scared something had happened and I sent off an e-mail to my Surgeon's Office. Simply because I'm headed home, as far as my Sister's at least, in a few hrs and if something had happened, that's a long way to have turn around and come back here for.

Well, by Noon today I'd figured it out. Because what I had done, I'd taken 1 tablet of the pain med from my Surgeon when I had something to eat, which was just after that follow up post I did yesterday It's 1 or 2 tablets every 4 hrs, but the Nurse had me so freaked out, I only took 1 and then another 1 tablet 4 hrs later. It was bedtime around then, but I was in such agony by that point I got no sleep and... Things didn't start settling down until after my second dose of my regular pain meds, which I take two times a day and three if I'm going through a really bad patch w/what's going on normally w/me. Which I hate saying, but...Anyway...

I got wondering just what dosage difference was there between my reg Pain Meds and this one, so checked the bottles and...

The one filled Tuesday? 1 mg per teeny tiny tablet

My two regular Pain Meds I've been on close to 15 yrs? 5 mgs per tablet, which I take two of twice daily and 15 mgs per tablet of the other one. Also twice daily.

Any wonder I had a Hellish night? My Surgeon's Office Asst replied w/the Office number to give her a call, but by then I'd figured out it was a Meds issue and she agreed w/me that's more than likely what happened. Then came the Good News....

Remember I said I had pins to deal w/this time? Guess what!?! NO I DO NOT!!! . Just Sutures to deal w/in 10 days time, but that can be done by my Family Doctor and that same day, he'd like an X Ray done and sent down for him to look at, and if everything's okay...That's that for this go round!!

Funny no one told me, but way back when this started four years ago, Dr. Daniels told me he wouldn't know until he got a look at things in the OR if I'd need them or not, bur at Pre Op he was sure I'd need them. Guess Option 1 ended up happening after all and my Ortho pins batting average is still perfect.

On that note...I need to do one last check of the room and then head for Union Station and the Overnight trip home North. I'll check in sometime later tomorrow to let you all know I got back safely to my Sister's.

 

[Buzz]

Good grief girlie! Tell me you are not travelling home alone on a train after all that!

 

[AragornElessar]

I was and I did. I was fine, as between sleeping the rest of the afternoon and all the way back here, I was able to handle it.

Also slept the better part of today away too, so that also helped. The pain was pretty much under control today. Until my Brother in Law side swiped it while cleaning up after Supper accidently.

What I said out loud and what I was thinking were two very different things...

Home and my own bed again tomorrow. Can't wait!!

 

[Buzz]

You're one tough cookie! Glad to hear you are doing well and being pampered!

 

[barbk]

Really glad it is going along so well. Sending good thoughts for continued recovery.

(And we had a lot of problems when my mom was hospitalized -- she'd been taking very heavy duty pain relievers including sometimes morphine, and when she was in the post-surgical unit they hadn't really worked that through and she was screaming in agony. )

 

[AragornElessar]

Finally home & so nice to be in my own bed again. Only problem so far is we've only got the one couch & two people who need it. Mom's still having problems w/the leg she broke the ankle of and after a day on it, she does need to stretch out in the evening, so I've been staying down here. I can keep my foot up down here & she's got the couch. Not the best of things, but what can you do, right?

Have to call my Dr's office this afternoon to see about getting the sutures out next week & we'll see from there. Personally, I feel more comfortable having at least one follow up down in Toronto considering what my feet are like, but I'm not telling Mom that. We'll see what next week brings though.

 

[Buzz]

Lots of hugs & best wishes to you and your mom!