Monday was surgery day. I arrived at the hospital at 0743 and waited (not so patiently for 5 hours) until I was called in. There were some hiccups in communication, but finally they were resolved and I was prepped and sent to the surgery room. Even as they were putting me under I could not comprehend that this was actually happening. I could not believe that I had actually broke my ankle and they were going to operate. Things were moving too fast.
Thankfully Hubbs was there and helped me keep my composure. It was not easy. Inside I was crying for help and a way to escape, but on the outside I was as emotional as a stone cold ice sculpture and as talktative as a Saks Fifth Ave mannequin. These are the things you learn about yourself when you go through surgery.
You also learn that you are quite an idiot when you come out of anesthesia and are on loads of morphine. I would just love to tell you the stories of what I exactly mean, but where would the fun in that be?! No one throws themselves under the bus - -
I had the stay the night in the hospital marking the first time I have ever (well except the nights with Mom in 2005). It was...how to describe it...what is the word...UNEJOYABLE! The one thing ever patient requires in a hospital is rest...the last thing that any patient gets in a hospital is rest. The lights are always on, people walk in the hallway, panic buttons and the lovely nurses who open the blinds at 0600 when you've fallen asleep at 0400.
Tuesday I spent the day in the hospital recovering - - aka sleeping, eating, watching The Bee movie and sleeping. It was not so much sleeping as it was passing out from the medication. I had to wait (again) until 5pm before I was seen by the surgeon. It is amazing really that it took them all day to make rounds and even when they did I didn't even get to meet with the surgeon so the consultant did not know exactly what happened.
The worst was when it come time for me to leave the nurses had different discharge notes than what was communicated to me and there started yet another miss-communication with the hospital. When would my stitches come out? When would I go into permanent plaster? For how long? Two different answers to some simple questions.
Enough whinging, they were not the best with the paperwork or responding to the alert button, but they were nice people. As for what they did on Monday. The surgeon ended up putting a screw (or pin) into the bone to push it back into place. They initially tried to manual place the bone back, but put the screw and wire to secure it in place. The recovery period would be 6 weeks in plaster and then semi-permanent boot for 4 weeks. It is going to be a long healing process, but once it is over I will be running!! I cannot imagine having the ability to run as the pain is UNBEARABLE! I always thought I had a high threshold for pain, but this is just over the top. Little movements kill, sleeping is annoying, trying to sit up is difficult. I tried working from home upon my return from the hospital, but raised the white flag as I could not handle the uncomfortable pain. I phoned my GP and she signed me out of work with instructions to rest. The only way to fully recover and get better I needed to focus on resting and allowing my body the ability to heal.
I did just that....for once I followed the doctor's instructions and rested. It was easier than I anticipated; codeine with ibuprofen and paracetamol is always a good catalyst for rest.
That Saturday it was Si's birthday pub crawl celebration. I think it was the first pub crawl that involved a wheelchair. It changed the momentum of the crawl, but we all managed to have a great time nonetheless. It was good to hang out and with everyone. Its been nearly 2 weeks since I fell and I was going out of my mind. I was not able to celebrate as I normally would, but it was good to see everyone even if was just for a couple of hours and half pints.
For the first time in 7 years I missed cheering and photographing the marathon of the city I lived in. I was convinced that I would still be able to go, but I knew I would not be able to stand and I cannot see over the barricade in a wheelchair. As such I watched it like I have watched everything this past week: on the sofa with my leg elevated. It was certainly not the same, but at this point in time nothing is going to be the same. Just need to calm down and relax. My cousin joked when he visited in the hospital that this was the universe's way of telling me to slow down. Lesson heard LOUD & CLEAR! Don't think I can move around any slower. Thanks stars for the message ;-)
That evening, I relaxed in the garden with my blanket and Harry Potter book. Later on LL came over for a visit. It meant a lot to see LL and catch up with her. We have not had a good LL/TS chat in a while, so glad my broken ankle could bring us together. Wish we had more evenings like this one. Just chilling in the garden chatting.
I have not been the best company lately as all I do is sit there and stare into oblivion (this is not my general state of being, but it is once I have taken my medication), but I hope people can be patient with me. [This is not a line] It is not me it is the medication. I blame the foot! I blame the foot for everything right now. If it were not for my broken ankle I would not be in so much excruciating pain requiring me to be married to pills just so I could function.
I am whinging aren't I?! Sorry. I will sign off so I stop complaining about my foot.
xx
T
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