Nov 25, 2013

Nov 25th
– Woke at 5 am and ask the nurse working with Geno, “the man next to me”, if I could get some pain pills. I know that it takes 20 to 30 minutes to take effect. And I am starting to feel the first bowl movement building. This is the fifth day and although I have really not eaten anything substantial it is time for the first bowl movement. Couldn’t wait any longer, nurse is busy, so, I unhooked my own air tubes to the leg pumps and swung the new knee leg around by putting the old knee leg, “right one”, under the new and swinging it arount depositing it on the floor. Took my mouth wash, tooth paste and brush with and set on the sink. Into the bathroom, no movement just enough gas to fill my truck, to bad there is no way to refine. While I brushed my teeth, felt like a return to the human race, the nurse changed out my bed. Once back on the bed she brought me the pain pills and the twenty minute count down to them working started, to late, nausea took over with a vengence and next couple hours were really misserable I started to feel better a little after 8 am and the night nurse who I really like came by to say good-by knowing that I would not be in this room when whe returns this evening for her next shift.It was about 10 am when I started feeling better. Just about the time the ortho Drs came in.. they looked at the knee and said to leave the bandage off as is was sealed and there was no need to wrape. They also said that I would be moving to rehab this afternoon. ,,– They had no more than left when the Physical Therapist came in. Now I went through a bit of a workout. I should have been doing more exercises that I have been doing. After a long work out, lots of walking and bending he said I was doing really good, by the time he left the nausia had set in really bad. And of course lunch came as I felt like I would be luky just to live through the nausia. I ate the apple sauce, there was raviola and fire cooked corn, tried a bite of each. Drank 1/2 the milk and no more. Got to feeling better about 2PM and I was being transferred to the rehab unit. In bed about 3, I was driven over in a wheel chair. Very nice room and met my room mate. He is from Columbia and was all busted up on his 4th tour in Afghanistan. He will be here till Wed and then he is going back to Ft Hood in Texas. It is now 3:45 and a Nurses aide just came in and said “wo, that looks painful” the swelling is pretty bad right now, he said “you want to wait till tomorrow for the shower” I was relieved that we put it off. Supper will be at 4:30 and I am going to hit the scale on the way, first time since arriving here last Wed, it was 210.4 then. —- With all the extra clothes on I weighed in at 208.4. Just 10 more lbs will make me happy. Super was good, a pork chop, I ate it, the top off of 4 Broccoli and my peaches. — Now back in the room, nurse brought a bag of ice for my knee and came with Magnesium Citrate Oral Solution. Supposed to take care of the BM. I sure hope so. I am going to post this and shut down for the night.