Thanksgiving 2013

Ate about 1/2 the sandwich for lunch and the fruit, drank the milk.  Two more of the pain pills, that will get me through the second pt.  Back to the room and layed down with an ice bag on my leg.  -- The foot doctor came in and said she was getting me some athelits foot cream.  She also said that the extreme pain that I have lived with in my feet for the last two years is not from the Hammer Toe, but rather some kind of nerve damage and that they would try a couple of different thinks.  This was all extremeley good news to me.  --  Back to the second work out which included deep knee bends, (not very deep) the machine that bens the knee and also going up and down stairs for the first time.  Spent most of the evening in bed, trying to do the flex exersises, watching tv and relaxing.Took the last of my pain pills for the day about ten and fill asleep shortly after.

Nov 28, 2013

Woke at 5 am and took my pain pills, and then for a really good treat I gathered my stuff and headed to the shower.  There are good showers and then there are really good showers, This was really good.  Breakfast was next, ate a little cereal and 1/2 a muffin.  Actually no more than I have been doing it felt good to just relax.  That is really all I did till lunch.  Did not eat much at lunch, a little piece of meat a bite or two of dressing and a cup of pineapple

-- Tom, my brother called and he was going to come by on his way back home after having dinner with Kyle, his son.   And, he is going to bring me a  fresh turkey sandwich.  This he did, the sandwich and a piece of pumpkin pie, terrific.  He also brought a needle nose pliers which enabled me to fix the bluetooth keyboard for my laptop..  no more hunt and peck on the little keys, I hope.  We had a good visit and when he was ready to head home I was going to walk to the elevator with him,  We were ask to step back into the room and stay till notified it was all right to come out.  It lasted about 20 minutes before Tom could leave.  Code black had been called and later I heard that that meant a weapon on our floor.  They never found who what or where the call came from, so all is normal.  Now, I am about to shut down, tomorrow will be another pt day and I am sure will have the pleasure of experiencing some real pain, anyone want to fill in??

Nov 27' 2013

Nov 27, 3013
Best night so far. Took I pain pill instead of two at ten and slept till 2, trip to the bathroom and then another pain pill and slept to 6 am. Brushed my teeth and rinsed my face off. Today is going to be the first shower since this started. right after first pt session. And I accomplished something else last night, for the first time I picked my left foot up off of the bed and set it on the support pillow with no help from the right foot. After not being able to lift the right foot for a week, I feel good about that accomplishment. Time for Breakfast I will be back later.—the good day continues. Very first hunger for over a week, I had a bowl of cerial (more than1/2), 2 bites of a pan cake, a glass of juice, a little piece of bacon. Back to the room and my nurse, Bill Russell, (did not play basketball and he is a white guy) brought in my pain pills. I still have not seen the staff Dr about the athletes foot. – Went to therapy an hour early, by mistake. But someone went home, so, they ask if I would stay. Work out was tough. Worked on bending the knee and straightening the leg. Once it was at the end of my hour they wraped the leg with a cloth that has ice water run through, very cold. Now back at the room with very little pain. Good day so far.

Nov 26, 2013

It is now 7 pm and this has really been a rough day. I am going to skip past some of the little things that happened today and get to the work. Two Drs came in checking my leg. They approved the way it looked and said that I am ready to start rehab. 10 oclock I was at the rehab room and we started right away. Some questions, some paper work and then the walking, Walked the obstacle course. then after a short break a timed walk, 2 minutes and then measured. Lots of bending the leg and measuring the angle. This lasted for a full hour and there is no doubt that I was ready for a break at the end. By the time I got to the room lunch was already being served. I ate about a 1/2 of tuna fish sandwich, drank the juice and ate the fruit. Done and back to the room. — Bettina came back bringing me some clothes to wear. Shirts and shorts and a couple of pairs of pants. By the time we talked a few it was time for me to head for the 2 pm session of rehab. A lot rougher. Started on this exersize looking thing that had 2 handles that pulling back would pull that corresponding foot back with a goal of 90 % bend. Pull it as far back as I could stand and hold it for 2 minutes then back and 2 minute rest. Four repatitions of this exersise. Then on to the next machine, another one designed to pull the one leg back as far as possible, and dont forget I am pulling a knee that had new pieces the muscles on both side have been cut and restructured as will as about thirty Staples running down the center over the knee cap. One more exersise to go laying on the mat, pull my leg as far back as possible, this went on for twenty minuts which ended the session and let me tell you I was exhausted. This is when the day went down hill. I needed a support hose big enough to go over my knee. Was told I would have to go down so they could measure my leg. One of the vounteers was called to push the wheel chair. The foot piece was way to short so I had to sit with my leg bent, oh will it won’t last long, just down and back. last long. Wrong, when we got down there the volunteer left me in that chair with my leg bent. That is where I was for almost an hour, and now it gets even worse. I was called back for the measurment, one look, no tape, he pulled out two pair and put them in a bag saying, “they will put them on up at the ward” no measure and the guy at the desk had not bothered to call a volunteer so I sat another ten minutes. – Super time by the time I got back to the room. I ate a few bites of chicken, couple bites of bread, a drink of milk, took my pills and headed to the room. I am here for the night, exhausted and sore. – Start over gain tomorrow.

Tuesday morning 2 am

Nov 26, 2013
Wow, what a night. I left you having drank the Citrate Solution about 6pm. I was alseep with no bm about 10 and woke up starting day 8 with no bm. about 2 am. Something was rolling, ya, ya, I better get to the bathroom. Raised the bed, swung my foot over and headed around a short cornor at a whopping .0002 mile an hour, that was hurrying, Made it, EXPLOSION, Did not know that a BM could be so exciting or feel so good. I hadn’t anymore than got back to bed when off I go again. And there was one more this morning, I have got to be cleaned out. Nurse helped me get out a pair of my shorts, tooth brush, and brought me my deoderant, a towel and wash cloth. Let me tell you after feeling scuddy for several days it sure is great to be cleaned up. Now I am waiting on breakfast. “No nausia pill needed, yet”. Now let me talk about the nurse. I thought when Diane came on she was a real grouch. I made some kind of smart commet and I just got a cold stare, quite different from down below, Now let me start over with my impression of Diane. At two o’clock this morning she was great, through the mess this morning and helping me with the pain pills, clothes, and wash up, I just could not of ask for any more, Thank you Diane, if you ever read this I really do appreciate you 100%. – Almost time for breakfast so I am shutting down. more later. — It is after breakfast now, I didn’t do so wil, one bite of the omlette, sip of coffe, nibble of the grits and like a kid, a few bites out of the middle of a piece of toast. The nurse ask if I would eat some cerial so I ate a 1/2 bowl of cherrios and could till it was time to head to the room, Excused myself and straight to the bath room, I hope this is the last mention of this private little room other than bragging when I get my first shower. —- Be a long pause now, thanks for reading.

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.

A little after 5 and watched football all afternoon. Other than a couple of trips to the bathroom have not been up much. Worked on me exersises on the bed. have had my knee up where it hurts enough that it has to be stretching the muscels. Didn’t eat much lunch so I am beginning to wonder what I will get to pick over for supper. I am for sure tired tonight, and supper just showed up, eating time back later. – Well supper was all right, meat loaf and carrots, I ate both. slaw and mashed potatoes I passed on, gave the ice tea to the other guy in the room. Ate the pears and drank the 1% milk. — Took my pills to include the pain killers and I am turing in early as tomorrow will be a big day, moving to the rehab center.

Surgery 10/24, 2013

Nov 24, 2013
4 5 AM and time for my Vitals. I was about 1/2 awake anyway. ask the vital taker to unhook the air bags from my legs so I could takle walking to the bath room. Went pretty good only problem is the geting up and actually I did the hook the foot on the old knee under the one with the new knee and help pick it up. swinging my slef around on the bed. The pain was worse last night, I went ahead and took the pain pills this morning even though it was very boarderline on needing them. Back in bed now and think I will try to fall back asleep for a short nap. — 9:50 now and the last couple hours have been very active. Breakfast took a while and then in came the rehab man. Got up and went for a pretty good walk with him. Then sat on the edge of the bed forcing my leg to bend. During the walk he had me stop and stand up on my toes which was really no problem. Sitting and bending the leg was a different story, it hurt muchly, but necessary and he said I handled it will. By the time we quit I was exhauted with a little nausea, laying here on the bed I have relaxed a little. The Doctor came in a little while later. He had me explain what I had been doing and made the commet that the leg needs the pillow under the lower part to keep it uncomfortable. That if there is no pain that the knee is getting used to being in a bent location and that is not good. Uncomfortable means there is stretching to the way it should.
It actually hurts bad enough I can understand why there are people who never extend the knee to where it should be and continue doing this for as much as six months. The rehab man told me that to be doing what I am doing now my pain tolerance is probably high enough that I would be able take having the second one done with in a few weeks – They are moving me to rehab tomorrow and over there there is wifi. Red just called and is coming down so he is going to pick up my laptop and bring it down. The nurse came by and she had my pills, which I have lost track of what they are all for, but I took them, so I am drugged up for the day. – My plans for the afternoon is watch football games, do my in bed leg exercises and visit with Red. So, I’ll be back in a while.
   

Knee Surgery

Surgery 

Oct 19, 2013

This is my last day before reporting to the VA at 5 am tomorrow morning. The day started with me taking one of the two a day showers I am having with a anti bacterial soap to lessen the chance on any staff infection coming with me to the hospital.

After the shower I had my morning coffee on the porch while I checked face book and my emails. Back inside and called the Service officer to check on what it would take to file a claim for disability during rehab, got the recorder, left a message. Next I reset the sim card on my fastrax phone. While on the phone with them the VA called back and left word that they would talk to me while in the hospital. Now it is time for me to start fixing my one meal for the day. I have recipe for a Jimmy Buffet Cheese burger in Paradise cassarole. This I am going to fix and then freeze the extra three portions for after I return home from the surgery. – 2 hours later – I fixed it, and it was reaaly pretty good, ate more than I should of, still put two healthy servings in the freezer, 2 pans to wash and I am done. By the way, that was my last food till after the surgery some time tomorrow afternoon. By the time I finish it will be time to head down to pick up my handicap scooter. —- 231.00 dollars later I am home with the scooter and it is covered on my porch as such time as I either can give it back to the AMVETS or once again use it as my blue charriot. Now for a long evening with my I pad and the TV. – going on 8 pm and I just finished the third Castle rerun in a row. Going to hit the shower, one more tonight and one at 3 am before leaving for the hospital. Never been cleaner, two a day showers with a surgical soap should have me good and clean === Layed down about 10 with the TV on, drifted off before midnight.
Nov 20, 2013
Had my phone alarm set for 3:15, I was awake when it went off. Took my last of the 2 a day showers and was ready and waiting when Red drove up outside We ended up getting to the hospital a full 30 minutes early. However I was taken right in and guided to a room with a gurnny, a high priced gurnny Very comfortable and I went back to sleep after all the vitals were taken and recorded. Red and Marline came back down to watch me head into the butcher shop, (I meant operating room). I was out very shortley and acturally every thing is kind of foggy from this point on untill the next morning. I de remember Red and Marline saying good night. I shall close out this day without much of a log.
Nov 21,
Still slept most the day although they did help get me up, very short walk with a walker, did not put much weight on the leg. Hardest part is getting back into bed and getting up. I did notice that the old constant pain had changed to a overall ache which I am sure is from the insission. Not a lot to tell as I slept most the day, My first roomate went home and I was sorry to see him go as he was a jokester while I was awake it was enjoyable. When he left he told me I would have to pick up the slack on being the good humor man. I will have a hard time doing that as most of you who know me know that I never ever smart off or make a wise crack.
Nov 22, 2013
I am breaking a record on the amount of sleep I am getting,“lots”. Physical therapy came about mid day, Ive lost track of time. It hurt like heck getting up, once up and getting my breath back I did take a good walk acording to the tech. When getting back in bed I found how bad it can hurt, I hope that was the upper limit. I forgot to help lift the leg with the other, 1/2 way through sitting down was to late to change my mind.You can not stop a sit down 1/2 way through. WOW!!! I think I can remember how to keep the leg straight when sitting down. It took a few minutes to get my breath back. To my surprise a couple of hours later I needed to go to the bath room and decided to do it my myself. Got up with bearable pain and the walk to the bathroom wasn’t bad either. However remembering the last sit down experience I decided once I got on the edge of the bed with a straight leg, I ask for help getting it onto the bed. — Some conversation with the room mates, watched a little tv, not to impressive because I can not remember what I watched. They woke me at 5 for a pill of some kind I had to ask, am or pm? Bettina called and offered to bring me an extinsion cord I need for my chargers, phone and I- pad. I slep most of the evening and most of the night for that matter.
Nov 23, 2013