Finally Home

Well, I'm finally home after my knee replacement surgery. As I have a laptop, I can sit on the bed with my leg elevated and enter this information.

Out of deference to those of you who may be squeamish I am not putting a picture of my knee on this entry, but let me tell you, it is quite the mess. Sebrina, my daughter said it looks like Frankenstein, Ryan, my grandson said it looks cool, Don says it looks like I have been in a terrible car accident ... as for me I think it just looks horrific.

As I mentioned in earlier blogs, I chose to use homeopathy. All the nurses and physio-therapists were amazed at my minimal bruising ... so thanks to Arnica. Unfortunately, I did not stick with using the remedy every hour as instructed by my homeopathic doctor, so the pain was and still is quite intense. As well, I had trouble with pain killers in getting my pain under control. (The pain is very intense .. actually has made me cry quite a lot). I started back on my Arnica - one dose every hour 2 days ago and it has decreased the pain along with the pain killer quite a bit.

The swelling has been unbelievable, my foot looks like a football (no pun intended). Coming home yesterday was the first time I was actually out of bed for more than 15 minutes, so I experienced quite a lot of bleeding into my foot, which swelled up and turned very blue on top of my foot. Me and my ice packs are becoming intimately acquainted.

It has been very difficult for me accepting the amount of chemical drugs that are necessary in this surgery, first injections into my tummy every day of blood thinners, antibiotics to prevent infection (incidentally didn't work that great - I ended up with cellulitis in my thigh, so had to switch to a different one), narcotics to control the pain, then 2 different anti-nausea drugs because narcotics made me vomit violently.

I'm finally off the antibiotic which incidentally to add insult to injury gave me vicious diarrhea. I only have to inject 6 more doses over the next 6 days of the blood thinner, and hopefully as time goes on and the pain decreases, I will be able to do this without the narcotic.

The team that Markham Stouffville Hospital has in place for a knee replacement is incredible. The information and support provided was superb. I had a wonderful talk with the social worker & physio therapist who went through the emotional process of this replacement. The mind is set on how things function within the body, so my mind must go through the process of re-learning how to walk properly, it must accept the loss of my knee and then acceptance of the prosthetic ... quite a lot in my opinion. But I must say, it was very helpful going through this information with this incredible team.

Being back home I have started back on my probiotics to get my system back on track after having a long round of antibiotics. Don went shopping this morning and bought lots of vegetables and fruit, so I'll get back to eating properly too.

This is day 9, so there is certainly some improvement, but most definitely one of the most difficult surgeries I have ever gone through .... would rather have had 5 babies naturally than this. (LOL).

The stretching is exquisitely painful, as the quad muscle is completely severed from my knee in this surgery and then re-attached to my new prosthetic knee. I cannot even lift my foot off the bed when sitting with my leg extended in front of me. Have you ever stopped to think how many muscles you use to put on a slipper??? I look forward to when I can do this again without thinking about it.

Here's to better days!!!!!!!!!!!!!