First things first. Thanks to Brent for posting updates and thanks to everyone for responding. I think between Facebook and this blog we managed to easily communicate with everyone. Your comments have been so helpful, especially when I've been in pain. I have gone back and read your kind, encouraging thoughts multiple times. I can never thank you enough.
Sunday was the first day for both occupational and physical therapy. Occupational therapy is basically getting to a point where I can do daily care type activities such as getting out of bed, doing a sponge bath, brushing teeth and getting dressed. Sounds simple, right? Wrong. Just getting out of bed is a huge trial, and just because I made it one time doesn't mean I can make it the next time. The therapist made a comment about my strong thighs, about what it took to hold my legs out straight, but would I please bend them! LOL! The counter top with the sink is wheelchair height so it works out great that once I get out of bed and into the wheelchair I can slide under there and do things like brush my teeth. I always knew I would one day need to know how to spit like a guy. I'm learning.
PT really sucks. Part of the issue is coordinating therapy with the meds so that you can push it as much as possible without hurting so bad. This has been an on-going issue. I have taken to setting an alarm over night to insure that I get the good stuff in a timely manner. Right now I'm doing percocet every 4 hours and oxycontin every 12 hours. The thought is that since the percocet isn't lasting the full 4 hours (more like 3), the oxycontin can help bridge the gap. In theory I suspect this works if you can actually get the meds in that time frame. That aside, they put a pillow case under each foot and I had to bend the leg in, on each side as far as I could go without hurting. Right side - excellent. Right side - very painful. Then I wallked 36 feet to a bed where they measured the bend. At hospital was 30% bend, and after this first rehab session it was 60% bend. The right knee was 35% bend and is now 62%.
But the best part of yesterday was a bath which meant clean hair. I don't care how ugly it looks, as long as it's clean. I've lost all manner of modesty at this point. As I shuffle along with my walker and my bum hanging out, I just put on my headphones and tune my painful world out.
2 comments:
Mom, you are doing so good. I know the little things are painful and suck, but remember that it will get easier as the days go on. Soon this will all be just a memory and you'll forget about the pain. Sort of like having a baby... you forget about the pain and do it all over again. Or not. :-)
I've been thinking about you and will try to call you tonight if time doesn't get away from me.
Love you!
i hope you're right! i keep thinking one day I'm going to be able to get out of bed myself without pain, but realistically it could be awhile. i don;t know wth I was thinking when I said I;d be back to work in a month. right now i just don't see that happening.
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