Thursday, October 16, 2008

Some thoughts to share

Before having my surgery, I was more than a little concerned about taking possible addictive pain-killers. I was just so concerned about getting hooked on them and then not being able to get off of them when I didn't need them any longer. *biting my nails*
Wellllll.....any ambivalence I had flew right out the ol' proverbial window immediately after coming out of recovery. Hello. And I didn't even have to ask for them. Those precious nurses were in there every few minutes, it seemed, giving me another pill to take. They sent me home with three different pain pills and I took everyone of them. LOL Two of them I only took for the first week after I came home. Now I am just on Vicodin and I am just taking it when I need it, where I was taking two every four hours, no more than eight in 24-hour period.
I am actually amazed that my pain has diminished so quickly, considering the gash..er,uh, I mean....the incision I have on my left hip. Oh, and they don't do stitches or staples any longer. They used what Dr. Berend calls SUPER HUMAN GLUE! *smile* I love progress!
And another thing......I'm not allowed to cross my ankles when I sit. I never realized how difficult this would be NOT to do! I catch myself crossing my ankles all of the time!!! Specifically, I put my right foot behind my left ankle. *sigh* This is really going to be difficult when I have my right hip done!
AND I can only sleep on my back. Now, this wasn't so difficult to do when I first came home but now that I am getting better and have almost no pain at all in the night, I am getting a little antsy, wanting to roll over onto my side. I loooooove to sleep on my side! BUT....no can do at least until after my first check-up which is not until Oct.31. "I can do this. I can do this. I can do this. " I'm sure all it would take is me rolling over onto my side one time to make me not want to sleep on my side just yet. (ya think?) *grin*
ANDDDDD.......Ed and I had to switch sides of the bed when I came home. We have slept on our respective sides of the bed our entire 22 years of marriage. This was no small feat! But we made the adjustment without a hitch! Ed actually LIKES sleeping on MY side of the bed better!!! And I ACTUALLY like his side of the bed! So it has worked out really well. There is only one little problemo. When I have my next surgery....on Veteran's Day, November 11.....I just think that is so funny for some reason....like I'm taking one for my country or sumthin'....LOL...just kidding.....but anywayyyyy.....as I was saying.....when I have my next surgery, we will once again have to switch sides of the bed and Ed isn't too happy about this. But, being the wonderful, understanding husband that he has been, I know that he will do what he has to do. And besides, we can always switch back when all of this is over with!!
I believe that is all of the thoughts I have to share at the present time! *smile*

3 comments:

Sir Nottaguy-Imadad said...

Be careful, With Ed as your helper, you don't want him "getting up on the wrong side of the bed". :)

MotherT said...

I learned a very important lesson from your "son", Donnie, about pain meds. As long as your body is truly in pain, and you take them as directed, you will not become addicted. It's when you take them for pain not associated with the surgery, or take them more often than needed or in larger doses than prescribed, that you risk becoming addicted. So, please, for the sake of your body's healing, and your mental well-being, TAKE THOSE MEDS!!!!!

I'm glad you and Ed have been able to do the bed switch. I'm not sure that Ross and I could. It would mess up my night-time navigation too much! ;)

Jewel said...

Oh, ha-ha,Sir!! LOL I'm sure the switch will go fine. Ed adjusts really well, more so than me.

Hi Theresa.....well, that makes sense to me. It's just that I know people who have gotten hooked on them and I've wondered why and thought it must surely be because they have abused them in some way. Well, Ed has done better with the switch than me, but then, I've not had a choice, so I've just done it and made it work! Have a great weekend!!! ((HUGS))