Thursday, September 10, 2009

Day Three Started Off Pretty Well

The switch to  Percocet was a good move. Not only did it do a better job of relieving the pain it also didn't make me dizzy. I need Percocet around  the clock as it starts to wear off in 3 1/2-4 hours the increasing pain tells me to take another dose.

My low blood pressure was also contributing to the dizziness so the doctor gave permission to  not take BP  medicine in the morning. I never know when the physical  terrorist is coming and Murphy is always ready to invoke his law.She came just as the medication was wearing off. The pain was pretty good (how can pain be anything good) at that point so I shooed her away suggesting (OK telling) her to come back in 45 minutes. She is in the hospital anyway so not a big deal.

So the big moment arrived and I was ready for her. With trouble I  got up and sloooooly started walking (if you can call l it that) with the aid of a walker. I managed to go about 20 feet in the hallway where I became dizzy and they rushed a chair for me to sit down. So here I was clogging the main artery on the 2nd floor before I could get up and walk back to my room. When back I  was dizzy again and they sat me down in a chair for a while because they want me upright. While  I  was disappointed I didn't do all that well for day three I was satisfied I  made some progress. The effort made me pass out for almost 3 hours and for anybody that has ever stayed overnight in a hospital is a big accomplishment.

About an hour ago they took my temperature which was 102 degrees which set off a flurry of activity  including 4 blood cultures, (not your grandfather's blood test) a urine sample and a technician lugged  an X-Ray machine to my room because I can't get off the bed without major multiple person effort. The entry site of the surgery was somewhat red and very warm, OK hot, although I don't have any specific pain there. My friggin leg is killing me though from the surgery,

They feel there is an infection somewhere in the wound and I go back to surgery tomorrow morning so they can prod  and poke around in there taking some samples of the tissue for testing. They didn't have to tell me this as when they came into the room with "no food or drink after 12 midnight" I knew what that meant.

***Update***
Fortunately there wasn't any additional surgical intervention. The house (not that House) doctor over reacted to my condition last might. You might say he was a bit of an alarmist as he got everyone in an uproar. Even though he is an internist he isn't familiar with what may typically happen after hip replacement surgery. While I am having fever longer than usual the surgeon thought the wound looked good and everything was progressing, although a little slowly.  It was a restless night.

2 comments:

  1. Andy; Sorry to hear about your pain and complications. I think you will be OK. I think these things happen regularly. My prayers, as always, are with you.

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  2. Thanks Andy. As far as endouring the pain to be able to get some good rehab in I am a wimp. I guess in this situation I can't handle as much pain as others can. Both the surgeon and therapist said the fever,swelling and pain will subside the better I rehab. I assked him about the condition of the joint when he took it out and said it was pretty bad. All cartilidge gone and the ball was mishapen from wear. He was surprised I did what I did so close to the procedure.

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