The 6th Surgery is Done!

I am so glad that this day is coming to an end and I am home and clear headed. Seriously, I have felt awful ever since waking up in recovery until 8PM tonight.

The day started at 5AM. I made sure both legs were thoroughly shaved. I even used a new razor. See, I learned my lesson back in '07 on just how hairy your leg gets when it's all wrapped up. Anyway, I.B. and I leave for the hospital (Outpatient Surgery Building).

I have to say that the staff at the USF Morisani Center is awesome!! I didn't have to wait at all just check in and BAM! they take me back to tee-tee in a cup!!! It hurt pretty bad getting my IV but those things are never pleasant to get. I had to put on a Support Hose on my Right Leg. So it didn't matter if that leg had be recently shaved. The Anesthesiologist comes in asking me if I was going to get a Nerve Block. I was like...I don't remember Dr. Shereff mentioning that. In the end, I got a Nerve Block behind my left knee. Oh, I forgot to mention that I had to lay on my stomach for that and I had to be heavily sedated. So after that point, I was a little loopy. I remember Dr. Shereff coming in and marking my left leg to cut on. I asked for the screws and bone chunk to be given to me BUT, unfortunately, I could not have them. :( That's about the last I remember BEFORE surgery.

AFTER surgery....Ugh!!!! I had that anesthesiology smell/taste in my nose and mouth, my head hurt, and I was just not feeling good. I couldn't wake up. It took a long time for me to get awake enough to be moved to the awake area of recovery. I had to be given that nausea medicine thru my IV before I could transfer beds. I was soooooo light headed. I got to get my long shorts on during the transfer. The nurses gave me a Diet Coke to help with my stomach. It tasted funny but it was cold and wet and that is all I cared about. I think that I.B. has come in by this time. I remember him being loud but I could have just been dreaming that because he is naturally loud.

So Dr. Shereff finally came by to talk to us. He said I have a 90 yr old Arthritic Ankle. He said that it was a very trashed up ankle. He was able to remove BOTH large deck screws!!! He also removed the large bone chunk and bone spurs and the floating cartilage that was doing no good. I have an Ankle Joint Space now!!! He believes that I should get 20-30% of my motion back i.e. I should be able to move my ankle joint to bring my foot up towards my leg.

More later...