Ahh...I Love Vicodin

So the pain in my feet started to become unbearable...it was such a strange sensation. I've never felt pain like that before..and I complained about a stupid stomach-ache. Haha I would have a stomach-ache anyday over this!! Anywho...I took a Vicodin pill at 2:15, and I started to feel its effects 30 minutes later in one foot, and full potency after an hour. I don't get all 'high' off of vicodin like so many people claim it does to them. I'd rather have it this way though. My nani and grandpa are here now with homemade chicken soup and it wouldn't be very...uhh...appropriate if I was acting all weird. Hehehe...

So thank GOD my feet feel better. For a while the pain got so intense (remember...only on the outsides of my feet since they were less-numbed up and therefore wore off faster), I started tearing a little and was clenching my fists and could hardly sit still. There's a tingling feeling now but I'll take anything over the constant, not throbbing, pain that I was experiencing.

Going to the bathroom is a full-time job. First I have to carefully lower myself to the ground from the couch...gotta use those triceps. Then I scoot over the carpet to the kitchen where my sister pulls me to the bathroom since I can slide on the hardwood floors. Then I have to put one hand on the toilet seat (ugh) and the other wherever I can put it and lift myself up. Repeat the process going back to the couch....fix my 3 pillows under my feet, and lay back down. 10 minutes to go to the bathroom is the most excitement I have since the rest of my time is spent laying on the couch, going online, watching Food Network, and playing Sudoku. Double bunionectomy life is extremely invigorating.

Ok well time for soup, grapes, and pudding :-)

First Post...Post Surgery!!

Well I'm laying on the couch with three pillows under my feet. I have ice packs on my ankles too. I think the novacaine is starting to wear off in my feet. It's weird though...they hurt on the outside, like under my pinkie toe, rather than my big toe which is where the surgery was performed. My toes are still numb, and I can tell they're swollen.

Ok so here's the dealio...I got to the hospital around 6:10, signed in, and went to the waiting room for about 2 minutes. Then the nurse brought me back into the pre-op area and gave me a sexy robe to put on. So I changed, she came back in, and I got onto the bed with heated blankets. Then another nurse came in and put the IV in my hand (first a shot to numb it...then the IV). Then I was all set, my podiatrist came in and marked my feet, my parents came into my room, and we sat around for 45 minutes and watched the Today show on NBC since it was Katie Couric's last day. My parents were talking about how much they couldn't wait to go to the cafeteria and get breakfast. I looked at my IV and my breakfast of plasma and wished I could be devouring pancakes and bacon...oh well.

At 7:35...it was time to go. I kissed my parents goodbye and the nurses wheeled me away. I went down the hall, past the maternity ward, and through the "DO NOT ENTER: OPERATION ROOMS" doors. I was getting a little nervous and started shivering since the temp in there must've been like 50 degrees. They brought me into the operating room, I was starting to get a little wiggy from the drugs they were giving me through the IV, and I commented on how I felt like I was on an episode of "ER." (Yes, ER).

The anesthesiologist came in and made small talk yada yada asked what I was allergic to yada yada and then said she was giving me something 'to relax' me. The last thing I remember thinking was, "God that anesthesiologist must be rich." [Cue blackout]

Next thing I know...I'm in another room and I have the worst cottonmouth ever. The nurses kept coming in and taking my blood pressure and all that. I was seeing double from all the medicine and kept trying to focus. I asked to go to the bathroom, to which I was answered, "Either you use a bedpan or you wait 5 minutes until the doctor sees you." I opted for the latter.

I changed back into my clothes, went to the bathroom again (the nurses said I had to go before I left). My nurse then put these sock-like things over my toes (which were a gross shade of yellow from the anti-bacterial stuff) and then my surgical shoes. They wheeled me out to the car, and my feet weren't hurting at all. My parents carried me into the house and I thought they were going to drop me from everyone laughing so hard. I took a 20 minute nap I think and now my feet are killing me. It's on the opposite side from my bunions, and I realized that's because the novacaine on that side is leaving...I can only imagine how much it's going to hurt once the meds on the bunion side wear off. Oh. My. God.

I feel like screaming.......

Leaving in Like 2 Mins...

Well of course...my alarm clock didn't go off until 5. That's ok, because I was still able to miraculously get ready with 2 minutes to spare!!! I'm sad...no more summer for a while :-(

I think it'll be worth it...I'll have beautiful feet in a few hours (although they'll be bruised, swollen, and wrapped up for a few weeks...) hehe

Oh boy...here I go!!!!

4:30am Wake-Up Call

So I've set my alarm for tomorrow morning to go off at 4:30am . The adrenaline should get me up though. I'm pretty much ready for tomorrow. I'm going to take a long shower and enjoy the last time I'll be able to stand without ANY pain for a while. I can't eat anything past midnight, so for dinner I had a spinach salad, a chicken breast, a half an ear of corn, and Asian salad dressing=yummmmmmy. I also went to see The DaVinci Code tonight with my nani, Auntie Ro, mom, and sister, Geena. It was really good and for 2 1/2 hours I was able to forget about my surgery and contemplate the possibility that Jesus was married. (OOOOH THE SCANDAL!!)

I have my clothes ready for tomorrow and my room is stocked with books, DVDs, and a dream-catcher craft kit (my mom's gift to me) haha. I'm going to watch an episode or two of NBC's The Office (my new favorite show) and hopefully fall asleep soon. I probably shouldn't have taken that 2-hour nap earlier...

Until tomorrow....

Tomorrow's the Big Day

So I thought it would be a good idea to start a blog specifically for following the progress of my upcoming surgery. I've had bunions my whole life and they have really affected me. Besides my family and the podiatrist, I have never shown anyone my feet. Even at the pool I almost a always have them covered. I bought shoes that either covered them up or if I did wear flip-flops, I was constantly obsessing about whether someone could see them or not. Ugh. So...here I am. 20 years old, and on the eve of having a double bunionectomy at 7:30am tomorrow.

I'm just went to the hospital for my pre-op physical. Everything went fine. I had some blood drawn and a basic physical. I have to be at the hospital at 6:00am and then I have the first appointment at 7:30. The surgery time is approximately 1 1/2 hours. I'll be home around lunch time according to the nurse. I'm also not going to be completely put under...I am going to be in a twilight-type sedation (like a nap) and I won't have any nausea when I wake up thankfully (I heard that's a major pain in the butt....feet + stomach hurting). When I come home my legs will still be numb and the doc said I probably won't even feel pain the first day. The worst days, and the most important ones in the scheme of my post-op recovery, are days 2-5. I have to be in bed the whole time except when I go to the bathroom. Even then, I'll have to crawl on all fours, walk on my heels, or be carried. I can't get my feet wet, therefore showering is going to be a big ordeal when I'm able to do that. I'm such a hygiene freak...the thought of not showering for a few days creeps me out.

I'm actually not nervous about the surgery...what I AM nervous about is the post-op pain and recovery time. It being summer...I want to be able to get back into the swing of things ASAP, but with this surgery coming up, the entire month of June is pretty much dedicated to that. The doc said after 2 weeks, give or take, I will be able to get them wet and start walking more. After 2 1/2-3 weeks, he said I will probably move out of the surgical shoe (I'm not getting a cast) and move into a closed-in sandal. From testimonials I've read, I think that the recovery time is on a complete individual basis. Some people have said that they've been in the surgical shoe for 3 months, others said 2 weeks. The advantages I have are me being 20 and excellent health and shape. So hopefully those cut down the healing process. Also, I'm going to keep it elevated and on ice ALL the time for at least the first week. I've heard that that cuts the recovery time drastically too.

Anyways, I'm going to take a quick nap. Tonight I'm going to see the DaVinci Code. I'll post pics of my feet later on as soon as I find the cable to connect it to my laptop.

Later,

Tootsies