Writing this 3 weeks after surgery. A blessed 3 weeks of little-to-no personal internet time. I'll try to get all I can in without spending another 3 weeks trying to get it all recorded.
Week of surgery. Mom came down Sunday and the afternoon was spent readying. Errands, shopping, etc. Sugar and I never did get our camping trip in, and good thing as I didn't have the spare time in the end. And sitting in the tent with my hip in full-flexed position - not a good idea.
That morning there wasn't time for the Monday group ride (haha, I seriously considered it, but I don't think the surgical advice of shower with anti-bact soap, sleep on clean sheets, shower again the next morning was meant to be interrupted by a bike ride!) and we were at the hospital by 730am. No nerves at all. And almost happily, I walked in with my pained limp. And took as many steps as I could! Back in the prep ward - changed out of clothes, got IV-lined, hooked up to leads, and questioned and questioned more. There were delays, I didn't go back until maybe noon or noon-thirty. Mom and I worked on her new business adventure, it's so exciting for her!
It was funny while lying there, even after months of no running I continue to have a very low heart rate. The alarm was set to 55, alarm, reset to 50, alarm, reset to 45, alarm. I went as low as 39! It served as proof that I wasn't nerved up (I was asked) and supported my request to skip the anti-anxiety medications (versed, I think) delivered with anesthesia. One of the anesthesiologists joked that I was probably healthier than anyone on the floor, and they weren't worried about my health for this.
Once finally wheeled back, still no nerves. Of course the surgical room was cold, the traction boots set-up to pull my leg out of the hip joint was just as creepy looking as it was in the YT videos I studied. I joked with the staff, enjoyed looking around at the equipment, then .... off to sleepy time!
I remembered nothing until recovery, and at this point things get hazy. Not unexpectedly, I was coming out of anesthesia! But I don't remember everything that happened in the right order. I remember hearing that she found the tear, repaired it with sutures and anchors, and the surrounding cartilage was "that of a 20 year old". That's great news!
I remember what I think was an anesthesiologist sitting to my left (and mom to my right) asking me how I was feeling. I felt inflated, heavy, like my hands were leaded weights but full of air and swollen like balloons. I couldn't move. Soon after, or at some point after, I started to feel twitching. It progressed into what seemed to be like full body spasms. I lifted my back off the bed, I remember doing that, my arms jumping, my legs moving, and in all of this the terrifying fear that I was going to move my repaired leg and undo the surgery! I remember saying (or thinking) "don't move the leg, don't move the leg" and putting my right leg crossed over the left at the ankle.
In my head, I was fine. This wasn't a seizure, my head was calm and I tried saying this out loud. Not sure if I did. I remember someone saying "squeeze my hand", I couldn't. "Open your eyes", I couldn't, so they were opened for me with bright flashes of light. I could hear mom saying "this isn't normal, something's wrong". And that was it.
I found out later -- dystonic reaction likely due to the propofol and/or zofram in the anesthesia. Mom was repeated questioned about what street drugs I was using, that this reaction could be countered if they only knew what they were dealing with. She was at some point asked to leave. Six doctors from neurology, anesthesia, and surgery stood around the bed trying to decide what to do. Commenting about how they'd never seen this before, etc.
In the end, a dose of benedryl. Then 3 doses of valium!!! Finally put me out and I rested. TV and MP were there, I was admitted for observation, TV and MP bought me some dinner (HB eggs and ... something else...), I had a head CT, a CPM machine was delivered, it's a lot of fragments.
Woke up the next morning to a surgical assistant asking if my mom was OK. That was my first hint of what I later learned was I thought was a few minutes of twitching was in fact maybe 75 minutes! WHAT?! This turned into a long but calm morning. Mom brought brekkie, the hospital delivered brekkie of pancakes and sausage (seriously?) that Mom got to eat. Surgery came in and brought a file of pictures and info, and only now as I type I'm realizing that is the moment I learned about the surgery details and cartilage and some bone shaving she did. Neurology came in and assured us it was seizures. TV came by for lunch, at the same time PT came in for a training course on crutches and stairs and getting around.
To my surprise, no pain. In fact, never any pain. Never took the pile of drugs they left with me, which at first included zofram (medical errors, that's how that happens). Naproxen for anti-inflammatory. Aspirin for blood clots. A vicodin for pain along with zofram and some stool softener to counter the vicodin side effects. Got a LOT of vicodin in my drug pile now!
Next few days -- lots of CPM, couch time, mom helping me move around into and out of bed, into and out of CPM, no showering, changing bandages. She did SO MUCH, my Bees Knees. We drove back to home Thursday, then dad helped out. I was going great. Healthy, awake, looked OK, but couldn't move myself!
Still no pain, in fact my hands and wrists hurt more after a few days of crutches and walker. At the end of one week, we drove back to STL to prep for an appt with Dr L.
First week summary: all good! It seemed more stressful for the people around me.
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