Appropriately Titled - A New Chapter

Because I'm a librarian. Get it?

*crickets*

Right...humor was never my thing...thus why I hang out in the library.

/roleplaying

Ok, so that was going nowhere fast. Kinda like me right now. By choice, mind you. For those who haven't read my previous blog, I was considering getting my leg amputation due to increasing joint pain in my knee and ankle.

Well, this past Thursday, things came to a head when I took the plunge; I actually got the surgery! As far as I'm concerned you guys have been nothing but cool, and supportive to me, those who responded, anyway. I appreciate that.

I have at least one or two close friends on the site, and I thought that this would be as good a way as any to give them an update on my status.

Let me tell you, this is probably my first major surgery I've ever had. I've been in the hospital before, for a number of reasons...mostly related to my hemophilia. Technically, this surgery is mostly related to my hemophilia as well.

Let me tell you the story of my surgery...or at least, the parts I either remember, or was awake for.

First, came pre-op. My wife and I were led to a small chamber where I was told to put on a gown, wipe myself down with antiseptic wipes, and finish my ensemble with a smashing pair of yellow socks. Pre-op would be the last time I would ever see that right sock again.

After that, they stuck an IV in my left hand and had me wait around for the anesthetic team to put nerve blocks on my leg. During this time, my wife and I were making small talk, because seriously, pretty much everything else has already been said by that point. We were talking about workplace shooting drills when I took a look at my hand with the IV and noticed that the tube was filling with blood. I thought this was odd, so I asked my wife to take a look. She followed the IV line to the ground and said, "Yeah, there's definitely something wrong" or something to that effect. I looked down to where she indicated while she went out of the room to find the nurse and I noticed a small pool of blood and IV fluid on the floor. Turned out there was a loose connection in the line. It was a pretty funny thing, actually. I didn't lose a whole lot of blood.

Earlier, I mentioned nerve blocks. These are pretty important; they numb the leg in order to reduce phantom pains after surgery. My surgeon, for one, is known for ding everything possible to reduce phantom pains (which are way more common that I used to think). Along with the nerve blocks, I was prescribed nerve pills, like Lyrica, to reduce nerve pain (turns out that traditional pain pills, like Tylenol and Oxycodone, which I was also prescribed do nothing for nerve pain). It was quite an experience. I was to lie on my belly while they stuck needles into the back of my leg. But the weird part was when they stimulated my leg muscles to make them spasm so they could find the nerve. It was probably the most my leg muscles were worked in years.

Then, when all that was done...the surgery began. They wheeled me into the operating room, which was probably the brightest room in the hospital, despite what you may have learned by watching Grey's Anatomy (in fact, a nurse that I spoke to about this said that she has no idea why they portray it that way). They attending nurse asked me if I had any "vacation spots" planned. I told her, "No, not yet." She said that I had better soon...and then I went under.

Saying that I woke up in a daze would be a grave understatement. I was vaguely aware of someone waving to me on the way to my room. I learned later that it was my mother and aunt. When I got to my room, I was met by my wife, my mother, my aunt, and my dad. They told me that the surgery went well, that they were able to donate my leg ( but not "for parts", like I wanted...oh well), and a bunch of other stuff that I don't remember...

From there on, it was a constant parade of visitors, nurses waking me at all hours of the night (and not closing my door when they left!!!), pills, IVs and your standard hospital experience.

What I really want to talk about it the phantom pains I mentioned earlier. I was surprised by just how much I would have them. When I came out of surgery, I remember telling my family that I had this intense desire to curl my toes...on my right foot. It's so weird. Every now and then, even almost a week later, I still feel like I want to itch my foot or some such thing. It doesn't hurt...it just feels weird.

I'll try to keep you all posted on any updates, like when I get my sutures taken out and when I finally get fitted with my prosthesis.

Until then, brohooves all around!