I am pleased to report that it was an uneventful first night. I kept my leg elevated, and awoke to my alarm clock at 2:00 AM to take one hydrocodone. I have not yet needed to take more than one at a time, although two is permissible. Also, the sensations in my leg returned to normal. Whewww! And, still no pain. Perhaps the block is still wearing off. Who knows? I have lounged with my leg elevated at least 95% of this first day and have applied ice packs on a regular schedule.
As you know, if you're planning on this surgery, there are some items you will want to acquire prior to surgery. The Therapearl ice pack that you see here is the handiest ice pack I've every used, perfect for this application. Regularly $9.00 a piece for the smaller sized model at Fred Meyer, I stumbled upon these marked down to $3.00 each and bought three. The velcro straps allow me to apply cold to the back of my leg, just below the knee, and strap another one on the top of my foot. Extremely useful! One stop at our local Goodwill on the day before surgery, and I had my choice of crutches and walking boots. The boot and crutches together cost just over $7.00. Amazing! The surgery itself is certainly costing a pile of cash; I didn't want to waste any money on orthopedic aids that I'll only use for a short period of time. Good luck with your essential acquisitions!
My experience day after surgery...I didn't sleep well last night, not because of pain, but because I could not get comfortable with my leg elevated and am normally a side sleeper. I took 1 pain pill before bed and didn't feel any discomfort in my foot until 7 hours later. Today was good, and I took 1 pill every 4 hours until this evening, when I thought I'd try switching to ibuprofen. I am getting around better today, walking on the heel and don't need the walker anymore. I plan to try a shower in a little while. I have a small folding chair ready in the shower and a Curad waterproof cast cover.
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