Almost ready

[cjsmith]

Pre-op appointment done. Lots of chores done.

The scheduling person was surprised by the cookies. I had said I owed her a plate full of cookies for all the help she'd given me about the scheduling, and she thought I was kidding. I do not kid about debts and I rarely kid about cookies. She got her plate of homemade chocolate chip cookies! :-)

I opted out of the cold therapy machine. Sheesh, I'm going to have ENOUGH trouble getting around.

I learned how I am to use the crutches. Plant them both, shuffle forward, repeat. Like a walker.

[LJ-CUT TEXT="New lists"]

1. Questions asked at pre-op appointment

• Does the surgery center provide crutches? Funny shoes?
  No, but the surgeon does! I have those things now.
• If I'll have prescription painkillers, can I get the prescription now so I can fill it while I can still drive and walk?
  Yes. Got multiple prescriptions!
• Food/water restrictions? Starting when?
  Yes: none of either after midnight the night before.
• Medication restrictions before surgery? After?
  "Nothing illegal," she said with a grin.
• Anything I shouldn't be wearing when I come in? (No more surprises with metal jewelry!)
  Nah.
• When should my ride be prepared to pick me up from surgery?
  9:30am or so.
• Will I wear the funny shoes 24/7? If so, what are they like? If not, what are the dressings like?
  No, I can take off the shoes to get dressed and to shower. DO NOT GET FEET WET.
• Is there anything I should buy now to prepare for aftercare (eg bandages)?
  Maybe some Coban, as I'll use that later on.
• When can I stand up? shower? ride a bicycle? drive a car?
  I can stand up as soon as I like. Baby it the first few days. Shower as soon as I like but DON'T GET FEET WET: double-bag them with tape! (I didn't ask the other two questions -- will figure those out at post-op)
• When's the first post-op follow-up appointment?
  Six days later, on a Wednesday.
• Can I get a videotape of the surgery? Still photos?
  YES! Bring a camera and she'll have someone take a picture or two.

2. PREP: Chores

• (new) Make full list of meds I'm on, to bring to surgery. Fortunately this is easy
• Bring water, books, puzzles, and Ethernet cable up to guest bedroom
• Put some books, puzzles, and a cordless phone by the couch
• Take apart an office chair so I have an under-desk-capable stool at work to elevate my feet a bit (this is half done)
• Make foot MRI icon already
• Divide frozen peas into foot-sized bags
• Test camera
• Create waist-pack of Important Stuff: water bottle, painkillers, cell phone, anything else that should always be on me

3. PREP: Errands

• Get two new painkiller prescriptions filled did one, other will be at need
• Get car smog-checked while I can still drive? It's due
• Buy Coban
• One last grocery run

4. Last minute:

• Wednesday night: laundry
• Wednesday night: buy bag of ice
• Wednesday night: clean floor of den
• Wednesday night: clean litterbox
• Wednesday night: last easy shower
• Wednesday night: if laptop isn't by the couch, put it there, connected to net
• Bring backpack to surgery, containing photo ID, insurance card, credit card for my portion of payment, glasses case to store those during surgery, CAMERA, water bottle, painkillers, and enough room for my suddenly-unusable street shoes
• Wear WIDE-legged shorts and a skirt to surgery

Comments

[sharya.livejournal.com]

i'd see if you can get some extra padding for the crutches... the armpit area gets pretty sore after a while.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I may want that. I was told to put my weight on my hands/arms rather than the armpit, but I suspect I will alternate based on what's least sore. Padding, hmm, my house is full of quilting supplies... :-)

[platypus]

Yeah, definitely try to keep weight off your armpits... there's at least a small possibility of making a nerve unhappy if you rest on them. Start lifting weights now to improve your upper-arm strength ;).

I'm kind of excited that you're getting the surgery. I really really hope it helps.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

I've already started on the weights, actually! More 'cause I need it in general than for this time on crutches, but hey. Every little bit counts!

Thanks! I hope so too! I'm jazzed! (ok, that term is soooo eighties.)

[gdmusumeci.livejournal.com]

I was on crutches for about three months, once upon a time (I fell).

I found that armpits are bad places for crutches, and you're better off to support yourself on your forearms. I ended up with totally ripped triceps (but a shrivelled and useless right leg that took two months of PT to fix).

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Yes, I've been ordered to put my weight on my forearms. Now I get to see if they're up to it.

Now there's an interesting weight training routine. Fall down, wind up with triceps that lunge out at people. Hmm. :-)

[sharya.livejournal.com]

They're absolutely right, but if you overdo it and your arms aren't strong enough, the armpits will suffer!

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

*sigh* probably! we'll see! Looks like Friday evening I'll have a walker -- that'll provide a good break in the routine.

[tryslora]

Waist-pack -- brilliant! I must remember that in case I'm clumsy enough to break the ankle a fourth time. *groans* (Not kidding... strong muscles... bad bones...)

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Three times you've been through that? Holy MOLY. :-O I guess at least you're getting good at knowing what to do, eh?

[tryslora]

Twice on the ankle, once on the foot -- all on the left side, all hairline fractures that amazed the drs. because the bones *should* have moved. First time playing racquetball instead of studying for finals. Second time while running down the steps of a fraternity house the night before graduation while UTTERLY sober (really). Third time last summer while walking and not paying attention and catching a nasty break in the sidewalk. Sad, huh?

But yeah, good at crutches now.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Ow! Yeah, sad. Maybe your bones are connected by really REALLY strong ligaments, or something. Ow!

I bet no one believes you were sober. *chuckle*

[rampling.livejournal.com]

Great list! Much planning and prep progress! Good for you! *hugs*

Ooooh, they'll take pix for you! Excellent!

The waist pack idea is great -- when I was Really Out Of It, sometimes my stuff was Elsewhere, and that was so annoying. Mostly I kept stuff with me OK (mostly 'cause I didn't move much), but now and then, it was annoying. A waist pack sounds like the perfect solution, especially with crutches.

Hey, if you're interested in the loan of a walker &/or quad-cane, I could bring them by this weekend (could drop off Friday, if you wanted). They might be a bit extreme for your needs, but on the other hand, they're just sitting around unused at my place.

More luck and *hugs* and *kitty-purrs* for your upcoming surgery!

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

I was stunned that they'd be willing to take pix for me. I'm such a souvenir-loving person that this is a wonderful and very valued extra service!

I am used to using waist packs where a purse is inconvenient. I love my big hiking one that went up Half Dome with me. Maybe that's part of what triggered the waist pack idea. A little waist pack as a "purse" and a backpack to carry work-related things, and I'll be the geekiest gimp in my office! Or the gimpiest geek. Woohoo!

Wow, do you have a walker with wheels? If I could find one with wheels, that sounds like it would be even better than crutches. But I don't know how long it would be before they'd get back to you. :-/

Thanks for the well-wishes!

[rampling.livejournal.com]

I have the sort of classic walker with two wheels and two slidy feet. And the quad-cane. Like these:



I've hung onto them 'cause back when I *really* needed them, they were so incredibly useful. I dunno quite why I'm not fully comfortable with the idea of getting rid of them yet, but that's just the way I feel right now. But loaning them out so they're not just sitting around, and helping someone out with them -- that makes me happy!

(P.S. didja get my email?)

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Oh, awesome! OK, if they fit in the car I'd be very happy to borrow them! Thank you muchly muchly!

Email? Noooooo... which means it's probably gone forever. Give me a portion of the FROM address and I'll make sure my spam eater doesn't get it when you resend.

[rampling.livejournal.com]

Phew -- glad I checked on the email -- I'm glad I checked! Resent from clare AT girlfags DOT com. I resent it to some address I have for you that's in my yahoo account, and to your LJ email address too, just 'cause I could (so, yeah, you should get two copies!).

As for the medical equipment -- great! I'll bring them. They'll pop easily into my back seat (they have in the past). So happy they might get some use -- even if that "use" is just being there to make you feel safer "just in case". We can email about when I can drop them off for you.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Oh. Um, er, yeah, two... but I didn't have time to check/change my spam eater! So maybe there's a third one waiting in some remailer queue somewhere. Heh.

Thank you!!

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Hah, I suddenly got BOTH copies of the e-mail! Will respond shortly.

[just-cyd.livejournal.com]

best of luck to you!

good thinking to do as much ahead: especially getting drugs, etc.

i bet scheduling lady will always remember you, or at the very least, your kindness to her. you rock!

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Aw, thanks! I *like* doing little stuff like that. She was tremendously helpful and if I can cement the idea in her mind that I was truly thankful, then I'm happy to do it. :-)

[just-cyd.livejournal.com]

we need more people like you around. seriously.

that coban stuff looks like fun! you could get creative with stripes and stuff. ;-)

definitely snag the walker if rampling is offering. i'm leary of the four-footed cane, simply because i'm a klutz and kept tripping on it the one time i tried one. ymmv, of course

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

aw! *blush*

Speaking of creativity, I am told I can do whatever I like to those shoes. I can paint them!! They're mine forever.

I wonder if I won't trip simply because I won't be picking my feet up. Shuffle shuffle... Maybe as I recover a bit I'll start to feel nimble, and then blammo.

[quasigeostrophy.livejournal.com]

Sounds like you've been about as thorough as you can be. It is cool that someone will take pictures.

What was the cold therapy machine? I forgot.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

I didn't say :). You fill it with ice and water, route its tubing all over your foot, plug it in (electric power), and *poof*, you are icing your foot 24/7. They're apparently great for post-op pain. They're heavy though.

One thing I don't fully understand is how it connects to the foot. I asked "if it's worse than I thought, can I send a driver down here to pick one up?" The reply was "No, because those are sterile pads we use on the foot." Meaning the machine requires some kind of thing applied to the foot ahead of time by the doctor. If I didn't have so much work to do I might try this thingy just to learn what it's like, but I'm swamped.

[quasigeostrophy.livejournal.com]

Eh, sounds like a PITA. Ice packs. Lots of ice packs. :-)

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

If I don't use this machine I'm supposed to ice a half hour out of every hour. LOTS of ice packs! :)

[quasigeostrophy.livejournal.com]

Do you have those freezable pack thingies so you don't go through a ton of actual ice? Those are great - we just rotate through them with migraines and so forth.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I have a handful of those 'cause my feet have been hurting for a while. They're very useful! A handful may not be enough early on so I will also use actual ice.

[sunnydale47.livejournal.com]

Buy a few packages of frozen peas or corn. They make great ice packs -- they're a lot cheaper than the gel thingies, and they mold to your foot (or wherever) much better. They can be refrozen and reused over and over. (Just be sure to mark them well so they don't get eaten by mistake!)

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

O'course, actual ice is reeeeeelly cheep too. :-)

I need to make one more grocery run. Might not have enough cat food to last until I can drive again. (I'd've gotten it a couple days ago, but the store was out of it, grr.) Could pick up peas then.

[datagoddess.livejournal.com]

SOunds like a weekend on the couch and you'll be back in business :-)

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

That's my impression, yeah. Oh, I forgot the biggest question! Dang! If I inadvertantly overdo it am I risking *only* a nasty level of pain or *also* damage and slower healing? Need to ask that! Dang!

[sunnydale47.livejournal.com]

You already answered all my questions in your comments to others, so I'll just tell you how impressed I am with your organization, and wish you luck and rainbows and relief from pain! I'm so glad you'll be getting the photos! I'm still bummed out that all I got from my knee arthroscopy was a few still photos -- my friend had the same surgery a few months later and her doctor gave her a copy of the whole videotape!

Oh, and put some medicinal chocolate in that room, too. ;-)

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Thank you very much! I'm very happy to get a still photo or two -- this one isn't arthroscopic so there's no natural video feed to take.

MMMMMM, medicinal chocolate. ;-)

[quasigeostrophy.livejournal.com]

MMMMMM, medicinal chocolate. ;-)

Um... watch for a delivery probably on Friday...

*whistles innocently*

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

um...? (confused) (watching) :-)