Post Op Day 180 - no screws

Energy level: I can sleep all day!
Pain level: 0-3
Post hardware removal day 1

An unpleasant level 3 pain wakes me up at 3:30 am – about 3 hours since my last 7.5-325 mg of Oxycodone – the take one every 3-4 hours for pain. I just want to sleep so I take one 10-650 mg Oxycodone (prescribed after surgery #1) and I wake up at noon.

I naturally wake up, which is so welcomed after sleep interrupted by pain. I find it strange that I have zero pain today. Welcomed, but suspicious… this is not what I had expected and dreaded.

There is no burning sensation when I put my foot down and there doesn’t seem to be any swelling. I haven’t needed any ice and I have been comfortable sleeping with my foot stacked on high on pillows to be well above my heart level.

I am trilled that I can make it to the bathroom with crutches. The office chair was placed in close reach incase I needed to “wheel” myself around, but that isn’t necessary due to the wonderful lack of extreme pain and burning. I’m a little baffled by the lack of pain- there is only a mild soreness.

I take the low dose Oxycodone as a precaution. I had agreed to a conference call at 4:00, so it is important that most of the downiness effects wear off in a few hours.

In retrospect, it wasn’t the most brilliant idea to agree to participate in a meeting that required a fully functional brain the day after general anesthesia. My note from the doctor says not to operate any machinery for 24 hours after general anesthesia. Technically, the meeting is 26 hours after general anesthesia so I figure that I’m fine to operate a simple telephone.

I chit chat with the first participate just fine. However, when the fourth person joins the conversation I start to feel a little dizzy. I hear all the words, but my brain processes them in slow motion. I feel like I’m on drugs. Oh, wait… I am on drugs! It’s so interesting that I didn’t know that my brain would have trouble keeping up with complex functions until actually tested. Passively watching TV was not a good warm up to the challenge of interacting with three other people. Conclusion: just because I can talk does not mean that I can express ideas in a coherent manner. Fascinating!

Note to self: Next time… just rest for the full 72 hours as recommended by the good doctor.