Bunion Surgery Update - Almost 3 Weeks!

So tomorrow marks my 3 week anniversary since the bunion on my right foot was removed. Tomorrow is also the day I have my pin removed! I am excited to be able to walk hopefully a bit more normal as I have been relying on the right side of my right foot to walk on. I'm a bit slow and it looks more like a hobble than a walk, but at least I'm able to get around! I'm also a bit nervous of the pain of having the pin removed, but I'm sure it'll be worth it! I'll tell you a bit more about my surgery...

Day of Surgery (Friday February 19, 2010):
I was told not to eat or drink anything after midnight, and since my surgery was scheduled for 1pm, I was quite thirsty and hungry to say the least! Combined with my nerves, I was a mess! Then sometime in the morning I received a call that the anesthesiologist would not be able to make it in until 1:45, so by that time I had a headache and was pretty miserable. My boyfriend had taken off that day to be with me and to take me to surgery, he was great! My doc was able to give him my prescriptions (all four of them!) so he could have them filled while I was in surgery. He gave them his cell for them to call him when I was ready to go.

So my surgery was done in a surgi-center, which is basically a glorified doctor's office with a surgery room. The room had a flat panel tv mounted on the ceiling and tilted so I could see it and some renovation show was on HGTV. This made me feel a bit more at ease. The fact that we were all in a more relaxed environment was so much better than an uptight white walled room with silence.

I asked when I would be able to walk and eat after surgery because I'm really sensitive to some pills and I was worried that I would get sick. I was under the impression that I would be put totally under, but my doc told me that it was just IV sedation which meant that I would be in and out of sleep and would be able to talk and see what was going on around me. That was a relief! I was thinking I would be a total blob and that I wouldn't be able to walk, talk, move, etc.

My boyfriend thought he needed my insurance card so I used my left hand to get into my purse with the nurses help to get my wallet out. That was a mistake, because as soon as I looked at my right hand with the IV started I almost passed out! I knew it was going to happen so I gave them forwarning and they put the chair back more so I would feel better. Sure enough, 5 minutes later and I was good to go : )

So once everything began, a curtain was put up so I couldn't see anything going on with my foot and apparantly I drifted off because I woke up about 40 minutes later. I remember having conversations about Oprah, Tiger Woods, the anesthesiologist's son who's a genius and goes to MIT. The funniest request I've probably ever made was also when I was sedated.. I asked the doctor "while you're down there could you make my second toe shorter" lol!! It's been something i've always been conscious about since I was little and I couldn't believe I unconsciously/consciously asked for that done! My boyfriend was planning to pick up some lunch for himself at a local sub/burger/hot dog shop by our house when I was in surgery and the nurse told me that I was talking about that too (which I don't have any memory of)...

So the only thing I really "felt" was some pressure on my foot, but there was no pain and I was feeling pretty normal. My doc told me my foot would be numb until the middle of the night but recommended taking some pain pills so I wouldn't be in pain when the numbness when out. The nurse put my surgical shoe on after my foot was wrapped and I was on my way out in an wheelchair.

So the surgery lasted for about 2 1/2 hours and I felt great when I left, of course we stopped at McDonald's to get some food for me and CVS to pick up the prescriptions (15 day Antibiotic, 800mg Ibuprofen, Demerol, and another one that starts with a p) I was told to only take one type of pain pill at a time and to take my Antibiotic twice a day until finished.

I had my spot ready on the couch with blanket and pillows propped up for the foot. Mom called to check on me and I was happy to say that I was feeling good. It was awkward walking to the bathroom at first, but since I was numb it wasn't too bad.

My friend April stopped by and brought me some cake balls (yum!) I decided to sleep on the couch that night because I was afraid that my dog would hurt it or lay on it or bump my footboard. My boyfriend was kind enough to sleep on the couch with me and keep me company!