Yeah, I know, I am a terrible patient and I just don't have time for this.
I think the hip is recovering well. I guess. I mean, this is supposed to take six to eight weeks and I'm going on three and it's not done yet. Which is annoying.
They gave me #60 of oxy 5s on discharge. In the last year, surgeons have heard that there's an opioid crisis and so they've taken the opposite approach to what they used to do. For my pectus, I had gallons of drugs. On one hand, 300mg of oxycodone should (and is) enough to kill me handily. But the script is to take 5 - 10mg every 4 hours. Do the math there. At max dose, it's not even enough drug through the end of the week.
I called one week later and spoke with the ortho nurse (who had been very kind and professional), and explained that at the rate I was taking it, I'd be out by the following Thursday or Friday. I said he could either send me a script for more, or let me start taking ibuprofen in between (ibuprofen, for you non-clinical people, creates a higher risk for bleeding, and is often a no-no postoperatively). We decided another #30 and to keep on the aspirin.
I ran out Thursday. I think 60 tablets over ten days freshly post total hip isn't bad. (Especially spending one night in the hospital, not two).
It is Sunday. No script has arrived in the mail. Maybe it will arrive by my post-op appointment Wednesday. The voicemail I left for the RN Thursday night mentioned that narcs can be e-prescribed now. (No callback Friday.)
I'm so glad we're fixing the opioid crisis, patient by patient.
Glad I fought for the Zofran, because since off the oxys (and some times before), I have been nauseated most of the time. Anyone who's been through both will tell you that the nausea is the worst. Pain you can have some strategies to work through, distract yourself, yell or cry through...not so much nausea. Underneath it, you might be perfectly happy and yet, you must be this useless lump sitting somewhere in your house. Not getting anything accomplished.
I've lost about 8lbs since the OR, which is of course mostly fluid. But I am only eating about two-ish meals most days. And an apple with peanut butter is a meal right now. The swelling in my leg is better, but it's still significant. It feels enormous. I wish I could have just one dose of 40mg of Lasix, and that would probably make me feel better, too.
So I'm a little discombobulated, but I'm hangin in there.
Am working with a physical therapist at home. She's okay. She's not a nurse, which is fine when she isn't trying to be one. Am dutifully doing exercises.
And I'm supposed to go back to work Thursday. It won't be a 10 hour day. I hadn't thought much about that until this past week, but it can't be.
*grumblegrumble* I have things to do.
I think the hip is recovering well. I guess. I mean, this is supposed to take six to eight weeks and I'm going on three and it's not done yet. Which is annoying.
They gave me #60 of oxy 5s on discharge. In the last year, surgeons have heard that there's an opioid crisis and so they've taken the opposite approach to what they used to do. For my pectus, I had gallons of drugs. On one hand, 300mg of oxycodone should (and is) enough to kill me handily. But the script is to take 5 - 10mg every 4 hours. Do the math there. At max dose, it's not even enough drug through the end of the week.
I called one week later and spoke with the ortho nurse (who had been very kind and professional), and explained that at the rate I was taking it, I'd be out by the following Thursday or Friday. I said he could either send me a script for more, or let me start taking ibuprofen in between (ibuprofen, for you non-clinical people, creates a higher risk for bleeding, and is often a no-no postoperatively). We decided another #30 and to keep on the aspirin.
I ran out Thursday. I think 60 tablets over ten days freshly post total hip isn't bad. (Especially spending one night in the hospital, not two).
It is Sunday. No script has arrived in the mail. Maybe it will arrive by my post-op appointment Wednesday. The voicemail I left for the RN Thursday night mentioned that narcs can be e-prescribed now. (No callback Friday.)
I'm so glad we're fixing the opioid crisis, patient by patient.
Glad I fought for the Zofran, because since off the oxys (and some times before), I have been nauseated most of the time. Anyone who's been through both will tell you that the nausea is the worst. Pain you can have some strategies to work through, distract yourself, yell or cry through...not so much nausea. Underneath it, you might be perfectly happy and yet, you must be this useless lump sitting somewhere in your house. Not getting anything accomplished.
I've lost about 8lbs since the OR, which is of course mostly fluid. But I am only eating about two-ish meals most days. And an apple with peanut butter is a meal right now. The swelling in my leg is better, but it's still significant. It feels enormous. I wish I could have just one dose of 40mg of Lasix, and that would probably make me feel better, too.
So I'm a little discombobulated, but I'm hangin in there.
Am working with a physical therapist at home. She's okay. She's not a nurse, which is fine when she isn't trying to be one. Am dutifully doing exercises.
And I'm supposed to go back to work Thursday. It won't be a 10 hour day. I hadn't thought much about that until this past week, but it can't be.
*grumblegrumble* I have things to do.