This is it....

Kandy xx

 

All done Kandy! I wish you well and back on your feet soon.

 

@Kandy so pleased the op went well and you are back in the comfort of your home. I would not fancy an op without a general anaesthesic, but then again my hip replacement was somewhat longer ... into theatre at 11am, back in room at 3pm. Strangely, a friend of mine here had the same op by the same Surgeon as me six months ago and she only had a spinal tap and she watched it all on screen! Also she had to have her femur sawn off whereas my femur was shattered cleanly through by my fall.

I could only shower for six weeks (had waterproof bandages) and had to sit on a stool with t'other half washing my legs and feet! I am a bath person (always have been and so is t'other half) so I was in Seventh Heaven when I was allowed back in the bath ... but I had to be supervised getting in and out for the first week in case I slipped.

xx

 

Many thanks for all your kind words of support everyone,they are much appreciated

Have had a rough couple of days once the numbing injections wore off.On Wednesday all day it felt like an elephant had trodden on my foot and then the pain started getting so bad at bed time I was starting to think it was a bad idea but if I hadn't had it done I believe I would have ended up in wheelchair permanently as every day was getting a struggle

Had a good morning up until around 11amish when the pain started again and despite taking the Co Codamol I was crying in the end as I could take it any longer.After around three hours the pain eventually subsided so was able to have a hot meal (baked potato with grated cheese on top) which was easy enough for Mr Kandy to cook in the microwave

Today so far is ok and have had my tablets,and done my injection of blood thinning drug although now my tummy is covered in bruises,but at least I only have another four to do

@Victoria the surgeon who deals with the foot operations does't use the services of Anaethatists (sp) which I assume is to save money as it was done on the NHS.Perhaps if I had gone private it would have been different although one of my sisters had it done in Devon four years ago and they knocked her out completely.If they knock you out then I assume there would have to be a bigger team in the room

I haven't had a bath for years preferring to jump in the shower as it is so much quicker but each to their own. The leaflet I was given says no baths or showers for six weeks so only strip washes which I do sitting with the toilet seat down. I expect my hair will be down to my feet by the time I am properly mobile although today I managed to walk up and down the lounge for a little bit.I am having to wear thick gloves as it was making my hands sore gripping the crutches

As an aside,I heard from one of my friends by email today to let me know that one of the chaps down at the allotment had a heart attack Tuesday evening and passed away It has come as a shock as he was as thin as a rake and he and his wife cycled everywhere on their tandem and he was the last person I would have thought would drop dead especially as he hasn't been retired many years.His poor wife and kids must be devastated as they are such a lovely couple and always friendly and chatty although the hubby was always the quiet sort

 

@Kandy ... mine was done on the PTNHS as I had mine transferred from the UK as did t'other half. Yes, there is added staff, the Anaesthetist and perhaps an extra nurse.

Fortunately I didn't have any pain after and only had to take Paracetamol 1000mg if I needed it but did have to go back to the hospital (30 minutes away) every three days four times for bandage change and then again for staple removal. After the six weeks of no weight bearing I had to go back three times a week for five weeks for physio. I did have to pay Consultant's fees of 7.50 Euros a visit and Physio fees of 3.80 Euros a session, usually 45 minutes but sometimes an hour or more. On the NHS here everyone has to contribute something to the system such as a GP visit is 5 Euros but you are given a 30 minute appointment ... you may not use it all or you may take longer.

Mr Kandy must have had conversations with t'other half as I got that too plus sandwiches and pasta. Possibly lost a bit of weight then.

Take care and get plenty of rest. When do you go back for a checkup?

 

@Kandy I was sad to read about the pain you have been in. I hope that it starts subsiding quickly. I'll send some of my good health via data stream.

 

Wishing you all the best with recovery Sad about your lottie neighbour You probably heard it already but plenty of fluids and get the Mr to pamper you, takeouts if his food ain't up to scratch

 

You'll be very relieved that the op is over. Sure you'll be on the mend in no time. It's usually much less of a pounding on the body, especially the liver if you don't have a general anesthetic I've been told.I had generals when I had my replacement hip ops. Both times hips were great but I ended up in intensive care TWICE because my body and anesthetic don't go together. That said I don't know I'd have fancied being awake when the surgeon had the hacksaw, hammer and chisel or whatever on the go. The thought of the noise makes me feel quite ill!
As others have said enjoy being spoilt and hopefully you'll be raring to get back to your allotment before long.

 

@CanadianLori i had a lovely pain free day yesterday due to top ups of pain meds but then woke up in the early hours in horrendous pain.It feels like someone is using a blow torch on my toes or am being stung thousands of bees,well that is how I can only describe it. After being like that for a few hours I crash out with exhaustion and when I wake up I am fairly pain free.Will ask when I go for a dressing change and see what they say

@Victoria I go next Friday for a dressing change.It should be the week after but as I am Dietbetic they want me to go next week as well.Half way through my blood thinning injections so only four more to go

@fat controller Thanks for your get well wishes and now things can only get better now that it's over with but still a long way to go yet as it can take up to a year to get back to some sort of normality but I might be lucky enough to heal quickly.Been watching Ground Force repeats on the telly which helps

@Linz Yes it was a shock about that chap passing away like that.They always say that gardening and allotmenteering keeps you fit but the amount of people on our allotments that have died since we took ours on 37 years ago makes me think differently

@silu I didn't want a General even if I could have one because in the past when I have been in for various things and they have rammed the breathing tube down my throat as evidently when I am put under my body fights it and I end up with a very bad sore throat They put a green disposable sheet hung up in front of me so there was only my head and arms/shoulders exposed.I could feel the vibrations as he was doing some of the work and when the noise from the hammering and sawing got too much I turned up my music so it drowned it out.There was a nurse at the side of me that took my blood pressure every twenty minutes and she would ask me if I was ok but I could only see her lips move so had to keep turning the sound down and then could hear all the noise going on

I have got Mr Kandy trained to do some ironing for me but as he is left handed he has the board round the wrong way and it is set too low but you can't tell him

 

@Kandy I hope these terrible bouts of pain quit. I cannot imagine the agony.

Would you be able to share your spouse training kit with me? The sight of a man with an iron in his hand has made me quite exited. How sexy is that !!

Anyway, I'm built like an old steam engine and will send some of my mending power over to you.

 

@CanadianLori it seems to me that the Co Codamol is taking to long to get into my system as I took them every four hours yesterday and was pain free until bed time when the pain kicked in but as it was dark I don't know what time it was.I also have Naproxen that I take one twice a day but don't know whether they are doing any good.You are only supposed to take Co Codamol for three days so don't know what is going to happen up until next Friday.I might have to give the hospital a ring and see what they say about it

My hubby doesn't usually do the ironing,this is only the second time in 37 years but I had to make him understand that he would have to help me out.It took him so long to do I felt like jumping off of the settee to take over but then realised I can't do that now

I have sent him outside as he is doing my head in sitting waiting for me to fall off of the settee so he can rush to pick me up

 

Naproxen is excellent but it is not a pain relief drug. It is purely an anti inflammatory. If doc said to take it, I'd keep doing so.

The thing they rarely bother to tell people is that it takes several days of continuous use to start to have an effect. As a powerful anti inflammatory it's job will be to try to minimise the inevitable inflammation in your foot. Inflammation is essential. You can't heal without it. But when the body goes into overdrive and causes too much inflammation, it's very painful and limiting. Hence controlling it with Naproxen.

As for co-codomol, I think the only reason you're only supposed to take it for a short time is because it contains opiates (the codeine part - the other ingredient is just plain old paracetamol). It's just because the longer you take it, the greater the chance of withdrawal symptoms when you stop. I've had co-codomol for pain relief following a tendon injury. I was on it for a month, as prescribed by the doc. I suffered no ill effects from it. But then we're all different so I'd still speak to the doc if you're worried about it.