Saturday
We got home from the hospital on Saturday afternoon around 2:15pm.
We got up later than usual, considering that they had been getting us up at 6am, and we got ourselves ready. Then, since they do not have Joint Camp on Saturdays, Sam and I did our own Joint Excercises in his room. Right when he sat down to rest, the Physical Therapist came in to take him on a walk and work on the stairs!
We went down the Joint Care Suite and went up and down the mini stairs (3 steps high that are 6" tall each) about 3 times with one crutch and one hand on the railing. Then tried it on the regular sized stairs on the other side (2 steps high that are regulation height) again 2 times with one crutch and one hand on the railing. At this point Sam sat down and we discussed the fact that at chuch there would be no railing to get down into the basement to do his karate classes. So, the therapist borrowed his crutches and demonstrated how to go up and down the regular stairs without the use of the rails. It's much harder, but possible. Then it was Sam's turn. He did great. He tried this up and down maybe 2 or 3 times.
We got home from the hospital on Saturday afternoon around 2:15pm.
We got up later than usual, considering that they had been getting us up at 6am, and we got ourselves ready. Then, since they do not have Joint Camp on Saturdays, Sam and I did our own Joint Excercises in his room. Right when he sat down to rest, the Physical Therapist came in to take him on a walk and work on the stairs!
We went down the Joint Care Suite and went up and down the mini stairs (3 steps high that are 6" tall each) about 3 times with one crutch and one hand on the railing. Then tried it on the regular sized stairs on the other side (2 steps high that are regulation height) again 2 times with one crutch and one hand on the railing. At this point Sam sat down and we discussed the fact that at chuch there would be no railing to get down into the basement to do his karate classes. So, the therapist borrowed his crutches and demonstrated how to go up and down the regular stairs without the use of the rails. It's much harder, but possible. Then it was Sam's turn. He did great. He tried this up and down maybe 2 or 3 times.
We then got to do something fun! Our Derby Horse got to move based on goals we had met for our rehab and therapy, and it moved right to the front! He met every goal except maybe 4, and since we've been home, he's passed 2 more of them. If I was there, I would scoot it up 2 more. (But no cheating or the will make your horse go up and ride in the hot air balloon, we were warned!)
Then we walked back to the room. By now he was soooo tired.
Lunch came a few minutes later, and while he ate, I ran downstairs to the cafeteria, which was the first time since we had gotten there. The food was great. I guess I felt less nervous about leaving him since we were being released to go home!
The hospital officially discharged us at 1:30pm, with Dr. Y letting us go around 12, and then us having to wait for the Internal Medicine Doctor to give his OK, (he had to look at the morning's blood work and listen to his lungs again) which happened finally around 1pm. The therapist we had seen in the morning had come back again around 12:30ish and talked with us, answering more questions and releasing us from his care.
Here's what we found out:
No driving for Sam for 6 weeks, crutches for 6 weeks, he can try flights of stairs after 2 weeks but he has to take it easy. No physical involvement in karate for 3-4 months. We have to make another appointment at Dr. Y's in 3 weeks. He told us the XRays from Friday morning looked great! Lots of Calcium will help it heal faster.
Pop came and picked Sam up in his big pick up truck, which has lots of room in the front seat, which also is easily adjustable. My Mom came and helped get me and our suitcase and many bags, pillow, blanket, etc. out to my van. The nursing assistant (PCA) pushed Sam out in a wheelchair and I carried the crutches.
Lunch came a few minutes later, and while he ate, I ran downstairs to the cafeteria, which was the first time since we had gotten there. The food was great. I guess I felt less nervous about leaving him since we were being released to go home!
The hospital officially discharged us at 1:30pm, with Dr. Y letting us go around 12, and then us having to wait for the Internal Medicine Doctor to give his OK, (he had to look at the morning's blood work and listen to his lungs again) which happened finally around 1pm. The therapist we had seen in the morning had come back again around 12:30ish and talked with us, answering more questions and releasing us from his care.
Here's what we found out:
No driving for Sam for 6 weeks, crutches for 6 weeks, he can try flights of stairs after 2 weeks but he has to take it easy. No physical involvement in karate for 3-4 months. We have to make another appointment at Dr. Y's in 3 weeks. He told us the XRays from Friday morning looked great! Lots of Calcium will help it heal faster.
Pop came and picked Sam up in his big pick up truck, which has lots of room in the front seat, which also is easily adjustable. My Mom came and helped get me and our suitcase and many bags, pillow, blanket, etc. out to my van. The nursing assistant (PCA) pushed Sam out in a wheelchair and I carried the crutches.
Pop had pulled up out front just as we walked up. Sam stood up with his crutches, backed up to the truck seat, and with a little maneuvering, stepped with his "good foot" (that's what the Physical Therapist called the non-surgery leg) onto the step of the truck, and then using the crutches, helped hoist his weight up into the seat. Then I helped rotate his legs into the truck. After they drove off, Mom and I went and rode in my van, with her driving.
When we got home, (Which felt great!!!) Pop backed the truck into the driveway, so that Sam would be getting out on the sidewalk side. Then he stepped out, "weak foot" and crutches first.
When we were walking up the sidewalk to the house, which felt like a long time I think to Sam, he was starting to rush. I said, "take your time, this is officially the only plans you had today." He told me, "Oh, I have big plans today." I was surprised. "You do? What?" "I am going to sit on my own couch, watch Heroes with you, and then I'm going to take a shower in my new shower!" He said.
So that is exactly what we did!
Well, first Mom and Gannie and I went and picked up all of his medications - it wouldn't be good to go without those pain meds.... - but then yes, we watched Heroes sitting on the couch, and he got to take a shower in his finished brand new shower.
Sunday
Yesterday Sam had wanted to jump up (ok no jumping yet) and get ready for church. But I talked with Mom and she really felt like it was too soon. So, I talked to Sam and he agreed to wait.
It turned out to be a good thing. After all the physical therapy he had done on Saturday and Friday, on Sunday, the only physical activity he got was late in the evening we took a short walk, like 2 driveways up and back, and he was totally exhausted.
He had lots of pain all day yesterday.
He said his pain level was at about 3, which is nearly as high as it got, except for during the extreme parts.
Then overnight he got chills, although there didn't seem to be a fever, and he is still having the night sweats any time he falls asleep pretty much, which he's taking about 4 good naps (including bedtime) daily.
The other thing that tells me that he's in a lot of pain, is that he's sleeping with that knee elevated with a pillow again, like he used to before the surgery, which he wasn't really at the hospital. He did have the hospital bed fixed to elevate the legs some, so maybe so....
Anyway, it was bad enough he took his pain medicine about 20 min early last night, and then this morning thought it was time, and when I looked, it was 45 minutes early! He agreed to wait. Then after he took that dose, he fell back into a deep sleep.
But considering it hasn't been a full week yet, I suppose I shouldn't be surprised!
Keep the calls coming in (and emails)! He loves it. If you call when he's asleep, I'll talk to you, and then tell him you called, but he's really only sleeping for about 2 hours 3 times a day...ok, I guess that's a lot..but my point is, you have a good chance of catching him, and it's a good distraction. The worst is sitting around thinking, "Gosh, this really hurts you know?"
I'll post more later!
MJ
PS- I know what you are wanting to know, will I post a big ugly picture of his incision....we are thinking on that.... It's pretty ugly....so let me keep thinking on it...
Also, he is tolerating my giving him these shots daily ok to! If it was the other way around, I don't know how I would do! (Blood thinner shots- once daily in the stomach! Yuck!)
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