The big day, 2/9/11

I couldn't sleep at all, it was 3am, so ended up doing my last load of laundry and baked sugar cookies for my "aides" as an advanced thank you.  I had to be at Olson Pavilion by 6am.  4:39am came around, thought it'd be a good idea to at least get a power nap in.  I took a 10minute nap before my alarm went off at 4:50am.  Every minute of rest counted!  I was just so anxious that i couldn't get myself to sleep.  Purvi called at 5am saying she just left her place.  Got my things packed up and headed down to the lobby.  Herman was the doorman so we chatted as i waited for Purv to pull up.  I got in the car and realized I forgot my insurance card.  I could've sworn I had everything I needed, including the card.  Then saw that I had my triple A card instead of the insurance one.  They look alike!   We turned around, still had plenty of time.  Herman already knew i was having surgery, so he was surprised to see me come back through the revolving doors.  his exact words were, "you chickened out?"  I quickly told him I forgot to get my insurance card.  So I scurried to get it, hopped back in purv's car, and zoomed back to her place (she lives right by NMH).  


Once there, we got a cab to Olson.  Reached for my wallet to get money to pay only to realize I may have left the wallet in purv's car.  We told the driver to turn back around to where we came from and purv jumped out running to her garage to look for it in her car.  My heart was racing as 6am was approaching.  Then i got one of the best texts ever:  "i found it!"  i had dropped my wallet with my insurance card and ID in her car.  so we sped in the cab to Olson and made it there by 6:03am.  there was a huge line at check in which gave us time to cool down.  It was finally my turn, I already had my ID and insurance card ready in hand.  The receptionist greeted me, asked for my last name, and gave me my ID band which I had to initial after verifying my name and bday.  After putting on the bracelet to officially make me a patient, she told us to have a seat.  We go to get the best seats in the waiting area only to realize that I didn't even need my ID and insurance card, what the frick?!  Purv and I just laughed it off and added it to another one of our crazy memories.  


I got called to the back to the pre-op room, but first, got weighed.  The nurse told me to undress, don the gown and pee in a cup.  i did all of the above and packed my clothing in this really nice NMH garment bag that they had provided!  Hotel NMH isn't kidding around.  i was hoping i could take that home.  got in the bed/gurney as Purv took her seat and got settled too.  Initial vitals were taken and i was super hypertensive- 168/96!  yikes!  so i tried to relax until they busted out the IV attempts.  it took 3 sticks!  it was then that i realized how much our lil hard stick babies patients go through when we attempt IVs on them!  Finally the anasthesiologist stuck me in the left crook of the arm, greeeeat.  The fluids and cocktail meds started to go through as I was getting questioned about my medical history.  Part of the questions included "have you had anything to eat or drink since midnight?"  i said no but looked over at Purv to see her munching on one of my sugar cookies that I had baked earlier at 3am.  The next question was "how do you feel?" I said i was thirsty but looked over at purv to see her just finishing a swig of water.  Purv practically shot the water out of her nose as I stared at her with greedy eyes.  Dr. Edwards walked in and talked me through the procedure. it was so nice to meet with her before the surgery, she was so nice and made me feel comfortable.  of course, before getting wheeled into the OR they marked my leg.  the last i remember was boosting myself up and over to the OR table.  

This is us at the buttcrack, 6:03am.  Purvi was my angel for the day, she drove me to Olson Pavilion, stayed during the surgery, and gave my mom updates. I was scurred.

I woke up in the recovery room with a dry sore mouth because of the quasi intubation from the anesthesia.  Darnel was my nurse and i just remember getting vitals done, leads getting taken off and seeing my left leg in robocop form.  Purv walked in a lil later, it was so good to know i came out alive!  according to her i was speaking a lot of spanish.  I favored the words, "entonces" and "porque".  My nurse asked if i wanted something to eat or drink.  i was undecisive, then he listed what they had.  saltines, graham crackers, sierra mist, ginger ale, water... i chose the graham crackers and ginger ale.  i kept saying the crackers were cheesecake.  still hurt to get those things down bc of my sore throat.  i was given toradol after.  unfortunately i still had high BP.  purv brought all my stuff back in including my cell which had some really sweet messages on them.  i got the go ahead to get dressed as purv walked back to her place to get basala (her car).  it was just about an hour in recovery.  Dr. Edwards came in again and told me how it went.  it took 2 hours, and the only glitch was that my gracilis muscle was too small to use for a ligament, but the hamstring was fine.  so she went ahead and used a cadaver ligament in addition to my hamstring to create a new ACL.  I was fine by that.  She said that in her last 5 years, i'm the 2nd one she's seen with too small of a gracilis.  I felt like i was part of history :o)  But my hamstring was plentiful!  After that lil talk, we went over post op appts., teaching, and dressing changes.  i got to go home with the cold therapy cooler too!

imitating unicorn girl...."are YOU okay?" unicorn girl (hilite at 1:46)

still feeling happy, watching the Real Housewives of New Jersey

the "cheesecake" graham crackers!  complete with ginger ale and old school telephone

all ready to get discharged!  

I got home to get greeted by Bill the doorman.  "Heeeey, Kris!"  He still doesn't know my name and it's too late to correct him because he's so sweet, so he's probably the only one I'll let get away with calling me that.  Mom was already upstairs at my place, so she got me all settled once i got in.  Purv did a change of shift report and was good about texting my mom throughout the morning about where i was and what was being done, it was cute.  i right away went on the couch and elevated my fully numb leg d/t the femoral block they gave me prior to the surgery.  this was supposed to keep my leg numb for 24-48hrs.  my mom wanted to take my BP.  still very high, so i broke down and cried.  it was just another worry.  but with perfect timing, my sweet doorman came to deliver 2 dozen roses from my heart, Vince.  

those flowers were like a natural pain med for me!  the rest of the day was filled with little naps.  That night started my CPM at 45 degrees.  I fell asleep in it.  1:30am i had to pee so i crutched my way to the bathroom.  it was a tough project bc my brace had to stay fully locked, flexed.  when i washed my hands i looked down to see a red mark on the bathroom mat.  then stepped to the left. I realized blood was dripping down my leg!  i was able to raise my leg up to the bathroom counter to see what it looked like from the bottom in the mirror. Picking it up was like dead weight bc it was completely numb.  the cushion of the brace had blood on it too so i freaked out.  I stuffed a big gauze up the bottom of the brace where drippage was coming from to collect the bleeding.  i was instructed to keep the brace and dressing on for 48hrs so i wasn't about to touch it.  also i didn't want to see the damage.  i could've qualified for a gunshot victim!  after witnessing this, i got into bed very nervous.  i felt asleep to my pounding heartbeat, which i was monitoring as well as wiggling my left toes to make sure i wasn't hemorrhaging.