But the good news in this is that this should shorten the amount of time it's going to take to finish the lengthening. Hopefully in about two weeks or less, I should be completely done with it. Of course my pain level is going to increase, but my doctor said I could take a Vicodin every three and a half hours now instead of every four hours. Gee, thanks.
Even with the extra pain, I'm very happy to hear that my bone is responding well to the lengthening process. Adults don't always respond well to lengthening, so it's definitely a relief to find out my leg is. I go back to the doctor next Tuesday for a fresh set of xrays, and he said we should really be able to see then how much longer this lengthening is going to take.
I talked to my boss today (hi Roz!) and we decided that I definitely wouldn't be back to work next Monday, like we had planned, and I may even take the following week off as well, but I'll know better after my next doctor's appointment. Once the lengthening is done, the pain should be gone, and I'll be able to go back to work. Unless I wind up in rehab for pain pill addiction, that is.
My doctor also removed the dressings from my incisions today. There are four: one where he broke the tibia, one where he broke the fibula, one for the screw above my ankle and one for the screw below my knee.
Here's the incision where he inserted the above the knee screw:
And here are the incisions here he broke the fibula and inserted the above the ankle screw:
And here's the incision where he broke the tibia:
Apparently there are internal stitches at these sites, but I honestly have no idea how he was able to do so much through these tiny holes! How do you break a bone and wind up with an incision site the size of an eraserhead?
I no longer have to cover these incision sites, so that's nice. I feel a little less like a bandaged mummy without them all wrapped up.
So all and all, a good day. More pain, but more hope, and finally a little light at the end of the tunnel.
5 comments:
hmmm...."finally a little light at the end of the tunnel"....the light you're seeing is most likely due to the drugs.
can we play a fun game - can you please start posting when you are in your most high vicoden state?
maybe you'll start telling us your secrets....
i think a funner game (yes, funner) would be if we all started telling you our secrets while you're high and see if you remember them later. starting with heather.
allie,
yay! i'm so glad that this is going to be over sooner than expected! that's great news.
as for drug rehab, i hear that the place lindsay lohan goes to is really good. as in, "good at looking the other way while you sneak out for 'physical therapy' and come back high on vicodin." so, keep that in mind.
yay koney! glad that your bone is growing so fast. that rocks.
hey, you had a bit part in my dream last night. actually, I blogged it. you and clahdeeda are inspiring like that. I didn't get a chance to look at your leg, though, so thanks for posting pics.
Hi Allison,
I had about 2 days of withdrawal after my surgery, but I was on WAY more drugs that were MUCH stronger than Vicodin. 1 Oxycontin every 12 hrs and 2 Norco every 6 hrs (1 norco ~ 2 vicodin with less tylenol). And because I know you want your friends to read this, might I suggest some laxatives, opiates have a nasty side effect.
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