The cut and thrust of surgery

30 January 2016:The new bionic knee has been installed.

The build- up to the surgery was nerve wracking. 

• I was shown to my room on the third floor and given time to put my stuff away in drawers etc and get acclimatised.
• About one hour prior to the surgery, Neil the anaethetist came in to talk through the anaesthetic options. I decided on an epidural along with the general anaesthetic. 
•  Peter the surgeon came in and marked up my right leg with a huge purple arrow and to check if I had any questions.
• I had to shower and, wipe myself down with an antibacterial wipe and then slip into my glamour our blue gown. Thankfully the gown joins at the back so I didn't have to reveal all. The clothes change was also accompanied by some doozie paper pantaloons.

To calm our nerves, Pete and I talked about meaningless trivia and I was touched to receive lots of lovely messages from my friends as they pinged into my iPhone.

Then it was off to theatre. As I went in to theatre, I was impressed by these huge lights and all kinds of machines, people wearing gumboots and music was playing. Rolling Stones I think.  I was told to put on a hair net cover and then had to sign more consent papers. Neil then put in the epidural and I don't remember much after that.

The recovery was a very calm place and I slowly woke up and started drinking water. I was given a lemonade iceblock to sooth my throat. I recall Peter the surgeon popping in and saying the surgery had gone like a dream. Whew!

When I was trundled back to my room, Helen my mother was waiting to see me with a lovely smile and some beautiful flowers. I had a briefing from the nurse about how to use the PCA pain pump and given some more water. However it didn't stay down for long as I started vomiting. Once the vomiting was over I felt a bit better- or maybe that was the drugs kicking in.

My leg is a bright pink colour and was swaddled like a mummy...
The paper pants were no where to be seen. 

In the evening of what they call Day Zero, I managed to stand up for a minute or two (with the assistance of two nurses). They encouraged me to eat so I had some sandwiches and jelly.

I slept well between observations - BP, catheter, oxygen etc plus pain meds. 

When I woke up the next day I began to feel really itchy - a reaction to the morphine. The nurse gave me a pill to reduce the sensation.

Yesterday (Day 1) was a bit up and down. My systolic blood pressure has been quite low around 108 and my head has been quite cloudy and muddled. Pete arrived early in the morning and was here when I had my first try out for a walk. With the assistance of the Physio and nurse, I managed to stand but then nearly collapsed. It was quite unnerving to see everything spin. I had a couple more attempts at standing during the day and the in the evening (much to my relief) I was able to stand and walk around my room. 

I was delighted to have visits from my friends Leonie (she even brought cherries 🍒) And Sarah who came in with some ravishing tiger lilies. I wasn't able to completely focus on the conversation and kept drifting off.  My mother Helen and her husband Bob popped in in the late afternoon too. They have both had knee replacements so we shared "war stories".

Peter the surgeon and Neil the anaesthetist popped in. They were pleased with the surgery. Peter reported that there was no cartilage at all in my knee and that there was a huge amount of inflammation in the joint. He could also see the inflamed bakers cyst. So it is all looking great for the day ahead.

I have been practicing my knee exercise but progress is slow. But it is progress. Lat evening I glimpsed a man hurtling up the corridor with his stroller. He had his knee replaced tow days before me - so I am visualising myself walking with similar confidence in a day or two.