Post Operative Report

Ah--look at me, I'm out of the house, I'm riding in my friend Elinor's car. I'm not madd after all. Whew--those were pretty intense feelings last week.

All checked in at the doc's office, just waiting for the nurse to come & get me. No sense trying to read a magazine, it's too hard to hold them one handed--I'm spoiled--too used to have use of both my hands.

Oh, oh it's my turn. Walk straight down the hall, don't stagger, look confidant, you can do it Fostine.

Intake portion all over, waiting for the doc. The doc actually removes my band aid job, a thousand saw I at a glance, what do I know about bandaging a wound? Everyone gets a good first look at the wound itself--I try to look down & over but I don't get the best look-see. The doc is pleased so far, there's no swelling or undo redness. There's not that much pain either. When every one left the room I walked over to the sink & looked at my wound in the mirror above the sink. I didn't faint, I didn't get sick & throw up in the sink, I just took a good long look. This is what it looked like. Not too bad at all. Yes, it'll get better, & so will I.

Now the doc wants me on the table so he can move my arm around a bit, raise it up to see the range of motion. Just tell me when it begins to hurt as I raise your arm. No you don't have to help me, just relax your arm & let me raise it up. That's better, ouch it's beginning to hurt a bit. Stops raising the arm & lets it go back down, says he wants to try it again, up, up goes my arm, err doc I said that sorta hurts, just relax, I want to see how far I can raise your arm. YES I KNOW THAT BUT ITS BEGINNING TO HURT! Just a little bit farther, I know you can do it, Good, good, that's a good range of motion about 80%.

You need to start passive physical therapy within the week. Get in as soon as you can. We've done our part--the surgical repair, now the rest is up to you, you do understand, physical therapy as soon as you can get in, and you'll come back in three weeks.

The nurse will be right back in to clip those surgical threads from the ends of the wound. I was wondering what those things were hanging there I would lift the one up and give it a gentle pull, it didn't do any thing, if I knew I had threads hanging, I wouldn't have been picking them up & wondering what they were. Nobody told me about them, sorta used to staples or a black colored surgical thread. The nurse leaves the room telling me the doc is out looking at the x-rays of my left big toe & will be back shortly.

Doc is back in the room, he says the same thing I was told before that my toe is not broken. Not unless the break is so minuscule it won't show up on the x-ray. I may have arthritis in the toe, too. The bruising is almost gone but the swelling is still prominent.

The doc says he'll put a compression bandage on my toe to help reduce the swelling. He brought 2 sizes & said he'd start with the smaller tube. He cuts a portion of the bandage off, raise up my foot & easily slips the bandage over my big toe. He tells me the excess bandage can be turned down like a little turtle neck sweater collar

If this bandage feels too tight, you can pull it off like a sock, cut a piece of the bigger bandage & put it on just like I have here YES I'm sure that I can cut left handed, YES I'm sure I can pull the bandage over my toe--smile Fostine--WHAT ARE YOU THINKING DOC I DON'T HAVE TWO HANDS LIKE YOU!!! Oh well, just nod your head in agreement with the man.

Now if your toe remains hurting & the swelling doesn't go away as fast as you think it should, call us before your three week appt date & come back in, we can do a cortisone shot in the toe, but we don't like to because they hurt. Oh, if the shot hurts, I don't want one so lets hope this compression bandage works. But if it doesn't get better, I'll call for an appointment.

Oh, I did get a physical therapy appointment with Cindy for Wednesday at 2 PM. I'm on my way to doing my part as far as getting my shoulder well, from not letting it stiffen up too much & helping to increase the range of motion. Yeah Me!!!

Well I'm sorry I can't make this post more exciting, more fun or more entertaining, this is just as it's been titled "post operative doc's report", I'm taking a break now my kitties, my luvs, my peeps, be good & don't get into any mischief!

      --Glory-oskie Zero, I wish today were tomorrow, luv Fostine.