Author: mriverswright

12/24/17: Numbness in My Foot

I’ve had some weird numbness going on in my surgical side foot. Wondering if it’s sciatic-related. I know that nerve branches off behind the knee and enervates parts of the foot…It kind of feels like I’m wearing stirrup pants – the strap part around the bottom of my foot or part of my plantar fascia is the numb part. I’m only aware of it when I’m laying down, not when I walk around. Totally forgot to share this with the doc during my 2-week, back on Wednesday. Sound familiar to anyone?

12/22/17: Out With My Bestie – Let Pain Be Pain

I’m 17 days PO today, and I went out with my bestie – for the first time since surgery, besides Wednesday’s post op appt – to get a few gifts. Two stores. On crutches, hip braced. Back home on the couch now, icing it up. Hammies hurt. Surgical site hurts. Incision hurts.

But – I am not afraid. I’m not worried that I undid the repair, or tore something new, or ruined something because I didn’t follow directions. I’m just sore. And I’m sore because 17 days ago, Mark Price cut open my leg, moved aside my glute muscles, went fishing for my hamstring handles, PULLED THEM UP MY LEG, SEWED CABLES THROUGH THEM, and TIED THEM ONTO THE POTTERY BARN ANCHOR SCREWS HE DRILLED INTO MY BUTT BONE. And then I saw fit to walk around the CVS looking for stocking stuffers with that butt. That is why I’m sore. And knowing *that* makes all the difference. My pain can just be pain, and not pain with fear and lack of self-compassion heaped upon it. Just pain. And pain passes.

12/20/17: 2-Week Post-Op Appointment

2-Week post-op went well! I saw the PA and my surgeon. They said…

  • Put on these MC Hammer-style paper shorts for your exam. We do this solely for our own entertainment as you will be dropping trou soon to show us your boo-boo. At least they are blue and match your eyes.
  • Your incision looks great.
  • You did *not* ruin your repair by accidentally & involuntarily kicking your own butt three times. But stop doing that.
  • We’ll change your hip brace flexion limit from 30 to 50 degrees.
  • Start PT.
  • You can take ibuprofen again. It will help with soreness after PT and won’t prevent your tendons from healing, but that’s a great question – nice research.
  • You don’t need to sleep in the brace anymore. Use it for walking. And spooning at night if you miss it.
  • Come back in 4 weeks.
  • You have such a nice ass.

Okay a few of those were only in my head. Onward!

12/20/17: My Plumbing Hero

2 Week post-op appointment today! An afternoon out of the bear cave, with time to stop for stocking stuffers and crazy glue for Barney’s leg.

In the half-hour hot mess scramble before work & school, I managed to get the toilet auger up from the basement to the 2nd floor [that’s 2 flights of stairs, for the folks counting at home] and unclog our toilet. …standing on one leg…supported by crutches. My partner threw her arms around me and cried, “You are my plumbing hero!”