I got home about 2:30 on Day 2. I sat in a chair for a little while, but then I really felt like I needed to lie down. I quickly learned that getting in (and out) of bed are my biggest challenges without a moving hospital bed. My bed is sort of high anyway, since I'm vertically challenged. Scooting myself far enough on to the bed is the first challenge, and then the second is getting my leg into bed with me.
Side note: I've decided I need to name my operative knee/leg. I've thought about various options that might be symbolic, but I think I've chosen Bessie. She is sort of cow-like in some ways - kind of a big dumb weight that just sort of hangs there and doesn't do much. When I talk to her to tell her to move a certain way, she doesn't always respond immediately, so Bessie really seems to fit.
So, back to the bed thing. I quickly learned that if I cross Bessie over my good leg, I can lift and move her that way. This helps with getting in and out of bed. However, I still have to have someone actually do the heavy lifting to get her onto the bed. Once I'm on the bed, I can wiggle my butt enough to move myself to where I need to be.
I have a set of 4 exercises that I have to do 3 times a day on the bed. Hubs learned how to help me with these from the PT at the hospital. The good news is he says he can tell I've made progress already. I think I have too, but I still feel like he is doing 75% of the work when we do these. After I've done these exercises, I lie with an ice pack on my incision for about 20-30 min.
I'm also reminded that I don't like to sleep on my back. It wasn't quite so bad in the hospital when I could move my bed different ways, but I can't do that at home. All I can do is adjust the pile of pillows to go up or down. Sleeping in that position for a whole night is a bit of a problem. I'm really hoping my PT will tell me that I can sleep on my side sometime. Otherwise, my back is going to put up a huge fight.
I can't put anything under Bessie. I have to keep her flat to the bed and straight, so she heals that way. I can put a pillow under my other knee, and that helps.
I tried to eat some dinner on that first evening home. Jello - applesauce - toast. However, I got very nauseous, so I gave up on that. By Day 3 I was able to eat normal food with no problem.
For that first evening home, a lot of the time was just spent reorienting ourselves to how to live with Bessie. I can walk with my walker unassisted. I can go to the bathroom unassisted. The biggest assistance I need is with the bed and also with moving chairs in and out and carrying stuff like food and drinks to the table. I made a little tote thing that hangs on the front of my walker. That has phones and a book and my meds, and some other basics stuff, but I can't put everything in that.
It felt good to be home, and I ended up deciding the docs were right - I needed to come home on Day 2 !
:) Amy
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