Today is the third day since Melba's knee replacement and we both didn't realize how painful the recovery would be. Talked with the ortho doc this morning and here's what he said:
--Post-operation fever of 101 is normal and usually abates after 2 or 3 days; labs show no evidence of infection
--Extreme pain is often the case with some patients while others have significantly less. Her pain level is currently at 8 which is down from a high of 10 yesterday.
--She is on 3 or 4 pain medications which, along with very little sleep last night, is causing sleepiness, lethargy, and difficulty focusing for very long.
--In order to be discharged her pain level has to be at a level that is tolerable for her.
--Physical therapy is extremely painful for her but necessary so she is also enduring that. Upon discharge she will go to a physical therapist here in Tumwater 3 xs/week for 3 months.
The hardest thing for her is the pain--she has said more than once she wish she hadn't had the surgery. The most difficult part for me is to see her pain and not be able to help--so we get teary-eyed together but for different reasons.
BOTR withdrawals
10 years ago
