So I got some good sleep! Its now 12:30pm on Wednesday, the day after my surgery. I was finally able to fall asleep at 4am! I set my alarm to wake up at 6am so I could get up and take more medication but I slept right through my alarm and didn't wake up until 11:30am. Even though I was 5 1/2 hours late for taking my pain medication, I was doing alright. Most of the numbing has wore off, except for about 1/3 of my foot where the big toe and joint are and also the incision where the surgery was performed. I could feel the swelling had increased to the point that my boot was fitting tight. I immediately took 2 Demerol at 11:30am and then ate a slice of pizza. I took the boot off and placed an ice pack on my foot. I would have to say my pain level is now at a 4. Still bearable, but getting a little uncomfortable. I'm also hoping that using the ice pack will help some.
The pain I am feeling is more of an ache, similar to a pulled muscle, right below my big toe. I am also getting a sensation of itchiness occasionally, probably where the incision is healing. I want to scratch it, but know that I can't. The feeling is definitely bearable, which comes and goes. Its very important not to uncover the incision area because we are trying to prevent infection. The doctor also puts an antibiotic gauze over the incision to help prevent infection. That's another reason why its important not to get the bandage wet. Infection would be the worst case scenario. It would cause extreme pain and swelling!
After removing the ice pack, I noticed that my foot didn't feel any better. I think the ice wasn't really getting close enough to my foot to make a difference. So I unwrapped the ACE bandage and put the ice pack directly over just the gauze covering my foot. I can feel the cold on my foot now and its making it feel better already! The best way to hold the ice pack on the foot is to just wrap it with an ACE bandage. And once the 15 minutes is up, I will remove the ice pack, put the ACE bandage back over the gauze, and then place my foot back in the surgical boot. I'm keeping my foot elevated at least 6 inches above my waist at all times to keep the swelling to a minimum. The more swelling there is, the more intense the pain gets.
One other thing I'd like to note is that I've had no trouble walking back and forth to the bathroom with my boot on. I have not needed crutches or assistance and putting my full weight on the recovering foot doesn't hurt. Its amazing how much support the surgical boot gives me!
I'm going to check back in for an update in a little while.
~Laura.
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