Home From the Hospital - Post Surgery Day 3

I came home from the hospital on Sunday afternoon. I woke up that morning feeling really good...all things considering.  I wasn't nauseous, having eaten TWO WHOLE PANCAKES for breakfast.  And bacon.  Sitting up didn't make me pass out!  I had graduated from the walker to the crutches the previous afternoon.  I was on fire!

But they won't let you out of the hospital without a parade.  First, the physical therapy lady came in one last time to make me recite (again), my dislocation-prevention-precautions.  Next, the thrombosis lady, to explain the blood-thinning medication and scare me with all the signs of a blood clot.  Who's next?  Pharmacy lady!  To fill all my prescriptions, but  also to tell me that the only anti-inflammatory medication that won't interact with the warfarin (blood-thinner) isn't covered by my insurance and would I like to pay $150 for a one-month supply?  No thanks!

The nurse was in and out all morning, and I had a delicious turkey sammich for lunch.  Ate the whole thing, too!  We just had to wait on the guy from Alpine Home Medical to bring me a set of crutches.  Apparently, the hospital its self did not have any crutches, but had to order them (?).  And he brought the wrong set the first time.  (??)

So I finally got discharged around 2pm on Sunday.  The car ride home was uneventful, but surprisingly bumpy.  I managed to get up the stairs all by myself, and spent the rest of the evening planted on the couch.  Success!

Let me tell you, though.  Getting up off the couch is A LOT harder than getting up out of a hospital bed that practically dumps you out the end.  My bathroom is NOT set up for a cripple, with handy bars all over the place to help hoist you onto and off the toilet.  And our bed is low to the ground.  So low, in fact, that I almost can't sit up straight without completely straightening my knee (in order to keep my hip from bending more than 90 degrees).

Being at home is harder than the hospital.  More tiring, more painful.  The TV isn't conveniently positioned for maximum viewing while lying flat on my back.  There's no call button.

But there's also no one waking you up every two hours to take your blood pressure.  No flicking on the lights to draw blood at five am.  No random beeping from the machine RIGHT NEXT TO YOUR EAR in the middle of the night that ran out of battery.

Being home is good.