Beginning the road to recovery

Well, I survived! I am back at home on the couch relaxing with my ankle up on pillows. My mom is playing nurse, and right now she is making me homemade macaroni and cheese and chicken nuggets.

The events of the day were pretty fun and interesting, and that's because I am a big dork and get thrills out of medical stuff. When I got the hospital early this morning, they got me all checked in and then this really sweet lady got me changed into those oh-so-stylish hospital gowns and talked with me for a while until my nurse came in. My nurse's name was Jenny and she started my IV and ran my blood panels. I asked her if I could start my own IV, but she wouldn't let me...bummer man. I have done it before, just not with an IV tube attached to it; in physiology, we got to use butterfly needles to get a blood sample. I so could have done it. So I got hooked up and then I just had to wait. They let my dad come back and sit with me and we watched Fox News for a while until the anesthesiologist came to meet with me. Of course, its someone my dad knows, so they talked for a while about the new children's hospital. For my surgery and for 3 days after, I have a nerve block in my leg so I don't have feeling. There are 2 catheters in my leg, one right behind my knee and one below and to the right of my knee in the front. I have to wear these little IV bags around my neck with pouches of drugs in them. Hahaha, that sentence sounds funny- bags with drugs in them. But, seriously, I can't feel my entire leg. So I don't have to take any strong pain meds for a couple days and I'm not totally out of it. Ok, back on track....when the anesthesiologist came in to give me these nerve blocks, he had this really cool ultrasound machine that he was going to use to find my nerves in my legs and they would show up on the screen. Of course, I am amazed at this kind of technology. Then he tells me that he is going to give me some sedative in my IV so he could put the nerve blocks in. I didn't think I really needed to calm down, I was so chill the entire time and I really wanted to see. Needles and all that stuff doesn't bother me whatsoever, which is why I am completely cool with watching. Well like 5 seconds after he puts in this sedative, I was unconscious. The next thing I know, they are trying to wake me up in recovery. I was really pissed that I didn't get to see what happened.

Here I am at home all crippled on the couch.


These are the IV balls that are hooked to my catheters in my leg. When I take them out of the really nifty bags hanging around my neck, I think they look like boobs. Hence the pose. :)



In recovery, I started talking to everyone and telling them about the most random crap ever. I was super thirsty and my eyes were really dry. This really sweet nurse who looked like Cameron Diaz gave me some crushed ice - the good kind, in little balls. They let my parents come back to see me and a nurse was talking to me, none of which I remember. I wanted so badly to remember what happened in th hospital today, but modern medicine sure prevented that from happening!!

My mom brought me home and I was so hungry, so she gave me crackers and cheese and a blueberry bagel. It was delicious. I passed out for about 3 hours and slept off the rest of the drugs. I woke up and had my dinner, macaroni and cheese...I've been waiting so long for her mac and cheese. I can totally take phone calls and everything, but my cell phone doesn't work out in the sticks where I live. Call my house phone, 704-843-7806. Tomorrow, my mom is staying home with me and I will just be hanging out and watching movies, TV, and working on that list that I started in my last post.

I love emails, calls, IMs, and visitors!

aattorri@elon.edu
AIM- andr1125
home # 704-843-7806

One more night

Well, in about 12 hours, I will be at the hospital getting ready to have surgery. My surgery isn't until 9:15, but I still have to be there really early. And I'm glad its first thing in the morning, because I don't know how much sleep I am going to get tonight and will be very ready to go back to sleep. It's perfect timing too, my ankle was absolutely killing me today, just walking around a little bit. I know its going to be a long road to recovery, but I am in it for the long haul!

I got to spend most of the afternoon with an old friend today, and it was so nice to have girl time. We got sandwiches at Brueggers, which I remembered how much I loved it, and then went to pick up her adorable kids from school. I miss my friends in Charlotte, especially one who I have known for so long and knows me so well.

My dad and I decided to cook a great dinner for tonight. We are making potstickers and lettuce wraps, all homemade! It's going to be delicious, and as soon as my stepmom gets home from work, we are going to dig in!

I should be home by 2 or 3 tomorrow afternoon, and hopefully I will be up to phone calls, IMs, and posting online.

Still Standing

Hello to my faithful friends who are going to keep up with my progress following my ankle surgery. I will be having a left ankle reconstruction on Thursday morning as most of you know. During my recovery, I will be looking for lots to keep me occupied, which is why I decided to start writing a blog.

Anyway, I have to be at the hospital at 7 am on Thursday, so it will be an early morning. I am going to go home to my mom's house since there aren't any steps to go into her house. I have never had major orthopedic surgery, so I am not exactly sure what to expect, but I know that it will make my ankle start feeling a lot better! I am hoping that my surgeon will take some pictures of the surgery and give them to me on a CD so that I can post them here. I have always wanted to see the inside of myself!

And so I can actually write down things that I am planning on accomplishing while being unable to walk, here's my list:
1. search and apply for grad school scholarships
2. make ACS bracelets for my mom's clinic
3. read all the books that Kara sends me
4. watch every movie I own
5. job search for after I can walk again
6. eat macaroni and cheese