YES

Post op day one: the local anesthesia injected into my right knee has worn off, my foot, calf and knee are swollen and stiff and I'm now understanding the meaning of "house bound" (actually bed bound). Getting up to do anything is a challenge. I'm off the high powered pain meds since they cause other issues and sticking with ibuprofen, which unfortunately is aggravating my basal state of heartburn. One thing affects another in this game of pharmacology.

I'm not a very good patient all the time. The bandage was to stay on until Thursday but I took it off last night; very bulky and uncomfortable. The ace wrap got lost this morning and I'm applying the ice directly to the knee, leg propped up on two pillows. I've only ventured downstairs once today but after that (I promise) will rely on the generosity of my husband to fetch items for me.

We still have the two person job of spraying two doses of antibiotics down Boo's throat today; Denny will have to bring the cat, the medication, and syringe upstairs to me for that task. Plus, we need a sponge to wipe up what he sprays out of his mouth after dosing; guess the vet figures that even a small amount will do the job; Boo does seem better. As in most situations (MD and DVM alike) we know best what the cat does NOT have, not what he HAS afflicting him.

Today I sponged off all the topical betadine cleansing solution staining my leg orange from knee to toes with a washcloth but the little "YES" written in black ink on my right knee persists. Being an insider to what goes on in surgery, avoiding "wrong site" surgery and its (worse yet) cousin, "wrong patient" surgery is a huge deal. To prevent these errors, very strict systems are in place to 1) identify the patient (I had to give my full name and date of birth to everyone who interacted with me yesterday and they compared it to the band on my arm) and 2) perform the proper procedure (especially when the surgical site is one of two bilateral choices; eg. left or right knee). I was asked which knee was going under the knife several times and then had it marked with the word "YES". Denny suggested that I write on the contra lateral knee "my husband is a lawyer" but I didn't have the nerve; they wouldn't find this funny in the least (not quite as bad as shouting "bomb" at the airport security line but you get the idea). There is also the final checklist (like airline pilots perform before take-off) called the "procedural pause" where all living breathing souls (sans the patient) in the operating room STOP and check to see that they have the proper patient, the proper surgical site prepped and draped and the proper supplies ready for the case. It's all good and I'm not mocking the repetitive nature of what they do; it keeps us all safer.

So, now it's back to the icing and dosing of my meds. I have a good book, my laptop, and the phone close by. I can see my favorite pine tree from the bedroom window and a bit of sunshine trying to peek through. Denny is in the next room but I have to organize my requests to minimize the number of trips he makes on my behalf. He's tolerant but up to a point. Asking him to fetch files from my desk drawer or look for odd items is not part of the deal. Water, food, and ice is ok.