4 Days Post-Op

IF YOU GET GROSSED OUT, PLEASE DO NOT CONTINUE. THIS IS YOUR WARNING.

We are 4 days post-op for Steve. 

I'll back up since I didn't post right after his surgery. 

This is right after surgery, same day. He's SITTING people! 

I think it was the next day that he said he didn't have any leg pain at all. 

Of course he has pain where his surgery site is, but the horrendous nerve pain going from his left butt cheek down his left leg into his toes is gone. 

Just like that.

The nerve was "crushed" as per the surgeon, and he'll need to regain some strength in that leg from not using it for over a month. He's already noticing strength returning (if I press down on his left big toe, he can actually fight against it now, when before he couldn't at all). 

He had it bandaged up and we were told to leave it on for 3 days. After that, he could shower and we have to keep it clean by wiping it down with hydrogen peroxide 3 times a day. Leaving the dressing off so it can "breathe."

OK HERE'S THE GRAPHIC PIC Y'ALL.

We weren't sure if it would be sutures or staples - the nurse told us it could be either. These will be removed at his post-op appointment on 11/13. Originally the surgeon said the incision would be about an inch and a half. This is much bigger than that! 

It's double that - it's like 3 inches long. Maybe 2.5 inches. 

Today (Sunday) has been a good day.

He's walking more upright and seems to be in less pain overall. We need to remember the rollercoaster that recovery is and that even if today was great, tomorrow may not be. And that's ok. 

But we went to the dump and got rid of all the garbage in our house (don't worry, I loaded the trailer and then did all the unloading and he didn't do anything but drive - and he really wanted to drive, lol). 

Then he walked to our mailbox (500ft) to put in some outgoing mail. 

He gathered the chicken eggs.

The thing is to keep moving. Every 2 hours he's getting up out of his recliner to walk around.

He slept in bed for the first time in 3+weeks Friday night and it went well! He doesn't move, because he can't twist, but he's able to sleep on his side and get himself onto his back without needing help.

He's also able to sleep through the night without waking from pain. I joked with my friends that for a month I had a 215lb newborn baby. Every couple of hours he'd be up needing readjustment or help going to the bathroom, help getting his meds, etc. 

I'm just so happy to see that he's not in pain. Well, not pain like THAT. He says the pain he's in is manageable and at this point, I am happy with that. 

Now that he can be on his back (but not really sitting - more laying back), he can nap and try to catch up on the sleep that he lost. I've also found that I've fallen asleep when watching TV or whatever. That never usually happens, even when I've been waking up early to work out. So I'm just assuming that it's my body catching up on sleep as well. 

He's not planning on going back to work until Black Friday, so he has the next few weeks to really focus on his recovery. 

And he's ABLE TO TAKE BACK HOMESCHOOL DUTIES HALLELUJAH. 

Sitting isn't ideal, but he's able to get them going on some assignments. I have to say, Day 1 back at it and he helped them complete a LOT of missed assignments that I just couldn't keep up with when we were in the thick of it. 

I'll post back on his recovery - probably weekly. We'll see what I'm able to keep up with.