Christmas Eve was pretty funny. I was moving around my house pretty well, and was getting used to the fact that I was pretty much moving slow for awhile. We have a two story house, and I decided I would only come down and go up once a day, so I had to make it worth it! My wife was still filling the Breg Ice Machine all day for me, and I was pretty successful at controlling breakthrough pain with icing. Thankfully, I had felt nothing like the day 3 pain I had. Sleeping, however, was very challenging. I'm a side-sleeper, so sleeping in a full leg knee brace on your back is brutal. Dr. Stone had prescribed Ambien, and I was still taking pain meds, but falling asleep wasn't easy. Christmas Eve I took my Ambien and Percocet, and decided to sit with my wife and brother-in- law and put together the kids presents. However, after about 30 minutes, I fell asleep on the couch, and started speaking in tongues. Tina and Demetri got quite a kick out of it, so I decided it was time to crutch it upstairs for the night...Santa would have to work without me this year.
I spent Christmas morning watching the kids tear through presents, icing my knee, and writing down gifts so we could write thank you notes. I didn't move from the couch for several hours. I was starting to clear from the fog and taking less pain meds, but I was know fully understanding the term "major knee operation." The incisions were painless and the soreness was all but gone when I sat still, but moving was still painful. I made sure I completed my rehab drills for the day, and took a nice hot shower. Showering was a one-leg balance act, and if you have the space, put a stool in the shower to sit on. I had more than one scare during the rehab where I slipped on my wife's hair product remnants in the shower.
We went out to Christmas dinner at friends, and that was a mistake. Its was the third night in a row going out and I was miserable. I should have called in sick on this one, but being on pain meds certainly effects your judgment (don't sign any legal documents or drive!!!). I didn't have my ice machine or a comfortable place to sit. I ended up stuck in their family room with the little kids watching a movie since I could stretch my leg out on the couch. I could hear the Stone Clinic's warnings not to overdue it, and I just knew at that moment I just had. I would make a bigger mistake the next day.
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