A less-good night

One of my intentions with this blog is to show people who might face this kind of surgery that it's *great!*  It's all gonna be OK. and it IS - both of those things!

But  -I think giving you an idea of some of the harder things you face is part of it - and you might see that they could be worse, and they pass.

I've been experiencing insomnia (Not entirely typical for me) on and off since the second surgery, and some before that, because pain would wake me in the night.
Because I have associative knee pain (which, wonderfully, pretty much disappears overnight when the hip is replaced!),  That knee pain has been pretty biting.

At this point, because I am in the middle of two replacements, the "old" leg is realllly not happy. It is, naturally deteriorating  - it HURTS. Not as much as the left one did prior to surgery, but I am noting that the pain spikes are higher - a night or two ago I had a couple of DOOZIES - I'd call them about an 8 - it's been a while for that, and I'm not loving it.
 And the left, because it is working a bit of overtime holding up for the right, and just being freshly (10 weeks) repaired, though INFINITELY better - is having some pain, increasing a bit. I am working on not letting it worry me - it should be pretty normal.
Some, I am certain, is because of the body mechanics of my left foot wanting to center itself under my body to take the burden of both legs. The right doesn't straighten all the way and can barely bear any weight at all any more.
Amazing to think that this poor wretched thing was the dominant leg, less than three months ago.

Another little side effect, without being TOO indelicate, but honest - and i emphasize - *EVERYONE WILL BE DIFFERENT*  - but - has to do with the immediate after-effect of constipation I mentioned in earlier posts?
Hemorrhoids, and an imbalance in the system which also cause erm - indelicate itching. How's that for gilding the lily? There are creams and pastes - and they help a bit - but good LORD I'd have thought ths would be gone by now! It is less frequent, and seems to flare up again after sitting for prolonged periods on certain hardnesses of chairs.
I was a part of my dear friend's memorial celebration yesterday, and we were there and sitting on plastic folding chairs for about three hours, including the pre-and-post program, lunch, etc.

Anyway, this discomfort, combined with pain and my body's URGE to shift position from lying on my back to sleep - I have always been a mobile sleeper - are, tonight, conspiring to keep me rudely awake. a trip to the loo to move about a bit and deal with a bit of anti-tch tactic may eventually help.. but here I am writing to you, Dear Readers.

Tomorrow I have work in the morning, a memorial service (Yes another lost friend - the third of three I could have attended, but chose to opt out of one for sanity's sake - this is becoming excessive... ), pickup of contact lenses at my eye doctor, and pre-op blood work.
Because when I went in for my X-rays and blood work today, my doctor's office had not put in the order for the labs! Ack! My pre-op appointment with my doctor is in 2 days and with the surgeon is in 7, and surgery the following week... I put in an urgent request to have the labs ordered by tomorrow. Fingers crossed. NOTHInG needs to hold up this second hip surgery. I'm MUCH happier and looking forward to it... but the lab's have to happen NOW.

Right.. that should do it for now. Perhaps sleep will come soon enough to give me  oh dear - at this point, it'll be a bit over 2 hours' sleep. Wow. OK then. I'll have a whole month to rest up soon...