12/17/13 A Long Day

Slept through my 3am tylenol dose, awoke at 8am not feeling it too badly. Stiff and sore but not very painful. So I took it at 8:00, which actually was great, because now, with 8 hours between doses, I will have no middle of the night dose to wake up for.

My wonderful nurse case supervisor was here to check my Coumadin level and remove my staples.
Coumadin was perfect- we continue at 4mg everry evening at 5pm... 
** For hip replacement patients-
Something to look out for re: if you are put on Coumain/Warferin: you will be given about 4-8 pieces of paper, a video or two and a hospital visit re: Coumadin and vitamin K dietary issues. It is VERY confusing. Some data sheets say keep Vitamin K in your diet low ( with a list of foods and their K levels). Some say continue your normal levels of these foods, and every nurse has a slightly different opinion . Nurse Mary helped clarify today -for heart patients on long-term Coumadin, you want good nutrition, so it is instructed to eat them, but in moderation. But for folks on orthopedic surgery Coumadin for prevention of blood clots( a very big risk with orthopedic surgery), which is usually three weeks worth of medication - it is important to cut out almost all vegetables  and fruit  high in vitamin K for that time, to keep levels even (mostly green vegetable, Cranberries and Grapefruit and their juices). It was also confusing because, *in the hospital* - they gave me cranberry juice and broccoli!  
It was a big point of debate for my sister and I, because of all the contradictory data. NOTE- some surgeons prescribe other blood thinners such as aspirin. Don't worry if you have a different course of treatment. There are several alternates. My surgeon uses Coumadin. 

But I digress...It was the big day for the staples to come out, and Nurse Mary is the the best at it. It was wonderful to see her, as she was on vacation for all my appointments so far. She is so great, takes time, is personal and friendly and kind. I love her visits, and she likes me as a person, too - such amazing old-fashioned care. She did a beautiful, painless job of removing the 33 staples. The Auquacel bandage is wonderful for home showering, but she did say she doesn't like removing them, as they are so very strongly sticky, like a huge mega- ban-aid. I am OK with a little tenderness for a moment while it's removed, in order to be able to have a real shower without avoiding a bandage. The incision/scar is perfectly straight, really beautiful. The nurse puts butterfly tape on after the staples come out to just give it a little extra support as the edges have just healed together. You then shower normally and over the next two weeks the strips of tape come off naturally, one piece at a time, and it's a good strong healed scar! 
Nurse Mary was so great about knowing I wanted good photos all through the process to add to my photo journal of the whole experience. 
My sister Toni, who can be a little squeamish, was very brave and stayed in the room for the whole process. 

Mary was off and away, with an appointment for one more visit this Friday. 

Toni and I had lunch, and then went for a physical therapy walk (with the walker) down the stairs, all the way to the alley(about 30 feet) and then back upstairs. 

Then we needed to get groceries, so it was back down the stairs and into the car for my first drive around a bit. She is uncomfortable getting around the city, so i was navigator. I sat in the car and played with friends and my other sister on Facebook until Toni came bearing groceries. By the time I made it up the stairs, I was pretty beat. I hadn't planned to go out again a - two-stair trips are unusual and have been avoided for a while... 
The rest of the day I was pretty tired and sore, but nothing huge. Just more sore than yesterday, and had to remind myself to do my PT, but I did!
Toni made a delicious chicken/corn/veg chowder for dinner- absolutely divine!! We finally found some good programming on TV, PBS British series, ad relaxed.

And excitement in the morning was that my foster cats had found an open milk chocolate bar and perhaps consumed a little bit. More toxic to cats than dogs, I was worried. Then Electra came out acting strangely... Thank goodness it passed quickly and we found the cause... But the last thing I was ready to deal with was a  theobromide poisoned cat! A pet care company, for who I foster them and who is helping me care for them while I am dealing with recovery, was at the ready to take her to the vet, but thank goodness it was a false alarm. 

Sorry  - a long eventful day... I do go on.