Night one Day 2 and Day 3

The first night on HDU went well ish, i could feel pain but it was nagging and dull. The worse thing was not being heard by the nurses as someone else had needed all hands on deck, so got overlooked at bit. But i totally understand, and do not disagree with the nurses in anyway. Just managed sandwiches on the tea time, but had plenty of fluids which felt good.

The next day the epidural was being turned down, and everytime they did it it would totally numb the right leg but not the operated leg, it was a disaster pain wise, and only got worse and worse as the day and night progressed. They decided the fentanyl (sp) side of the epidural didn't work anymore and needed stoppping. I was scared at first but then if it's not working then i've nthing to lose really. They then tried me on Tramadol and Codeine and Oramorph with the later every hour but still this did not work. I was feeling like my leg had been pulled off at the hip, and so powerless to do anything. What was worse was a (lovely lady) said 'well it is going to hurt isn't it!' Well if i could of punched her i would of, and i'm not a violent person. The night was long and i wished a few times that i could die (sounds so dramatic, but i'm being truthful, this is how i felt) But a very very nice nurse who tended to be nearly every hour on the hour all night promised it would never be as bad as it was then ever again, and she was right. She definitely my Florence nightingale! The following morning i had got some pain relief, and was very thankful. But the pain management team decided i would do better on the Oxycontin which were 12 hour release tablets. Which i have to say were heaven and totally got on top of the pain for me, and i would have the oral morphine as and when needed rather than every hour!

As i'd had no sleep from all that pain the night before, once i'd been given the Oxycontin i found relief so i slept as much as possible all day to catch up, i would wake up solely for food and maybe a visitor or two, but as soon as i could sleep i would do. I started some physio but will being so weak and only just got relief, they decided my physio could just be done on the bed today, rather than get me out to walk with the zimmer. The exercises wore me out proper, and i had no control over the leg at all yet, so couldn't of got out of bed even if i wanted too. I could barely pull my toes towards myself, let alone bend my knee and lift my ankle off the bed.

Next post i'll give you the run down on the Weekend guys, x0x0x0x0x