I was told to arrive at the hospital at 9:30AM for an 11AM procedure. I got there at 9AM and found out that the surgery was going to happen a little sooner than scheduled. After waiting in the lobby for a few minutes, a nurse came out from the "Ambulatory Surgery" door and called my name. My mom teared a little bit and let me go. I got into the changing room, sent a quick last text to Michelle (making fun of how my mom cried, I LOVE YOU MOM), and began changing into my robe. Follow me after the jump.
When I came out of the room, the nurse wheeled over a "sofa" wheel-chair that was very comfortable. We took the elevator upstairs and she placed me in the corner of the room where I eventually met my anesthesiologist, nurses, and my surgeon. The anesthesiologist told me I had the option of getting a nerve block in my leg that would numb my leg and help me with the pain after the operation. I asked him about any risks and he told me that he's never had any accidents just that one time a patient called in 3 days after surgery saying she still couldn't feel her leg. His response: "So why are you complaining?". At that point I realized that the nerve block would probably only be helpful so I agreed.
Then I had about 4 different nurses attend to me and ask me questions (which leg is it?) and finally inject me with an I.V. that I am pretty sure had a sedative in it too. I saw my surgeon too and he explained that we will go forward with the patellar tendon and he gave me 3 exercises to do after surgery: leg lifts, bending the knee, and putting my right foot on left toes and pushing up to straighten to right leg. He also said not to take the brace off and to meet with him on Thursday.
As they wheeled me into the surgery room, I remember getting on the table and seeing my anesthesiologist enter the room. At that point, I think I asked the nurse if they injected me with "some funny shit". Thats the last thing I remembered.
Next thing I knew, I was awake and telling the nurse that I am a 10 out of 10 on the pain scale. Then I fell asleep again and woke up feeling nauseous. Then eventually they told me I need to start waking up if I want to leave the hospital soon so I forced myself to get up. I don't remember getting dressed but I remember being in the wheel chair and puking into a bag. They brought me downstairs to the car and put me into the back seat. I had a blanket and pillows on top of each other on which I rested my leg. As my mom pulled away from the hospital, 3 blocks later I puked again into the bag, sealed it shut, and woke up again when we were pulling up in front of the house.
I slept most of that evening and finally started eating and drinking a little bit later that night. I had some crackers, water, Ginger Ale, and even some noodles. I was prescribed vicodin (1-2 doses every 6 hours) and oxycontin (1 dose every 12 hours). I took the vicodin right after eating....10 minutes later I puked everything out 3 times. I ended up falling asleep that night around 1AM.
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