Metal free knee!!
Surgery for removal of pins and wire from my patella went well yesterday, according to my surgeon. (As I was in the land of general anesthesia, my awareness of proceedings was nonexistent.) Once in the recovery room, pain became a thundering crescendo. The skilled and kindly medical team thus gave me a combination of big-time pain drugs until discomfort became manageable. Upon release to home, I was wobbly and a little goofy, but only in minimal pain.
Any pharmaceutical intervention has its side effects, however. Pain was reduced, but my stomach went wild. A night of extreme nausea and vomiting ensued. Since the prescribed anti-nausea medication wouldn’t stay down, I ceased fighting and just rolled with the punches, so to speak. No good use of myself was really possible except choosing productive areas of battle.
Today, surprisingly, my knee hurts less than it did prior to surgery, with only a slight incision pain. The ache that I associated with the hardware is gone. Of course, knee movement is limited by the dressing that protects the wound and stitches, and by the tenderness of the area. Nausea is gone, thankfully! I can’t say I have a voracious appetite, but at least the idea of food is no longer repugnant.
The temptation for me, of course, is to push back to full activity. I will apply inhibition and pursue rest instead, with ice on my knee, and sleep as my sport.