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Preparing for Surgery

The first step I needed to take was to find help.  The new surgery date is the first night of Passover, and since the seders with the family mean a great deal to my adult children, I decided to turn to my guardian angel, Debra Wiley.  Deb was with me through so much in Alexandria -- an anxiety attack, forehead surgery, and the gallbladder from hell.  She is one of the most caring and selfless people I know, and I will be forever grateful to her for coming to my rescue.  She will be with me for the surgery and the three days after until my daughter arrives.  Rachel will be with me for another 4 days and then her brother, who lives right here in Durham, will stay until I can be myself; I am hoping that will only be three or four days.

I won't be home alone for long since my sister, Renee, will be visiting for a long weekend a few weeks later followed by my second angel friend -- Susan Cohen.  Susan is my second Virginia angel. Like Deb, she was with me for my previous surgeries, and she even told off one of the outrageously insensitive doctors at the hospital when Kaiser was messing with my gall bladder.  By the time Renee and Susan visit I hope that I might be able to do more than sit around on my butt, although I cannot drive for three months.

In the meantime, my community has stepped right up!  Our Pay It Forward club, led by Kevin Walls and Vicki Clay, has created both a meal train and a doggie walk train to take of my hunger and her exercise. I also signed a contract to fence in the back yard so that I can let Zora out for her quick pees and poops.  The two walks a day are more for exercise.  My neighbor and dear new friend, Valorie, will be making sure that any shopping I need will be taken care of.  I feel so blessed and lucky to be in a place where so many people are making sure that I have everything I need during my recovery.

In addition to meals and dog walks, our Pay It Forward club also provides medical equipment for loan.  Another two angels in CreekSide, Brenda Barbour and Connie Becker, dropped off a scooter, and they will be sterilizing a commode for beside the bed for the first few days at home.  I did some research and purchased a waterproof cast cover so that I can shower as well as a sheepskin cover for the scooter!





Dr. Nunley prescribed some medications in preparation for the bionic surgery as well as afterwards for the pain and better healing -- Celebrex, starting two days before the surgery and continuing for 12 weeks after.  I am taking vitamin D once a week, again for the next two weeks and then three months after surgery as well as Calcium every day as well.  After the surgery they will give me some strong pain medicine, but, like the other surgeries I have had, I plan on using them as sparingly as I can. I know the dangers of opioids.

Unfortunately, the surgery is still 11 days away, and the ankle pain comes and goes, sometimes leading to a bit of cursing and a lot of sitting down.  Now that I am prepared for the surgery, all there is to do is wait.

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