Post-surgery

Ladies and Gentlemen, the screw has FINALLY left the building. For those who know, it has been quite the journey to get to this day.

My original surgeon who operated on my ankle {Dr. Reddy}, 5 years ago, left to practice in Laredo. So he was out of the question to re-operate.

I was then given a new surgeon at the same practice; Dr. Oronoz. He had scheduled my first surgery to get the screw removed in March, the week of SXSW.

Well, I guess he decided to go to a tropical location at the last minute and canceled my surgery {the day before} for a “family emergency” out of the country! Sounds like a family trip to me. I mean, c’mon, during Spring Break?! It all makes sense.

I then put it off because I started school this Fall. Long story short, I needed it out before the cold because that = BOOT season! Haha, I’m kidding. It bothered me and scared me when I worked out.

Yes, it protruded that much.

I called to schedule my surgery with Dr. Oronoz just to get transferred to a WHOLE NEW practice because that one closed down.

I’m telling y’all – I have THE worst luck ever.

Not only have I switched surgeons twice and now a third time, the whole flippin’ practice shut down!

But hey! The saying is true, “third time’s a charm!”

My new surgeon is, Dr. Newton Hasson and he did a fine job! Not to mention, when I first met him, he thought I was still in high school. Score!

Here’s the juicy part – Surgery Day:

It was scheduled for Thursday, October 9^th at 1pm. My Mom took me. We stopped to get crutches and then pit stopped at Target to buy some Halloween supplies. That definitely calmed my nerves.

{Note to self: shop before surgery}

I’m getting all checked in and they say to put the gown on, the booties and an awful lunch lady hair net. The nurse instructs that I can leave my underwear on. But uhm, I didn't wear any! So embarrassing. I had worn my Nike shorts that have them built in {y’all know which ones I’m talking about}. Don’t leave me hangin’…

So here I am, booties on, hair net on, IV in arm, and my gown on with no underwear underneath.

Only me.

The surgeon was running an hour behind {once again, my luck}. Mind you, I had been fasting since midnight. Shoot me. AND I was watching the Food Network with my Mom. Why I decided to torture myself?! I don’t know?

Finally, it’s my turn! EEK! Literally starting sweating because I was going to be awake. Yes, awake. In an OR!

My Mom leaves and the nurse takes me away on the gurney. WAH! Y’all, this OR was 55 degrees. So cold! And I have no clothes on. Sigh. The nurse was kind enough to get me blankets that felt like they just popped right out of the dryer.

I get hooked up, they’re prepping the table, rubbing stuff on my foot and I’m just staring at the clock, listening to my heart beat race on the monitor. Pretty sure I was on the verge of having a heart attack.

Dr. Hasson says, “Little pinch coming.” No, it was a huge pinch AKA a huge needle filled with lidocaine going in my ankle.

Next, my ankle goes numb and he starts to operate. All I can hear is my racing heart beat blaring in the OR.

I can seriously feel him tugging on the screw to remove it from my bone. He says, “It’s almost out!” Like I was birthing a child or something. And then, boom, he was done.

It doesn't end there, I could feel the needle and thread go through my skin as he sewed the incision. Yuck. They bandaged me up and I was off to recovery.

Left with my crutches because my foot was still numb and went straight to EAT! Nom.

I’m healing and getting better day by day. Once these stitches are out, it’s back to the gym and boot season.

CAN’T WAIT!

I’ll leave by saying how grateful I am for the most lovable baby boy ever. He asks me every chance he gets how my ankle is doing, if I’m okay, if I am in pain. Sweet like his Mama!

He’s going to make a great husband one day.

XO, B

Oh! I can’t forget – I kept the screw. Slade was the first to hold it. He said, “It’s like the one that goes in the wall.” Silly goose.

Oh! Oh! Don’t always trust “Waterproof Band-Aids”. I put a brand spanking new Band-Aid on before my first shower {because I cannot get my stitches wet} and it immediately came off. What in the world?! I never turned off the shower head so fast in my life. Stuck my foot out of the shower and it’s been baths ever since.

My luck.