Recovery Again

Recovery this time really was a breeze. Apparently I heal quickly…

They sent me home with a nerve block on my arm: I had a tube placed directly on the wound inside that ran out of a vein in my neck and was attached to a pump that I carried around with me containing the pain meds. I could click on the button to administer additional pain meds anytime I felt the need, but it continuously delivered on its own.

The nerve block was weird. My entire right arm felt like somebody else’s. It was heavy and all tingly, and sometimes it would jerk and/or twitch for seemingly no reason. I had it in a sling, but that actually hurt too much – the material was scratchy and the skin on my arm felt like it was on fire whenever you touched it.

Which is weird, when you think about it. I thought the whole purpose of a nerve block was to dampen all sensation of touch! Apparently not…

Anyway, that nerve block thingy (or my tether, as I called it, since I couldn’t go anywhere without worrying that I’d trip on the tubing) stayed in place for 4 days. I was so happy to finally get rid of the darned thing and get my arm back!

Everybody I’d spoken to, however – including my doctor – said that I’d be sorry to see it go once the numbness wore off and the pain set in. I had oral pills on hand, just in case – and they all said I’d be taking them like candy at first. Honestly, though – it didn’t hurt. Sure, it was uncomfortable – but not anything like my migraines are.

Getting control of my arm again has taken the longest time. It was very confused about that blockage, apparently. It’s been 3 weeks now and I’m just now finally getting full range of motion back. Strength is coming back, too, slowly but surely.

One funny thing that happened during the first few days of recovery: Mother made sure that I had plenty of food in my fridge before she headed back home the day after my surgery. I had all kinds of yummy home-made meals including a loaf of home-made bread (which I love). So, a few hours after she left, I started to get a little hungry. I went to the fridge to see what I could eat, and realized that everything in there was inaccessible: all of it was in containers I couldn’t open, or – as in the case with the bread – in a form that I couldn’t deal with. I couldn’t even make myself a cup of tea!

I only had one arm!

I had to call my niece to come slice my bread for me, and prepare my tea for future cups…