If you have read the "preparations" Stan and I made in 2011, you will know that they were minimal. This time, however, we've had plenty of time, but still it feels as if we should have done more. But it's (almost) too late now to worry about it, so with surgery looming tomorrow, let's just hope that we have done what we need to do.
So what have we done? Stan's office, just like last time, is prepared for me to spend the first several nights on the middle floor of our house. I've bought several pairs of long loose yoga pants for both home and going to physical therapy. It was summer back in 2011 when I had my left TKR, but with it being winter, I figured I needed something a little warmer. I have new house shoes and pajamas for the hospital, and we even got one of those hospital type of tables on wheels for me to use while lolling on the couch. Last time I used a card table, but that was a little awkward. There's a ton of ginger ale around the house and plenty of crackers--my diet for the first few days. Other than that, what else should we have done? Who knows?
One of the most significant differences with this surgery, at least from my point of view, is the difference in hygiene requirements. In 2011, I had to take a Hibiclens shower the morning of surgery, and that was it. This time, however, I had to take a Hibiclens shower two nights before surgery (i.e. last night), another one the night before surgery (that would be tonight), and I'll take one tomorrow morning before surgery. There was no mention of sheets or pajamas last time, but this time, after finishing each Hibiclens nighttime shower, I'm supposed to put on clean pajamas and get straight into bed with freshly laundered sheets. That meant washing sheets yesterday and today. Oh, and I'm supposed to use fresh towels each time I dry off, wash my hair, wash my hands. That's a lot of laundry!
The "no eating after midnight" rule still applies which isn't a problem, but this time, they've urged me to drink up until 4 hours before surgery in order to stay hydrated. If I wake up in the middle of the night, I'll definitely drink a big glass of water, but by the time I wake up tomorrow morning, it will probably be too late to drink anything...maybe. Knowing me, I'll probably wake up earlier than I need because I'll be a bundle of nerves. As a matter of fact, I'm already a bundle of nerves!
Surgery is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. and we have to be at the hospital by 8:00 a.m. We'll probably leave home around 7:30/7:45 not because it's very far, but because it's rush hour and we live in a major metropolitan area. There's always traffic, but especially there's morning rush hour traffic.
So that's about all there is to say right now. We had a pizza for dinner since it will be a while before pizza will seem appetizing again. I've been drinking huge glasses of juice and ginger ale to keep myself hydrated, and I feel as if I'm close to being waterlogged! As soon as I finish reading my current book (it's due at the library in 2 days), I'll go upstairs and do the Hibiclens routine, get in bed, and watch a little HGTV until I get sleepy. Will I get sleepy? Probably not, but there's always hope!
See you tomorrow.
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