Pain Scale

This is a sign that hung in my hospital room. Several times a day, various people inquire about the level of pain one is feeling. 0 is no pain 10 is the worst pain ever. Prior to surgery my pain, on a daily basis, ranged from a 3 to a 7 or 8. I did have a couple of days that it was closer to a 9. Since surgery, with meds to manage the pain, my pain has not been above a 4 or 5. After PT yesterday my pain was definitely higher than a 3...higher than 4....after PT I iced my knee and the pain was noticeably higher than it had been. When I was in the hospital a doctor told one of my roommates who was complaining of pain that the best way to relieve pain was to move. Easy for him to say... but there is some truth to it. I had a really hard time getting to sleep last night because my leg hurt and because of the pain it was even more difficult to find a comfortable position. After tossing and turning I decided my pain was at about a 6 and took some pain meds, it was after midnight...I took the full dose...not the half doses I have been taking. I did sleep after the meds kicked in, but woke up with pain, still around a 6, closing in on 7... on the scale this morning. I was not a happy camper. My physical therapist's name went from P... to Mean P.... The pain made me feel unsteady on my feet so I went back to using my walker vs. my crutches when I first got up. Then I decided that I needed to move my leg to see if the pain would decrease. I used my CPM machine and asked mom to get my cryocuff filled so I could numb (ice) the pain as I was trying to work some of it out. (I also took another full dose of pain meds around 8 a.m.) The combo of meds, ice, and movement did alleviate the pain. I rested and cried from frustration a little as the CPM machine helped me out. (Just frustrated because I want to stop having pain from this...period.) Around 9:30 I beckoned my mom who helped me do my PT exercises. The ones that she has to help me with are the ones that involve me trying to get my leg off the bed while laying on my back... She says I make awful faces when I try to do it. I am sure I do...but it is HARD...and it does hurt. I then did the rest of my exercises and will do them all again later this afternoon and again tonight. I don't really think of my physical therapist as Mean... I just needed a scapegoat for the pain...and I know...or my head knows that I will have some pain as things improve. I just am tired of pain....very tired....but I know this pain is a means to recovery...not just suffering.... No pain, no gain...right? Right.

Speaking of pain... Meg came by today and mom kicked our butts at canasta. Meg has been wanting to challenge us for a while, since we beat her last time, and today was the day. Mom showed us who was boss in the canasta arena. Meg came bearing gifts... she has thrown her hat into the Pimp My Walker arena. (By the way, I am extending the competition to the crutches too, because I am beginning to use them more often.) Meg brought additions that my mom, and cats, just LOVE. I attached the bell that she brought to my crutches. It is a bell that you might put on your bike to nicely signal to someone to move aside. She also brought a handy dandy rear view mirror so that I can see when people try to sneak up on me. My mom's favorite though was the pink horn...it is LOUD and absolutely obnoxious! I love it! Mom is thrilled at being beckoned by it... ha ha ha.... I wish this blog had audio so you all could hear it.

So the day has gotten better... waking up in pain...not fun...but all of my new noise gadgets....priceless!