Well yesterday it happened. I spent all morning wishing for food and drink while doing some last minute walking about and shopping with my wife. I took my last stand up shower for a while and scrubbed with the hibicleanse stuff I was given in pre-op. The super soap had been on my todo list every day since Friday before the Monday cut time so in all I scrubbed from the neck down with the stuff four times to help avoid MRSA.
During check in with the nurse My BP was once again up but today on top of the pain, no drugs and nervousness I was also told to not take my BP medication Sunday as it has the possibility of interfering with anesthesia.
I dressed in my surgical gown (got keep my undershorts on for once) and answered the eternal battery of questions while having my IV tapped and my foot shaved of all hair up to just below the bulge of the calf muscle.
Then I returned to waiting. My wife joined me and was knitting as I surfed Facebook and e-mail and many warm wished and prayers sent my way from friends and family.
Once in the OR I transferred over to the plinth and watched the ultrasound screen while the anesthesiologist gave me a sciatic nerve black from the knee down. I highly recommend the nerve block. I am writing this at 7 AM the morning after surgery and though I know it will slowly wear off through the day today It has been spectacular for my wife and I to be able to get me transported deal with the pharmacy and situated for the night.
I can still feel some sensation but I was able to rest comfortably. every once in a while I get what feels like little tiny muscle spasms in random spots of the left lower leg. The anesthesiologist warned me about these and though they are not painful it would weird a person out if they were not expecting it. He told me that is my body checking random nerve endings as they slowly wake up. sort of an "on boot self diagnostic" for the blocked sciatic

I woke up with the foot all wrapped up in a splint dressing I get to leave on, the DR will remove this and cast it next time I see him. I have 2 incisions in the top of my foot (no pictures yet) and 3 screws. My surgeon was very happy with the health of my bones and in combination with my physical frame (I am m 6' 3") he was able to do thee fusion with three screws and didn't need to use a plate which makes the assembly more comfortable for me long term. or at least that is what he said.
We had one hic-up in post hospital arrangements our pharmacy did not have the right amount of hydrocodone to fill my scirpt. they called around and found one that did have it and we drove an extra 3 or 4 miles. Since I had the nerve block I was able to sit comfortably in the back seat with my foot up while my darling wife did the running in and out.
We stopped and get bacon cheese burgers on the way home, and about 10:30 last night I began taking my pain meds on the recommended interval and set my fitbit alarms so I would remember them . Just because the sciatic nerve is not reporting the injury and surgery doesn't mean it is not there. I plan and hope to stay on-top and sightly ahead of the pain.
I used standard crutches getting into the house and back and forth to the head through the night as I knew I would have to make some adjustment to the
iWalk 2.0 knee crutch to around fro dressings and swelling. Using the knee crutch this morning was much much easier. I am still using a cane or crutch with it due to the narcotics but over all way way better than the conventional way of getting around with zero weight bearing. I don't think it is for everyone and a certain level of balance and coordination is required for its use. the fact that i made sure to spend time practicing on it last week helps quite a bit
That is all I have this morning. I will keep updating as I go.