1 Week Post-Op
Updated: Apr 19, 2020
Crutching sucks, crutching in NYC...REALLY SUCKS.
Last week, I had my 6th knee surgery. This time, I decided to do things differently and go to a knee specialist surgeon in New York at the Hospital for Special Surgery - the #1 Orthopedic Hospital in the country. I knew traveling to NY to have surgery would be difficult and less than ideal logistically, but I really believed in this surgeon and his resume spoke for itself. After one consultation and many raving reviews and recommendations later... I was sold. NYC here I come!
I didn't know how I was going to pull it off really. My mom aka my go-to bedside nurse for all 8 of my total surgeries, was worried. She had never been to New York so I understood her concern.
"You mean I won't be able to drive you to the hotel after surgery?"... "How will I get out to get you groceries?"... "Isn't New York dangerous?".
"Mom, we will figure it out. Flights are booked, we're doing it."
The flight there I was hype! I know most people probably don't get excited to have surgery, but this one was long overdue and I was more than ready to get back on the road to recovery. I wasn't nervous at all about surgery, but I was for my mother. For someone whose never been to NY, it can be overwhelming.
We arrived Tuesday morning, with surgery set for Wednesday, so I spent my last day of mobility showing my mom all of NY that you could see in one day. We got our official MetroCards and were off. Chicago's public transit prepared me well, because I successfully navigated us all over the city.
We went to Central Park, Ground Zero, Battery Park and Time Square. Of course we took pictures with the Naked Cowboy.
"Why are people talking to pigeons?"
"Idk, that's normal here mom."
We stayed at a hotel literally attached to the hospital. Perfect. Home sweet home for the next seven days. As we're unpacking, getting ready for bed, we're met by a friend.
A giant and I mean GIANT roach scurries out from underneath my moms bed.
"BECCA!"
"MOM!"
"KILL IT!"
Crunch.
He was dead. Night one was going well. Needless to say, we were spooked. I called the front desk... no more rooms available. We were stuck in roach land for a week. I called my New York native friend Sofia Roma for consultation. She informed me roaches travel solo and it was probably just a one time offense. The roaches to look out for are flying roaches, and since this one was on the ground, it was a good sign.
We flipped the mattresses, checked under the bed, and slept with the light on. I dreamed of roaches the night before surgery.
The next morning we headed to the hospital at 8am for a 10am surgery. I went through the routine day of surgery steps. Got the gown, bonnet, and my favorite "surgery socks".
The doctors and nurses were SO nice. The hospital even had "sister-service" as I like to call it. Name your religion, and a sister would come in to pray and bless you before surgery. Now that's what I call 5-star service! I wasn't nervous to begin with, but after Sister Sue's blessing, I was ready to rock and roll.