Surgery

 The first two entries of the "ankle saga" are reasonably... action packed? and I might even risk boasting, entertaining? If not entertaining, I'm certainly happy to go back and add some extra details like how I was armed with an AK-47 and given classified information upon my helicopter rescue. This might get a bit weirder and drawn out. Sorry in advance!

I'm pretty sure I was on an adrenaline high through the events occuring between my fall and return home. I tried not too think about the craziness of getting hoisted into a helicopter or going in my first ambulance ride or the fact that I had shattered my medial malleolus. I tried to just focus on getting home safely and then immediately to contact my family to let them know I was okay and my primary care physician to figure out the next steps. Returning to safety was important. And then, after all that, I realized I was very VERY tired.

And the next few days were tough, but not unbearable. Reality was starting to settle in. Fortunately, I had a lot of support from my group of friends. And my primary care physician, Dr. Ford. My friend Cheryl came over the next day to check on me and brought me copius amounts of alcohol. Dr. Ford set me up with the orthopedic surgeon referal. My friend Annie bought lunch delivered to me. I was in reasonable spirits. My coworkers checked in on me and we made plans to offload any work I would need to, although I ended up not needing to. I did my best to focus on handling all work I needed to, setting up temporarily disabled person logistics for getting food and supplies, and preparing for the Friday appointment with Dr. Oji. Other than that, I slept, a LOT.

On Friday I ubered myself over to Dr. Oji's clinic. I basically had done my homework and expected to hear that I would need surgery. I also expected my surgery to be the "open reduction internal fixation" surgery, that is, adding a plate and screws to ensure the ankle bones heal properly. A quick aside: I may have not mentioned this much yet, but at every clinic and hospital I visited Covid precautions were HEAVILY followed. 

I had more X-rays taken, and consulted with Dr. Oji. Sure enough, he concluded I was in need of the surgery to avoid any malunion healings or arthritis down the road. I was not shocked, but accepting, though mildly nervous. I was told I would be contacted by Dr. Loretta Chou, and took an uber back home. Another quick aside: the AQI these days was somewhere near 200 due to even newer forest fires. Dr. Chou contacted me and we set up the surgery for the next Tuesday. I was relieved that the plan was in place, though naturally a bit apprehensive.

The weekend was actually fine, more or less uneventful. I picked up my post surgery prescriptions, did some socially distanced game watching at a friend's, and did my best to make surgery day plans. My mom offered to come give me a ride home from surgery, but we of course had to handle the necessary preparations given the danger of Covid to her. And this was stressful. Ultimately when Sunday night rolled around, the nerves crept in and I found myself very anxious. My plans for Monday and Tuesday were not yet set. I did not sleep much Sunday night at all.

On Monday I got up per usual to begin work, but then had to leave a Zoom meeting early to handle a call from the hospital. The hospital told me I had to schedule an immediate Covid test by THREE PM that afternoon in order to have my surgery the next day. WHUTTT!!!! As I would find out later, they had left me voicemails but my OLD phone did not pick them up. One I reactivated after I had lost my new phone. I panicked. I had no ride to get a Covid test. Furthermore, drive through Covid tests were not happening that day again due to the horrible air quality. 2020 to the max. THANKFULLY, my friend Walter came to the rescue, switched up a few meetings, and gave me an emergency ride to the Covid test site. 

Upon arriving at the site, I was a little disturbed to discover that the line for the test was LONG and extending outside. I was in no condition to hobble around on crutches for half an hour! Fortunately, the nurses saw my condition and were kind enough to perform the test while I waited in Walter's van. They also realized I had a medical rush test due to next day surgery. Phew. 

Next task to kill was the pre-operation meeting, which was done over a Zoom like client due to Covid concerns. I was nervous for this meeting, but fortunately the nurse was very friendly and handled all my worries. And finally, one last medication pick up was needed. A ride was supplied by none other than Dr. Ford, who basically is the best hands down physician ever. Afterwards, I made contact with my Mom, who had arrived in her motel. And the ONE SINGLE SILVER LINING OF 2020: my covid test had returned negative. So I could actually spend some time with my Mom for the first time since our distanced lunch, and the first real indoors time since Christmas 2019. After all that, my surgery plan was finally in place, and I slept well Monday Night.

I was nervous Tuesday morning, but I knew I was in good hands, that my friend Sha Sha's friend Buddy had had the same surgeon ten years ago, and that it was absolutely the right call to go through with it for the future of my ankle. So Matt, cowboy up time. Showed up at the outpatient surgery center, performed the necessary paperwork, had my vitals taken, and found myself chilling in the hospital bed. Somewhat lonely because no family was allowed in the clinic due to Covid. I mean, I kept both my parents company for their major surgeries and visited my brother and his wife after their first baby was born. I thought surgeries and like a close family member are like peanut butter and jelly ?!?!? 

I believe I was nervous right up until the anesthesia team installed a nerve block on my lower right leg. They seemed like a kind of unusually sadistic bunch, almost taking pleasure in mentioning that ankle surgery is one of the most painful kinds there is, nevertheless they took good care of me. I made an off hand comment asking if the block added a dose of epinepherine, similar to the dentists' common mix of lidocaine and epinepherine during dental work, and mildly impressed one anesthesiologist. I got to mention my side project work (www.organicchemmaster.com) and my heavy interest in synthetic pathways of organic molecules. The other anesthesiologist FLOORED me however, when we broached the subject of running and I learned he had qualified for the Boston Marathon. I congratulated him on breaking 3 hours only to find out his qualifying time was actually 2:37. WOW. 

And, after they ran a few stimulus tests on my lower leg, I was convinced the block was fine. I'd been given a bit of anesthesia at the time too, so I was more relaxed. At some point I dozed off, woke up with a splint around my leg, and I was very relieved the worst part was over. I spent the evening having dinner with my Mom, and felt absolutely no pain. Furthermore since I did not require heavy general anesthesia due to the nerve block, neither did I have any lingering nausea. I relaxed. The worst was over, and for now I was on the mend.