A few things you learn about ortho surgeries -
1. You build up a tolerance to oxycodone.
2 . You have to stay ahead of the pain with the medicine or it takes a long time to recover.
Our state has passed some laws to really restrict the 'passing out' of oxy even in the hospitals.
As usual, such laws hurt the ones who really need it and do not deter the dope heads at all.
Now they will only give/prescribe 5mg of oxy at a time.
That dosage by itself does less good for me than taking a M&M candy.
The 'work around' is to allow a second pill in an hour.
I had to spend the night in the hospital because of excess bleeding again,
I met with my night nurse and explained my situation and she was fine.
She was a jewel and I called for my pain med right on time and she brought them.
This kept my pain level manageable and worked.
But when the shift changed, I got a new nurse to whom I explained my routine.
So I call for my next dosage - no response.
I wait 15 minutes, then 30 minutes and then a tech comes.
I ask about the pain med as the pain is getting worse and worse.
She says she will tell the nurse.
45 minutes pass, 60 minutes pass and I know from previous ortho experiences that I am in trouble.
I call back up front and tell them -
"You have just put me in trouble.
When you finally get here you will give me a 5mg oxy which will not do any good.
Then I will lay here in severe pain for another hour before you give me another 5mg oxy that will do me no good.
If you can't send a nurse with at this point then at least send the janitor with it."
I am about to crawl the walls when finally my nurse comes in - 15 minutes later.
As I knew, the 5mg did no good and the pain escalates.
An hour later I get the second 5mg which did no good.
A little 'survey person' comes to check on how my hospital stay has gone.
I back up my 4 ton dump truck and dump on her.
They are supposed to discharge me so I try to hang on figuring I can at least medicate myself in a timely manner.
But the pain gets to the point that I call them and tell that I've got have something.
By this time I am rocking back and forth in bed the pain is so severe.
My ortho doc happens to walk by, sees me, and wants to know what is happening.
When I tell him, he is not a happy camper and tells my nurse what to get for and get it now.
The new meds lower it enough that I think I can get home.
But they do not as I discover on my way home.
I am still in a tremendous amount of pain but I don't want to OD on oxy.
When this happens (and it has happened with me at this hospital before), it usually takes 8-16 hours for the meds to catch up.
So please pray for me as it is going to be a long night for me.