Early Recovery Day 2:
The next day, I was back taking the regular Panadol and also started the Nurofen. Two tablets of Panadol, followed 2 hours later by 2 tablets of Nurofen and so on is a great combination; (always consult your doctor in regard to medication, particularly if you are taking other medication.) there was virtually no pain, as a consequence. I made sure that the ice sleeve was applied every 90 minutes or so: it is very soothing!
I started the knee exercises again, every 2 hours or so, for about 5 minutes. I had a very quiet morning. I took off the outer dressings and had a shower. The under dressings are water proof, so you can shower, but not bathe.
As I had a lot of patients to see, not expecting to have an operation, I went into the office on the day following for a couple of hours, to see postoperative patients. People were very concerned and caring. Really, though, it would have been better not to have gone in as you still feel a little tired. I was very careful not to drive that day and had my partner drop me into work.
After seeing my patients, I was quite tired and went off home and rested. I had planned to do some operating on Day 2, being a surgeon and feeling a little bullet proof, but really it was not a good idea and so I moved the operating to another day and stayed home for that day and the weekend.
Recovery Day 3:
I had a good night of sleep and then awoke, starting the same regime of regular simple pain tablets, ice sleeve and exercises. I took off the outer dressings and used a Tubigrip compression bandage that the nurses had given me on discharge from hospital.
Recovery Day 4 to 7:
I had very little pain and started some little outings. I thought of going to the golf driving range but wisely decided not to. There was still a little soreness from time to time and still took some Nurofen and Panadol. By now I was taking it only when I needed it, rather than regularly.
I was back to my usual fairly busy schedule by day 4 after surgery. I was, however, not back swimming as you really need to wait for at least a week to let the little arthroscopic portals (where the surgeon makes a little aperture in the skin to put the telescope into the joint) heal properly. I always tell my patients to wait for at least a week before either bathing or swimming.
to be continued…