Before blissfully allowing me alone to sleep, I was informed that I had to start using the CPM machine at 11:00 that night. Just before 11:00, my husband rejoined me in the private room to help me through that first night. He brought movies. :)
Getting into the CPM was okay, but it was somewhat painful. I kept pushing it away from me to try to get more comfortable but that only made the position worse. It especially hurt when fully straightened. As wonderful as the nurses were, I don't think they were confident in CPM positioning so they kept letting me make it worse. I finally found a fairly comfortable position, though it was very incorrect, and got through those first two hours.
This is where the night got interesting. The nurse and technician got me out of the CPM machine and allowed my leg to rest straight in the bed. I don't know if was the bad positioning of the CPM or if was just the effect of movement, but I was quickly overwhelmed by a level of pain which I had never experienced nor imagined. The best way I can describe it is that my brain whited out. I wasn't aware of anything but the pain and when I did remember to breathe, it came out as hyperventilating. The worst was that writhing made me move my leg which started fresh waves of pain. I didn't know that level of pain existed.
At any rate, they increased my pain medication and eventually I was able to regain myself and rest.
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