I wish someone had told me this so that I was better prepared.
About 5 hours after the surgery on my ankle this week ... and after the numbing medications wore off ... it felt like my ankle had been crunched in a vice and submersed into a lake of glowing, red coals.
There's no need to for me to speak the superlatives that came to my mind then. But I can say that three percocet 10-325's at one time only barely took the edge off of the pain, and I got sleep for only about 20 minutes out of every 2 hours for two days.
If you plan on having screws (mine were the whole width of my ankle), then plan on having a rough couple of days afterward before things settle down. That was my experience anyway. When I called for advice from the surgery center, they said that the burning sensation is a common complaint.
When I shattered my ankle in 6 places the first time, I do remember many days, weeks, and months of constant and nearly, unbearable pain, I don't remember such intense pain as when the screws were removed.

But the doc did say, "Oh, I had to move a nerve around." LOL!
Today, three days after the surgery, I am up walking around without crutches and have only mild to mildly jabbing pain on occasion especially after I exercise.
Talk about the unexpected though! Wow! I wish I would have known. I would have had a different strategy for pain management!
Update - March 14th
I discovered that when I elevate both legs (when I sleep) instead of just the swollen one, that the swelling seems to go down quicker by morning, and I sleep better as well.

Do I ever understand... the pain and swelling from my total ACL reconstruction has been a lot more than I'd anticipated. Here's to a speedy recovery for the both of us.

I feel for you Anon! Thanks for the cheers!
I wonder. If they had told me how much pain I would go through, would I do it all over again? LOL! Oh, probably.

What doesnt kill you, only makes you stronger :-)

LOL! You know it!

Hey Etymon I can feel your pain. A while ago I was a semi pro tennis player here in the US. I ended up having to have 2 surgeries to repair my should and both times it had felt like a semi ran over my shoulder. Wow did it hurt and I couldn't sleep cause laying down made it worse.

I feel bad I don't wish that on anyone. But it does pass and if you will rehab like they tell you I bet you will be great in no time. But I do feel your pain. It took 2 years to completely get my shoulder to 100% but now its worth it. :)

Thanks Jeff for the inspiration on that!
This rehab stuff is so tough.
The first surgery I had was just to set the bone fragments. I wasn't able to do much of any rehab at first, and it seems like that bone spur set up really quick which then made it basically impossible to do rehab.
The second surgery was "supposed" to get rid of that bone spur, but the guy did such a lame job that I could barely tell a difference between the before and after x-rays of the bone spur. He used a scope. I didn't know what that was. Well, the incision spots were about the size of a pencil. The rehab that I thought I could do I could not do because that huge bone spur was still there. I felt worse and was very discouraged because though I had tried to do all of the rehab exercises it was absolutely impossible to do them.
This surgery, the third one, this surgeon made two incisions. The incision on the outer front of the ankle was about 5 inches long and on the inner front of the ankle the incision was about 4 inches long. That tells me that he had to do some major work to get that bone spur out. NOW! I have hope that I can do the rehab exercises and get this thing back on the mend.
But like you said, doing everything they say to do to rehab the ankle is the way to go. I've finally settled on the thought that since I have been in pain literally everyday since in between the second and the third surgeries I might as well as continue in it for the good while doing these rehab exercises.
And, just for the kicker to be thorough, I am being extra tough on myself to make sure that I am in pain. Like this last surgeon told me. If I don't hurt, then I am not making progress. So, here I sit, in agony often hoping it will all pay off and I will be 100% like you! Thanks for the thoughts of hope Jeff. Giving me a timeline of how long it might takes helps ease my mind of whether or not I am doing a good job of it!
In the following topic are some images of where my ankle was and where I hoped this third surgeon went with the surgery: http://www.cricketscreations.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=432

Yeah Etymon after about 3 months I thought it was a huge mistake to do the surgery and I was going in for my second at that time. The surgeon scoped my shoulder and there were 6 incisions I was told that surgeons only scope a surgery if they could do 3 or less.

Anyways off to the physical therapist I went and started rehab again. It took another 2 months and I was at about 90% range of motion. I continued and after another month 100% motion. My strength took obviously longer I couldn't serve a tennis ball tell about a year after my surgeries. I could do normal things without pain but anything above my head hurt still. Then about the 1 1/2 years to 2 years mark all the pain went away for the most part. Every so often it will throb a little but for the most part I am great now.
Mentally it was the hardest thing I have done. Fatigue when you are rehabing is good obviously there is pain but make sure you don't overdo anything. They told me to start light and add everyday. But stay in it cause it is defiantly worth it in the long run. I have a friend who blew out his knee playing High School Basektball. He ended with 4 surgeries but he is doing great now you just got to keep positive and working at it.

Anyways hope my story helps a bit.

if you saw the X-Rays of my little sister when she jumped off a bridge some years back, that would make you feel a lot better She was extremely lucky to be alive, she smashed both here ankles and compressed 4 vertebra, shee still has metal plates in her back and one of her ankles > 10 years later, she still has to carry a letter around explaining why the security screens go off everytime she walks through them. I saw her back after the surgery, she had an incision frombetween her shoulder blades all the way down to her waist, all held together with metal staples, she looked like they had fitted a zip down her back.

HuwR: Wow.
I'm finally (slowly) making my way around with a cane, and I'll be going back to work tomorrow. I start rehab on the 18th.
My sister got me a sweet cane as a "get well" present. She had fun shopping for one online. I won't tell you half the ones she pointed out, but one was some sort of Irish walking cane with a whiskey vial built in (would have at least made the meetings at work less painful); another had a sizable sword built in (too bad hospital policy prevents me from toting that one around); and another was shaped like a gun (would have had a fun time trying to explain that one to security...).

I feel like a wimp compared to your sister Huw! I am picturing what that looks like and gasping for consciousness on how that would feel. I hope she is feeling ok now.

That's what I am confused about Jeff.
The doc wants me to get as well (as far as stretching as far as I can) as quick as possible. Now, I am taking him literally that he wants me to be able to stretch as far as my other leg can by the next time I see him (in 8 days), and it is flat killing me to do it. I mean I can kind of do things, but it seems that all I did I almost have to start from ground zero the next day not to mention all of the pain that is even moreso the next day.
Maybe the doc was just trying to emphasize that he expects me to not give up, and he is hoping I have great results because of it. Meanwhile, I am working on things here hoping to not run out of pain meds before I see him next and also a bit afraid to ask for more for fear he might see me as a druggy. I need to strike a balance and understand how much is good for a day, you know?
I guess I'll give it my best until the next time and then just have to press in for better answers. I'm really happy that this doc took my case on. He's the first surgeon in all this time who even considered taking the screws out let alone aggressively tackling that huge bone spur I have. I'm very happy with him for helping me there.
I know it's minimal compared to a lot of accidents, but I'd like to have a day or two just to lay in bed and recover without having to do any work at all on the ankle. Rehabbing it is flat taking almost all of my strength for other things. Whew! *Pout, Grumble, Complain, ... *

Maybe the doc was just trying to emphasize that he expects me to not give up,

yes, I think that is his game. good luck and keep working at it.

Originally posted by Etymon
I feel like a wimp compared to your sister Huw! I am picturing what that looks like and gasping for consciousness on how that would feel. I hope she is feeling ok now.

She is doing fine now (well if having two fused ankles and metal plates in your back is fine) it was about 10 years ago now, and she has had 3 kids since, pretty amazing considering they didn't expect her to even walk again.

Maybe the doc was just trying to emphasize that he expects me to not give up,

yes, I think that is his game. good luck and keep working at it.
Thanks Huw! I think so too. I am trying hard though not as much because of his encouragement but because I have not been able to use this leg correctly for over nine years. That's nearly 1/4 of my life! I used to run and do things fun. I want to get back to that! If I can get back to the do things fun, even that would be great!
On our way out from my last visit, I did tell the doctor again, "Thank you", and he said, "Don't thank me yet. Thank me when we get you where you should be." I kind of wondered what he meant by that whether or not there was hope or he just didn't know at this point.

Wow! Having kids with two fused ankles and keeping balance, etc. Poor lady!

Hey Jeff,

I've been after it stretching like you said. It seems that the memory in my stretching is not lost the next time I do my stretching exercises. I am getting a greater range of motion after each workout! It hurts quite a bit to go further and further each day, but like you said, it is well worth it! Thanks again for the encouragement!

That is great news Etymon. Once you get past the full range of motion. Which I will say doctors told me I would never have again but I am back to about 105% ROM. After the stretching make sure you work on the strengthening also. That is just as important but some people leave that part out when they get the motion. But that strength is key to not ending back in there when you do activities.
Keep up the good work it hurts like hell I know but just grit your teeth and let them do it. You won't regret it later on.

I see what you are saying about the strength. I can rise up on the ball of my foot on the left, but the right has no strength. What I get instead is a huge shot of pain going upward! Lots to do!

Hey Huw,

Just curious about the fused ankles.
The surgeon before the one I have now said the only surgery she would do on my ankle was fusion. At the time, I figured that would lead to other problems with other joints. Does your sister have like knee or hip problems due to the fusions?

Make sure not to push the strength to soon. You got to get it healthy enough fist before adding the strength back in. Its bad to do it to soon.

Originally posted by Etymon
Hey Huw,

Just curious about the fused ankles.
The surgeon before the one I have now said the only surgery she would do on my ankle was fusion. At the time, I figured that would lead to other problems with other joints. Does your sister have like knee or hip problems due to the fusions?

not that I am aware of no, but I will ask her.

Thanks Huw! I've only heard stories as well as experienced a near fusion with the way my ankle was positioned before the surgery (it was nearly fused). The way my ankle was, it was beginning to effect my knee and my hips. That's why I figure a fusion would effect other joints. I look forward to hearing what she thinks about it. Thanks again!

Originally posted by JJenson
Make sure not to push the strength to soon. You got to get it healthy enough fist before adding the strength back in. Its bad to do it to soon.

Thanks for the advice Jeff!
Yes, I wish I could get strength while stretching. That's pretty lazy, huh? LOL!
I overdid it last night. I was able to stretch almost to my goal for this month, but then I stretched too far for too long. Today, I felt horrible.
I used to teach and compete in college level foil fencing (left and right-handed) before this all happened so many years ago. I guess I was focusing too much upon obtaining those stretching positions when I overdid it last night. I mean was able to stretch so much further yesterday than I have been able to do in years. I just got too excited and went too far. I'll have to heal up and get going with the exercises again when I'm healthier like you mentioned.

Yeah I learned the hard way as well. Also I tried to serve a tennis ball 6 months after. Big mistake lol. Anyways keep us posted.

Originally posted by JJenson
Yeah I learned the hard way as well. Also I tried to serve a tennis ball 6 months after. Big mistake lol. Anyways keep us posted.

Thanks for the thoughts, Jeff!
I kind of get heckled by the neighbors in a kidding for having a horse or two laying around from time to time. I went over and visited a neighbor tonight and as I was going down his road, my car quit. I figured I was low on gas, so I went back and got some gas. The neighbor followed me home just to be safe cause the truck had no reason to run out of gas.
About a mile down the road, the truck spat and sputtered again. This time though it had a knock in the engine. It was too late to tow the truck home since our old country roads are small and other folks tend to speed and take wide turns around the corners.
Back to the horse ... seeing as how I can not walk but a couple 100 feet at most for the day, I get to take a 15 mile ride on my horse tomorrow to straighten things out with my truck. Imagine that! Now, if I didn't have a horse laying around, I'd have to walk it which just ain't gonna happen!
The ride tomorrow will show me just about where my ankle is at the moment. LOL! *grimace!* I rode about 6 miles before the surgery, and that put me at a heavy limp for over a week. I'm hoping for a better resolve this time around.

I can give the repair people a call for you if you need
Personally I would just buy a chariot that you could just stand or sit in. I mean how cool would that be to ride into a repair shop on a chariot. I am sure they would fix your truck fast and for cheap.

Well, I was blessed. I called my pastor to find the number of a fellow, and the pastor said he'd come my way and tow the truck. He showed up with a flatbed and an electric wench. I didn't need to even saddle up the horse! That was a good thing.

Good good. GLad you got soem help you don't want to push and screw things up. Will end up right back where you were.

Thanks Jeff! Yes, I was very glad that my truck got a lift home. Another fellow from the church stopped by yesterday afternoon and helped me get my other truck ready for inspection. He saved me from having to do a lot of foot work too!

Well, since our vehicle is broken down at the moment and the surgeon is over 150 miles away (round trip) and the appointment to take out the stitches was last week and (LOL! ... a lot of ands ...) I don't know when I will be back to the surgeon ... my wife and I worked together and removed the stitches ourselves. Well, my wife did the snipping and stuff. I just told her if she was hurting me or not, but mind you, my part was just as hard!
LOL! The surgeon's primarily nurse said because it had been so long since the stitches were put in that removing them would hurt like **** (in her terms), but, honestly, it didn't hurt a bit. It felt itchy.
So, along with the saga of my ankle story, I guess the stitch removal is an added bonus for a peculiar drama element.

I had a doctor that I despised. . .and wouldn't go back to, so I took the stitches out myself. It's pretty easy after you've done it once.