August 25, 2014

Went to the doctor today. I no longer have to use the CPM machine so the representative came and picked it up. Before the appointment, I thought I was going to be told by the doctor that I could go down to one crutch, and possibly not have to wear the brace at night. Nope. 

The doctor did say that I didn't end to wear the brace in the shower, but I still had to sit in a chair while showering. He also said I can remove the steri strips that are covering my incisions

He looked at me knee and said everything looks great, and asked me if I could do a straight leg raise. Now, I can do a straight leg raise with my brace on, but without...not going to happen.  I couldn't do it and felt a little defeated. He told me that this is normal for someone that is almost a month post op and that I shouldn't worry. Also, I told him that I was weaning myself off the pain medicine. He told me that was not a good idea because I was about to start physical therapy. He's right. So I'm back on the pain medicine cycle. Not as much as the first week post op, but I'm back to taking them. Slowly, I am starting to realize that this is going to be a long process. The reason I had the surgery is because I wanted to walk without pain or my knee dislocating and messing up my foot and ankle; and lead a normal life.

I still have to wear my brace at night because my quad is starting to wake up and twitch and I need to be protected. However, I have learned that if you put a pillow between your knee, you can sleep on your side sort of comfortably. Sort of. I should have mentioned I have 3 cats who like to sleep next to me. So when going to sleep, I have to make sure my knee is protected, I am comfortable, and there isn't a cat around. Yet, I still end up on my back. And wake up a couple of times during the night to reposition my leg. Now, when I first had surgery, I was waking up every 4 hours on the dot to take pain medicine and go back to sleep. 

Found a physical therapy place and start physical therapy on September 2 ( this coming Tuesday). Also, they will be picking up my cold therapy unit on the 3rd. I'm sad to see that thing go. It's been a lifesaver, but I am fully stocked up in frozen peas.

Deep thoughts by Jenn

I did not realize how slow the healing process was going to be. I thought it was going to go by a lot quicker. So far it hasn't. I'm struggling with trying to be patient and take my time.

Every day, Kris makes sure I have everything I need before he goes to work, including carrying the cold therapy unit from the bedroom to the living room and moving the CPM machine to the couch before he goes to work. He even makes sure there is a computer chair in the kitchen so if I want something to eat or drink, I can do it myself.

With that being said, now it's time for my thoughts

First off, it gets boring. All I do is watch tv, play around on Facebook and Twitter , read and use the CPM machine. Also, when I want to get up, I have to unhook the tubes for the cold therapy machine and position myself on the crutches. I'm pretty slow getting around, especially when I have been sitting for awhile. I'm used to being able to do things for myself. Also, I am used to being able to make something to eat, and go to the living room and watch tv.  Having crutches makes it harder, I know it's the best for me to relax and not rush this. Also, it's going to take 6 weeks from the time of surgery for the screws to fix into the bone.

If you are in this predicament or know someone that has had surgery realize that it's very difficult for the person. They are having to relearn how to do things that normally are pretty easy tasks. Also, always say yes to company. It's easier to ask a friend to go in the kitchen and bring you food instead of feeling like you are a burden or isolated.

I need to work on patience and not being stubborn. Trust me. 

August 11, 2014

Go back to doctor and get stitches removed. I have never had stitches removed before, so I didn't know what to expect.....

A few of the stitches came out without a problem, however, when they got to the larger one....I was squeezing Kris's hand so tight so I wouldn't cry. Apparently, my skin started to grow over the stitches. They had to cut my skin a little bit to get the stitch out. Thank god I took pain medicine before the appointment. However, I should have taken the good ones ;)

I am at almost 80 degrees on the CPM machine which they were happy about. They also said that I was walking a lot faster in the crutches, which is reassuring. They told me that I can lay on my side if I want to know when I go to sleep, but I still need to wrap the brace in a garbage bag if I want to take a shower. The next visit, we get to talk about physical therapy. Yay

Kris reminded me that after this appointment, they can't hurt me anymore. Felt better after hearing that. 

After the appointment, we went to Target. I got in one of the motorized scooters and went all around the store. Felt good to get out of the house. And have Starbucks. Me driving the motorized scooter...ran into two racks, and missed a few corners. Got some books, and snacks and went home.

August 4, 2014 first post op appointment

Went to the doctor today for my first post op appointment. The removed the bulky dressings and changed out the bandages. They asked me how I was doing on the CPM machine. I told them I was at 45 degrees. That made them happy

Ok. So there is something funny that happened in this appointment. When I got into the room, I decided to sit in the chair, instead of laying down on the exam table. Big mistake. I was fine when they took off the bandages, but when they changed out the steri strips, I kinda got lightheaded. Yep, that just happened. Kris and the PA's Mike and Tom immediately helped me onto the exam table and gave me cold compresses. Not my shining moment, lol....

Another note: after I had surgery, my brace was locked at 40 degrees. If you read other blogs some of the patients braces were completely locked, and they were locked for a few weeks. I must be a special case, because right after I had surgery, I was able to partially put weight on my repaired knee, which is why I had my brace locked at 40 degrees instead of completely locked.

They told me that I can start bending my knee, with the brace on of course, and they unlocked my brace. Also, they showed me how to walk heel to toe gait with my crutches. I get to come back next week for the stitches to be removed.

August 1, 2014

Had a visitor today. It was a representative bringing the CPM machine to my place. CPM is a continuous passive motion machine which helps my injured knee bend so I can regain flexibility and decrease swelling. I get to use this machine for 6-8 hours a day for 3 weeks or I can stop when I get to 90 degrees

Side note: the machine makes your leg hurt. It is normal. This is the second time I have had to use this machine. It gets better. And a piece of advice: try to increase flexion by 5 degrees every day. If it hurts, go down 3 degrees. It took me about 2 1/2 weeks to do this.

Surgery results

When I left the surgical center, I was given paperwork that detailed what the doctors did during my surgery along with pictures from the arthroscope. A few days later, I decided to read it

If you were to google MPFL reconstruction, it is described as a very painful procedure. Hard to believe that something so small could be that painful. 

When I read the report, I found out I had some other work done....

I had some work done on the posterior lateral corner, an LCL (lateral collateral ligament) reconstruction, and a lateral release. The lateral release was previously done in 1999. 

So, I had 4 different surgeries at the same time. Awesome. 

Meanwhile, the doctor, nurse and PA weren't kidding, this is extremely painful.

July 30, 2014 surgery day

Had to wake up around 5 am. We had to be at the surgical center by 6:15. I wasn't really that nervous on the ride there, but when we got there shit got real.

Signed in, then I was called in. That was around 6:45 am. Went to the operating room area and put on the garments that they gave me. Then I went through the questions from the nurse, anastetiologist and finally my doctor came in. They saw that I was starting to get nervous, so once my doctor signed my right knee, they gave me something in my IV. The nervousness stemmed from me starting to realize that this was happening and I just needed to be calm and go through with it.

I woke up and the first person I saw was Kris, he said that the surgery took a little while longer because there were complications. I was so loopy and tired that I couldn't really understand what he said. I don't even remember the nurse putting the clothes I originally wore on, or really leaving the surgical center. I dozed off on the ride home and when we got home, Kris fireman carried me and brought me inside. That was all she wrote.