yay!

Stitches and staples are gone! Feels so much better....they even moved my brace so I could bend it past 30 degrees, and I don't have to use that stupid CPM knee bendy machine anymore since it hurts my knee. Bad news---I still can't drive for 3 more weeks. Although I did ask my Dr's asst. if I could call in about 2 weeks to see if I could drive cause well, my Mom can't stay 3 more weeks and I can't expect people to drive me around, especially to and from PT 3 times a week.

Went for a spin in my truck this morning with my Mom....it took 6 times before it would start---kinda scared me. But it has been sitting for almost 2 1/2 weeks. We'll have to take it out more often now..that's the last thing I need to worry about is my truck!

But doing okay. Only taking tylenol now for what little pain I do have, but it's very rare. I'm just happy I can put weight on my foot and not walk on my toes anymore..and Hallelujah---no more stupid white nylon socks that make it 20 degrees hotter than normal--that I'm super happy about that!

just recovering

Nuttin too new to report. Progress is slow and somewhat painful but bearable. Stitches and staples are looking good, and I'm hoping at my follow up appointment on the 30th they take out the staples :) fingers crossed.
Thank goodness my Mom is here to help me out. I think I've gone through at least 50 pounds of ice, and more everyday. Added some pics of my war wounds.
At PT today I they measured my bend after an hour of stretching at 85 degrees...right now my brace is locked at 30 degrees, and my knee bendy machine is not going higher than 45 degrees. Dr. is taking a cautious approach since he did so much work. I'm okay with that cause it feels good to move it but not afteward.

First pic is of my ACL stitches on top of my big swollen knee. The second is a side view of my staples and stitches (we counted at least 28 but could be more since they overlap and are close together). Third is a close up.

Whew physical therapy...

Had my first official physical therapy today. I did really well and they were impressed with my strength levels. I'll be super busy from now on..have to do my PT stuff twice a day, plus my knee bendy machine (CPM) for at least 6-7 hrs a day.
I forgot to count my staples, but I know there are at least 25 on the side of my leg, and then stitches throughout everywhere else. Don't worry, I'm sure I'll take some pictures. The staples look like regular ole staple gun staples. It's crazy! They are heavy duty.

And there is not enough ice in the world. I've already gone through a 10 lb bag in 2 days. I have ice on it constantly and then these lovely circulation nylon socks that I have to wear so I don't get a blood clot--super hot! But yeah they make me sweat like crazy (basically panty hose but heavier that go thigh and cover my toes). But they help..I admit it. Leg isn't as swollen as it should be. The physical therapist said she's going to put in a request to my dr. for an "iceman", which is a brace that has three cords connected and is connected to an ice chest that you fill with ice that turns into ice water and filters through the brace...they have one there and it's HEAVEN!! It was set at 49 degrees today and it was awesome at physical therapy.
Oh they started me on some shock stuff too...little nodes or something they stick on my leg and it tingles cause it's stimulating my nerves. They said I have to retrain my muscles to work and then the new ligments have to grow/attach blood vessels so my body accepts them.


So to sum it up: I'll be lying in my bed attached to a machine or doing PT exercises w/ my Mom's help, or going to PT. Will be a fun few weeks! My Mom said she'll probably leave the end of the month after my follow up dr. appt. Hopefully I'll be able to drive by then, although now I have to slide into the back of the car with my leg straight out, so that would be some major progress by then. Fingers crossed.

Day 2

Sweet Lord I'm bored. I've watched so much TV and movies I'm about to go crazy. All my medicine makes me crazy thirsty, but that has a bad side--means I have to make the trek to the bathroom. It's good exercise. Part of my bandage slid down and as I pulled it back up all I saw were staples. At least I know where the incision starts now, which makes sense cause that's of course where the brace lines up. The brace I have now is way better than before, doesn't slide around too much. Mom had to go buy bags of ice cause our icemaker can't keep up with my ice needs :) It swells quickly (like after I walk around) and then takes forever to go down. Did my crazy leg bending machine for 2 hours straight today--usually take a bit of a break, but I actually took a nap while it was going. My knee feels so much better when it moves like that! I'm not looking forward to physical therapy tomorrow, but merely because of the car ride and trying to walk around outside the house...at least here I can slide my good foot instead of lifting it up every single time (thank goodness for tile floors).

Right now I'm watching the Dog Whisperer only cause Mom went grocery shopping and Baxter is lying in bed with me. He loves to watch TV and Ceasar...i mean he actually watches the TV. He's a good pup and slept with me all last night and didn't move an inch so as not to disturb my knee. He's doing pretty good.


Well that's all for now. Pain is pain but it's getting better...not so much better just as bearable. My throat still hurts a bit from the breathing tube and I know my Mom is bored as heck. I'm glad she's here cause I would for sure not be eating or drinking, or be able to do that CPM machine--she has to lift that everyday, twice a day for me :)

Recovery day 1...

Hey all. Well I'm home...
Got the CPM machine delivered---crazy thing that bends my knee to certain angles that they tell me to set at..bends it really slow. I have to take off my brace to do that but then put it right back on. I can only put pressue on my toes when I walk on crutches...thank goodness for tile floors cause I just slide my other foot along :)
They delivered an elevated toilet seat (WONDEROUS invention), but it didn't fit in the space in our bathroom and frankly was a little snug for me too....so Mom ventured across town to just buy a regular elevated toilet seat w/out handles attached. Awesome difference.

I can shower as of tomorrow...didn't get a shower seat yet, but the nurse at the hospital said a lot of her patients use the outside plastic chairs cause they are sturdy and don't scratch the tub. I could care less...I just want to shower...who wouldn't want to wrap their leg in a garbage bag sealed with duck tape. But i'm sure it will be the best shower ever!!!!


The surgery went well...Dr. sd it was smooth and only took 3 hrs. I ended up with part of someone's achilles tendon too...and part of one of the ligaments on my side was regrowing tissue so he took mine and the new stuff and screwed them together. Now I can really say I have a screw loose cause I have I think he said 5 or 6 of them. He had to shave off some torn catilage as well..so that is actually what is kinda sore (dull pain really).

Nothing too exciting besides that. I'm just kinda laying in bed now, doped up every 4 hrs, and then other pills every 8 hrs. It's surprising how naseaous you get even though you don't eat or have anything in your system, but that probably explained it right there.
They tried lotsa different pain meds and the only one that worked was Darvocet (my old friend)...Morphine didn't do anything for me--crazy.
Feel free to email, call, whatever...I'm just lying here and sometimes I"m conscious and sometimes I'm not.
Thanks so much for all the prayers and good thoughts. Recovery on the way--let's just hope for the least amt of pain possible! First PT is Thursday!

HOME

Home at noon today. Doing okay. Will post more later. Just tired.

Tomorrow is comin...

Nerves have set in...I'm getting grumpy and snapping at my Mom. I'm not nervous about the surgery and stuff, just ready to get it over with...I'm nervous and scared about when I get home. Just too many things to worry about and just been crying off and on to relieve some nerves.
Gotta be at hospital at 7:30 am, so hopefully I'll be done by noon. I stay in the hospital no more than 24 hrs,...they sd a 23 observation period and that it could be 23 hrs and 57 mins (but it'll be under 24 hrs)...of course.
I have a friend in charge of text messaging a few people so just ask around and someone will know.

love to all!

.....

So my surgery time just got changed. I have to be at the hospital at 6 am Monday. Why even bother changing out of my pj's? Oh well, it'll be done and over with then. And I stay in the hospital for 23 hours, but not more than 24. So I'll be in observation 23 hrs plus some minutes, and then released...which to my calculations will be like 5 am the next day! Ridiculous. I will not be a happy camper...i was told they come in and bend and straighten my knee right away and before I leave I have to be able to stand and somewhat walk with my crutches. Give someone tons of pain medicine and then 2 sticks to balance on....who came up with that????

Anyone...that's the latest development. My Mom got here last night, so she's probably still sleeping with the Baxter by her side.

nerves are settin in

I picked up my paperwork today, tomorrow I turn it in to HR and then it's all uphill from there. Paid some medical bills tonight (can't wait for those to start piling up). My Mom is making the PA to TX drive alone, well she says she's not alone cause she has Baxter (her dog), but he can't drive. I'm soooo worried about her! That's such a long drive. I'm so scared someone is going to break into her car and steal Baxter...sounds irrational but hello...it happened in Ft Worth a month ago!

Me, I'm nervous bout my surgery and all, but at this point there is nothing I can do...it has to be done. Sure I've had the dreams where something goes wrong and I lose my leg or worse, I die...but it's all in God's hands with this one. Anyone who says they don't think about that stuff before a big surgery is full of it.

Anywho...that's it until Monday. I'll probably have someone else post a quick thing saying I'm okay. I did set it up so y'all could leave comments under "anonymous" if you want.
Cheers,
Kristi

nothing new...

Nothing new to report. Just waiting for the Dr's office to call me to go pick up all my paperwork so I can turn it into the HR dept at work. First off I had to pay $20 to get my dr's office to fill out the paperwork...stupid but I can see why, it's pretty tedious.

other than that, don't get me started on how my short term disability works out. that's a whole other story.