OUCH!!!
Last night was probably the most painful/uncomfortable night I have ever spent. I managed to sleep off and on for about an hour at a time. This, in spite of the multiple pain pills I was on. No matter what I tried to do, I simply couldn't get comfortable.
Between when I got home on Wednesday and tonight, I spent the majority of my time moving from one couch to the other. The CPM machine is on one couch, so there is no room to sit on it after the two hours at a time is completed. Keep in mind that the couches are about 5 feet apart from each other. So, it should be simple to move back and forth...IT'S NOT!!!
I had to move about 3 remote controls (one for the TV, one for the XBox, and one for the cable box) along with my cell phone, pillows, drink and anything else I might need. All this while hopping on one leg...not fun...not fun at all.
Anyway, thank god for the CPM machine and for the leg exercises. I think the swelling has gone down tremendously. I can quickly get to 90 degrees on the CPM machine and spend most of the two hours on that setting. Also, while quite painful, the leg exercises really helped a lot too!!
So, I managed to scoot butt first up the stairs and am going to attempt a good nights sleep in my bed. Also, before I sign off, I have to give a HUGE thank you to my mom!! She brought me McD pancakes each of the last two mornings and has helped by taking my poor puppy out as well. Not to mention, she picked up the XBox for me last night as well.
All in all, things are headed down the right path. Despite being almost totally immobile, my spirits are still super high and I am very optimistic. Who knows what a decent nights sleep will bring.
Until tomorrow...
Z
Friday, July 31, 2009
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Day 1 - Post Surgery
Well,
Sleep was near impossible. There still isn't much pain, but I can't really sleep on my back. I drifted in and out of sleep most of the night. The nerve block should completely wear off today, so hopefully the pain doesn't get worse. The biggest problem I have is that the muscles in my leg don't listen to what my brain tells them. It's extremely difficult to bend my knee or lift my leg up without using my hands to move it. I think this is normal, but will check with the nurse today. All in all, I am still extremely positive and excited about getting better. My mom just dropped off some pancakes, so I am gonna eat them now while I do another 2 hours on the CPM machine.
More later,
Z
Sleep was near impossible. There still isn't much pain, but I can't really sleep on my back. I drifted in and out of sleep most of the night. The nerve block should completely wear off today, so hopefully the pain doesn't get worse. The biggest problem I have is that the muscles in my leg don't listen to what my brain tells them. It's extremely difficult to bend my knee or lift my leg up without using my hands to move it. I think this is normal, but will check with the nurse today. All in all, I am still extremely positive and excited about getting better. My mom just dropped off some pancakes, so I am gonna eat them now while I do another 2 hours on the CPM machine.
More later,
Z
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
CPM Machine
So,
My CPM machine just arrived. Basically, I sit in it and it just moves my knee between bent and extended. My target is to get to 90 degrees (the bend necessary to go up stairs) for 8 hours a day until I see the doctor for a follow up on Monday. If all goes well, I will soon get to 125 degrees which is full range of motion. I have to do this for 8 hours a day for the next three weeks. Add that to the 1-2 hours of exercizes and its gonna be a long ride. But, I am up for it!!! It feels good to finally be moving in the right direction!!!!!
Lets see how the pain level is tomorrow after the nerve block wears off...
That's all for today,
Z
My CPM machine just arrived. Basically, I sit in it and it just moves my knee between bent and extended. My target is to get to 90 degrees (the bend necessary to go up stairs) for 8 hours a day until I see the doctor for a follow up on Monday. If all goes well, I will soon get to 125 degrees which is full range of motion. I have to do this for 8 hours a day for the next three weeks. Add that to the 1-2 hours of exercizes and its gonna be a long ride. But, I am up for it!!! It feels good to finally be moving in the right direction!!!!!
Lets see how the pain level is tomorrow after the nerve block wears off...
That's all for today,
Z
Success, Drugs and Rehab!!
Well, I don't mean it like that!!
I had to get up at 5am this morning in order to get down to the hospital at 6am. They checked me in and the wait began. I almost freaked out after I changed into the hospital gown and they hooked me in to the IV, heart monitor and oxygen sensor. Unfortunately, I have spent my fair share of time with my dad in way too many hospitals. I am not sure if it was the subconscious reminder of my dad, or just the fear of the surgery, but it too me a good half hour to calm down.
Anyway, I sat there waiting for another hour after calming down before they called me into surgery. At that point, I received some IV sedative to knock me out. And oh boy, did it do jus that - next thing you know, I was awake and out of surgery. I also received a nerve block in addition to the pain killers, so right now I can't really feel my knee, so there isn't really any pain. I do feel a dull "ache", so I think it is going to be a different story once the block wears off.
The doctor ended up doing three different microfractures on three different locations in my knee. He and his assistant told me it was a success. Hopefully confirming that thought, the knee already seems to feel better. I know that I can't tell for sure because of the nerve block, but it doesn't feel as tight and the range of motion doesn't feel as limited. I will know more for sure tomorrow.
Rehab begins today too!!! I have to do ankle pumps, quad sets, straight leg raises, and hip and knee bends. I can't wait to get started and have already done some of the exercises (some I can't do because of the nerve block).
At this point I am feeling great given what I just went through. Whatever drugs they gave me produced a serious buzz. On top of that, I have a euphoria related to starting the next chapter in my life. I am so pumped up about getting better - there is no way to describe it in words!!
Last, I want to make a note about crutches. THEY SUCK!!!! Especially with NO weight bearing. Go up the stairs to get my laptop was enough of a pain. I then had to put the laptop into its bag, crutch back to the stairs, and proceed down one step at a time on my ass in order to make sure that I didn't accidentally put any pressure on my knee.
This is going to be an uphill battle. But I am going take the challenge head on!!
Now I just need a tattoo to help keep me focused.
DO WORK SON!!!!!!!!
I had to get up at 5am this morning in order to get down to the hospital at 6am. They checked me in and the wait began. I almost freaked out after I changed into the hospital gown and they hooked me in to the IV, heart monitor and oxygen sensor. Unfortunately, I have spent my fair share of time with my dad in way too many hospitals. I am not sure if it was the subconscious reminder of my dad, or just the fear of the surgery, but it too me a good half hour to calm down.
Anyway, I sat there waiting for another hour after calming down before they called me into surgery. At that point, I received some IV sedative to knock me out. And oh boy, did it do jus that - next thing you know, I was awake and out of surgery. I also received a nerve block in addition to the pain killers, so right now I can't really feel my knee, so there isn't really any pain. I do feel a dull "ache", so I think it is going to be a different story once the block wears off.
The doctor ended up doing three different microfractures on three different locations in my knee. He and his assistant told me it was a success. Hopefully confirming that thought, the knee already seems to feel better. I know that I can't tell for sure because of the nerve block, but it doesn't feel as tight and the range of motion doesn't feel as limited. I will know more for sure tomorrow.
Rehab begins today too!!! I have to do ankle pumps, quad sets, straight leg raises, and hip and knee bends. I can't wait to get started and have already done some of the exercises (some I can't do because of the nerve block).
At this point I am feeling great given what I just went through. Whatever drugs they gave me produced a serious buzz. On top of that, I have a euphoria related to starting the next chapter in my life. I am so pumped up about getting better - there is no way to describe it in words!!
Last, I want to make a note about crutches. THEY SUCK!!!! Especially with NO weight bearing. Go up the stairs to get my laptop was enough of a pain. I then had to put the laptop into its bag, crutch back to the stairs, and proceed down one step at a time on my ass in order to make sure that I didn't accidentally put any pressure on my knee.
This is going to be an uphill battle. But I am going take the challenge head on!!
Now I just need a tattoo to help keep me focused.
DO WORK SON!!!!!!!!
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Less than 24 hours till the "BIG DAY"
So,
Here I am about 18 hours away from surgery. I know I am approaching one of those "life is never going to be the same as it was before this day" moments. On the bright side, I will be able to look back in a few months and quote my favorite movie - Swingers (you know, the one with Jon Favereau and Vince Vaughn):
"Don't tell me we didn't make it. We made it. We're here. And everything that is past is prologue to this, all the shit that didn't kill us is only - ya know, all that shit... You're gonna get over it."
In the meantime, I am gearing up for 6-8 weeks of crutches, hopping up and down the stairs, carpooling to work, and some ridiculous number of never ending knee bends. Thank goodness I have a great group of friends and family that will help me through, not to mention the best puppy in the world.
The bottom line is this: I am deterimined to make this a positive, to come out of it all with a better knee and as a better person. I just want the surgery to be behind me so that I can start the next chapter in my life. I just hope it isn't too painful in the beginning.
Anyway, more tomorrow and in the days to come.
Wish me luck :)
Here I am about 18 hours away from surgery. I know I am approaching one of those "life is never going to be the same as it was before this day" moments. On the bright side, I will be able to look back in a few months and quote my favorite movie - Swingers (you know, the one with Jon Favereau and Vince Vaughn):
"Don't tell me we didn't make it. We made it. We're here. And everything that is past is prologue to this, all the shit that didn't kill us is only - ya know, all that shit... You're gonna get over it."
In the meantime, I am gearing up for 6-8 weeks of crutches, hopping up and down the stairs, carpooling to work, and some ridiculous number of never ending knee bends. Thank goodness I have a great group of friends and family that will help me through, not to mention the best puppy in the world.
The bottom line is this: I am deterimined to make this a positive, to come out of it all with a better knee and as a better person. I just want the surgery to be behind me so that I can start the next chapter in my life. I just hope it isn't too painful in the beginning.
Anyway, more tomorrow and in the days to come.
Wish me luck :)
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Two weeks until surgery
Hey there,
Thanks for checking out my blog. I am having knee surgery in two weeks and wanted to put something out there for other people that might be in the same spot that I am in. When I first found out about my knee I found a couple of other people who had done the same thing and it really helped me figure out what I needed to do.
It all started back in February, a day after my 30th birthday. I was playing basketball and I heard something pop in my left knee. I figured it wasn't a big deal, kept playing and played again a few days later. Eventually, the pain subsided and I thought everything was back to normal. Then, in April, my knee began to be more and more uncomfortable. I waited until May, broke down, and went into the doctor. He ordered an X-Ray, an MRI and told me I likely had a torn meniscus. This would be an easy fix and I would be back to normal in a few weeks.
I went in a few days later to get my MRI results. Bad news. I had articular cartilage damage. The doctor told me I needed microfracture surgery and that he had a cancellation the next day and to call in if I wanted to take that appointment.
I did a ton of research on the internet and eventually decided to see a number of doctors to figure out what to do. In the end I saw 5 different doctors. All of them said the damage was properly diagnosed and that I would need either microfracture surgery or cartilage implantation. The hardest thing to accept was that I will never play basketball again (I played through high school and college).
After talking to all the doctors, my family and doing more research, I decided on microfracture instead of cartilage implantation. Rehab is shorter, the surgery is less expensive, less invasive and for the type of damage I have, about equally likely to be successful.
The past month has been spent in the swimming pool trying to get in shape for my surgery. I could barely do two laps without resting when I started. I am now up to 48 (which is a mile and a half). My target is to do three miles before my surgery.
After that, its 8 weeks on crutches with NO weight bearing and probably another 12 weeks until I can lose the crutches all together.
It is going to be a long haul, but hopefully in about 6 or 8 months I can be somewhat close to what I was before. I will update this blog throughout my rehab and hopefully it will help someone else who is going through the same thing.
14 days left...
Thanks for checking out my blog. I am having knee surgery in two weeks and wanted to put something out there for other people that might be in the same spot that I am in. When I first found out about my knee I found a couple of other people who had done the same thing and it really helped me figure out what I needed to do.
It all started back in February, a day after my 30th birthday. I was playing basketball and I heard something pop in my left knee. I figured it wasn't a big deal, kept playing and played again a few days later. Eventually, the pain subsided and I thought everything was back to normal. Then, in April, my knee began to be more and more uncomfortable. I waited until May, broke down, and went into the doctor. He ordered an X-Ray, an MRI and told me I likely had a torn meniscus. This would be an easy fix and I would be back to normal in a few weeks.
I went in a few days later to get my MRI results. Bad news. I had articular cartilage damage. The doctor told me I needed microfracture surgery and that he had a cancellation the next day and to call in if I wanted to take that appointment.
I did a ton of research on the internet and eventually decided to see a number of doctors to figure out what to do. In the end I saw 5 different doctors. All of them said the damage was properly diagnosed and that I would need either microfracture surgery or cartilage implantation. The hardest thing to accept was that I will never play basketball again (I played through high school and college).
After talking to all the doctors, my family and doing more research, I decided on microfracture instead of cartilage implantation. Rehab is shorter, the surgery is less expensive, less invasive and for the type of damage I have, about equally likely to be successful.
The past month has been spent in the swimming pool trying to get in shape for my surgery. I could barely do two laps without resting when I started. I am now up to 48 (which is a mile and a half). My target is to do three miles before my surgery.
After that, its 8 weeks on crutches with NO weight bearing and probably another 12 weeks until I can lose the crutches all together.
It is going to be a long haul, but hopefully in about 6 or 8 months I can be somewhat close to what I was before. I will update this blog throughout my rehab and hopefully it will help someone else who is going through the same thing.
14 days left...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)