Knee to be Free

Medical & Drug Information Guides

2006-04-20T21:07:00.000-04:00

FDA Index to Drug-Specific Information
MedlinePlus Health Encyclopedia

Guide to Knee Pain

2006-04-20T20:31:00.000-04:00

The location of knee pain can help identify the problem. Pain on the front of the knee can be due to bursitis, arthritis, or softening of the patella cartilage as in chrondromalacia patella. Pain on the sides of the knee is commonly related to injuries to the collateral ligaments, arthritis, or tears to the meniscuses. Pain in the back of the knee can be caused by arthritis or cysts, known as Baker’s cysts. Baker’s cysts are an accumulation of joint fluid (synovial fluid) that forms behind the knee. Overall knee pain can be due to bursitis, arthritis, tears in the ligaments, osteoarthritis of the joint, or infection.Instability, or giving way, is also another common knee problem. Instability is usually associated with damage or problems with the meniscuses, collateral ligaments, or patella tracking.

Amby Sandy writes a short post

2006-03-27T00:13:00.000-05:00

I promise not to write too much 'cause I've already taken my Ambien, but I was feeling neglecting of this board, so with buttered cigarettes at hand, I am ready:

hey - I'm alive! I'm about 10 weeks post op now. i have an added 6weeks on no weight barring, but I can take that darn Brace off. Doc gave me another 6 weeks of no weight (it's like the groundhog & shadow thing "six more weeks of winter!!!

I will answer anything and all tomorrow. I've been suffering from a deeply entrenched sinus infection causing copious quantities of post-nasal drip to go throw the throat to the tummy and then belch! If that wasn't fun enough, I have an ear infection too. My head is just a big ole' snotty ball. Anyway, will go to doctor and find out more.

do to the chronic post nasal drip hacking and associated knee pain I haven't updated my site. but have no fear I will

I disavow myself from any silly things I might have said here.

Inquiring minds want to know...

2006-02-10T21:54:00.000-05:00

Today I'm answering viewer email (oh, i always wanted to say that):

1. Post-op brace: I came out of surgery with the bledsoe brace with the hinge locked straight.

I also have a Cyro Cuff over my knee which allows me to keep my knee iced down. It's great to use even without surgery.

When did they let you unwrap it? (Again, I had to wait a week which meant sponge baths for 1 week): Um, well, I kind of did it on my own, for the photos

2. Are you using a CPM machine, are you moving (bending) on your own? Do you start PT soon or does your Dr have you wait until after weight-bearing time? No, no, I don't know and I don't know.

Today is one week post surgery. I have my follow up on Monday. I kind of flay my leg around and hope the brace doesn't rotate. It did yesterday and I think that maybe why I had the increase in pain. I keep moving it back in place.

I never finished entering my hospital story - I did jot all my thoughts down so I should be able to recreate the same feelings I had. Time heals all and makes memories less painful: Oh it wasn't that bad. But it was bad and left me in a pensive mood.

My question is: what makes us get through the hard moments and why do the memories of them get softer with time?

When you need to cheer up

2006-02-09T23:10:00.001-05:00

It's a smogarboard of incredibly cute pictures.

bad bad day

2006-02-09T21:56:00.000-05:00

it's 10pm. it's been a bad day. I woke up in agony at 6am and l6 hours later it's no better. I guess everyone has a bad day. I'm having pain at the wedge site. Last night I was having scar tissue pain. Not sure if it was old or new scar tissue, but it feels like a quick sharp jab. It's like the Spanish Inquistion - no-one expects it! (monty phyton joke)

I heard my knee crack a couple of times and I started freaking out.

Good news is.... well don't really know if you want to know, but it has something to do with morphine side effects and the bathroom.

I'll try to answer questions tomorrow.

Flickr

2006-02-08T23:49:00.000-05:00

This is a test post from , a fancy photo sharing thing.

It's Tuesday?

2006-02-08T17:53:00.000-05:00

It's Tuesday, I think. Nope, it's Wednesday. I posted the photos today so check 'um out. I'm taking a break from the riveting story of the hospital and me. But stay tuned, Nurse Ratched is up next!

My update for today is okay. The burst of energy I had yesterday is gone. Today I'm finally experiencing NORMAL PAIN. I find myself examining my life post-knee injury in a different way. Interesting, eh? Or it could be just the pills.

I've got to go, my most excellent assistant DAVE is making me Fried Chicken. Dave earned heaven browny points - he took my 87 yr old mom to Wal-Mart in the Jeep (she used a stool to get in). Then my mom convinced him to go to C-Town (yeah right!)

A second is forever...

2006-02-07T17:37:00.000-05:00

Don't feel like writing but I'll crank out as much as I can. I used up my "social energy" when a friend called and we talked for 20 minutes.

...Now I'm on the recovery floor in a two bed'r, nearest to the door. No room with a view for me. Suddenly my Mom, Millie, Dave and Jamie (neighbor and food connection) are with me, trying to look brave. I tried to look brave too, but neither of us where doing a good job. Nurse Debbie comes in and evaluates me. OK Sandra, we've got you on the 18/1800 diet. You're diabetic, right? No. I have metabolic syndrome. I get a blank stare back. Look it's a real thing, but apparently no one at UConn knows about it. My brave Millie trying to ensure I get good food and not diabetic food defends me, but Nurse Debbie throws them all out.

This is Millie's Friday update to everyone:

Sandy had surgery on her knee today and just wanted to let people
know that she's doing okay. PAIN but, okay. She'll be in the hospital for a few days.

and

went back to the hospital around 6pm. she looked much better. the meds
were not prescribed properly hence the great deal of pain. by 6pm she
was doing better and she ate some food and was doing her favorite
thing. Watching TV. we have a hookup who is a chef at the hospital so,
she at least gets what she wants to eat and, it actually tastes
awesome. sometimes it is: Who you know.
tomorrow is another day and, i'll be there again around 11 to spend my
day with my sweetie. to be continued
millie

Next, Nurse Chris. She was great. She told me about her mom breaking her back and being in constant chronic pain. She managed to get the pain pump meds upped and tried to help as much as she could.

Friday night I got some of my meds and fell asleep only to be awoken 1 1/2 hours later (12:30AM). ARGH!!!!! PAIN!!!! PAIN!!!!! BTW Prince was on TV Friday night.

Nasty surprise number 1: you can't push a button when you're sleeping. Oh great!

Fell asleep again and POW, BAM, BOOM I'm up and in agony. I look at the clock, it's 2 AM. I watch the clock that's right in front of me. Tick..........Tock.......... Tick.......Tock...................Tick. The femoral block they gave me has worn off, the surgery drugs are gone and I start thinking.....
Why did I do this? What was I thinking? I'm an idiot? I wonder if it hurts as much when your leg is cut off? Tick.......... Shit. What time did the nurse say I got meds again? I know, if she doesn't come by the time the big hand is over there I ring for her.....Tock. Screw it! I'm ringing now.

Beep, beep, beep, beep. Pump is running low. Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep. Meds are gone. Where's the Nurse? I went through 4 vials of morphine.

more later.....

Wake Up Sandra!!

2006-02-06T16:55:00.000-05:00

It's Monday 5pm. I've been home now for about 24 hours. I managed to make myself come home Sunday - cause I couldn't take another night in the hospital.

I had to be at the hospital 6:30am. Arrgh. I went to sleep at 11pm. Then, suddenly, the nurse is waking me up from anesthesia and telling me everything went ok. But I'm not okay because I'm having trouble breathing. So I start to yell at the nurse when I suddenly realized I was sleeping and had the pillow over my face. What a way to start the day! Can I cancel yet? No.

It's 6:30am and I'm reading a mint copy of "Popular Mechanics, January 1990". The Saturn was the new car with the new thinking that was going to save GM. Fifteen years later and GM is still having problems.

They finally start the poking and prodding. The anesthesiologist said that they'd have to put a tube down my throat because of my breathing anatomy and because it's a long, long major surgery. Oh great now I'm feeling much better! Hey I got an idea: I'll just cancel half the surgery and then it won't be a bad thing. No. Nobody liked that idea.

They're wheeling me in and make me scoot over to the operating table. I ask about a final pee and with a chuckle the nurse says "oh we'll take care of that". Hmph. Put your arm over here and...out like a light.

Happy happy dreams, then "Wake up Sandra! Wake up! It's over, everything went well. Sandra wake up". Poking, prodding, beeping, blood pressure cuff squeezing. I start yelling, PAIN!! I'm in pain! Does anyone care. No. I'm grasping to the sheets so hard, my fingers and knuckles are white and I'm hitting that stupid Morphine drip thing. They want to take an xray and I yell - NO I'm in pain. Why aren't I passing out from the pain? Aren't you supposed to pass out with intense pain? The answer: no. "Sandra, you control the pain relief, press the button" says the nurse. Gee it would have been nice to let me know that before I had surgery. On the positive side: no vomiting.

Now they bring me to the room and the first thing I do is grab the TV remote control. I need to hear someone else talking, not just my brain telling me I fucked up.

more to come....

High Tibial Knee Osteotomy ...and ACL Replacement

2006-02-02T19:58:00.000-05:00

It's the night before my knee surgery and I'm excited and nervous. I'm having a having a High Tibial Knee Osteotomy and ACL replacement to be followed by another surgery in 6-12 months. A technical description can be found here High Tibial Knee Osteotomy . I'll be in the hospital for 2-3 days, followed by 6 weeks of no weight on my leg followed by another 6 weeks of minimal weight.

Wow, I don't really know what to say or how to say it. I felt a little better after I found Cassandra Unhinged. She just went through the same surgery and included some post-op pictures. Even though it may look bad to you, to me, it looks pretty good. It's a lot better than I thought it would. Cassandra only had half of the surgery I'm having so I expect more swelling.

It's 8:30pm and I have to be at the hospital at 6:30am -not my favorite time - for surgery at 7:30am. The surgery is 4 1/2 hours. My partner Millie is going to be helping out. Her son Dave has been helping me get ready and will be taking care of me post-op. I'm very lucky to have both of them. My 88 year old mother (don't tell her I told you how old she is) who lives under me is stressing and has been driving me crazy for the last 2 weeks. I don't know what's worse: her anxiety or mine!

That's it for now. I'll try to post some pre-op pictures.