Thursday, January 27, 2011
Microfracture Surgery recovery week 7 Jan 27, 2011
Well I have a cold thanks to my little ones. I am thankful that I am able to work from home as much as I have. I just tripped and fell hopping around, it hurt a little but the paint went away instantly. I am really hoping I didn't just screw up my surgery. I go back to the doctor on Feb 3rd. I have been reading other blogs and some people get braces that are locked so they have to walk stiff legged and some get a custom brace to take weight off the knee cap. My doctor did tell me he may fit me for one of those, I am curious as to what my next step will be. When I do my leg lifts I have noticed that my leg looks crooked I wonder if that is normal? Next Thursday can't get here soon enough.
Friday, January 21, 2011
Microfracture Surgery recovery week 6 Jan 21, 2011
I have discovered the source of my lower calf pain. My leg is swelling because I am not able to keep it elevated while I am at work. As soon as I got home last night my foot was feeling tight in my shoe. When I removed my shoe I noticed my ankle was swollen. I laid on the couch and elevated my leg for the rest of the evening but it didn't help my ankle is still swollen today. I stayed home from work and contacted the doctors office. They said the swelling is normal and will become painful if I don't keep my leg elevated. I am going to have to figure something out on how to elevate my leg at work.
I was reading another blog about microfracture surgery and they listed things they had to help them get through the 8 weeks of hell. I too will tell you what I have done to try and make things easier for me.
I used an office chair on wheels for down stairs. If you have tile being able to sit and roll yourself around will help you tremendously especially in the kitchen. A chair on wheels will allow you to get a drink and carry it to the couch or a bowl of soup. Upstairs I borrowed a walker with wheels, a seat, and hand brakes to help me get around and do laundry. Remember if you are on crutches your hands are occupied and what you can carry is very limited. When I do use my crutches and need to carry something I use backpacks but it throws off your balance if it is too heavy. I also borrowed a shower chair, I found this VERY helpful in the beginning when I was learning how to balance on one foot all the time. Five weeks later I still use it just to make my life easier. I have five kids and a loving husband so I try to spread out my requests for help so one person isn't being burdened by me all the time.
I was reading another blog about microfracture surgery and they listed things they had to help them get through the 8 weeks of hell. I too will tell you what I have done to try and make things easier for me.
I used an office chair on wheels for down stairs. If you have tile being able to sit and roll yourself around will help you tremendously especially in the kitchen. A chair on wheels will allow you to get a drink and carry it to the couch or a bowl of soup. Upstairs I borrowed a walker with wheels, a seat, and hand brakes to help me get around and do laundry. Remember if you are on crutches your hands are occupied and what you can carry is very limited. When I do use my crutches and need to carry something I use backpacks but it throws off your balance if it is too heavy. I also borrowed a shower chair, I found this VERY helpful in the beginning when I was learning how to balance on one foot all the time. Five weeks later I still use it just to make my life easier. I have five kids and a loving husband so I try to spread out my requests for help so one person isn't being burdened by me all the time.
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Microfracture Surgery Recovery week 5 1/16/2011
Today I rested all day. The stairs have me down. I am sick and tired of them and I hate that my bed is up there so I stayed upstairs all day. I am still having pain in my calf and I am thinking maybe it is due to the muscle atrophy.
Friday, January 14, 2011
My recovery from microfracture surgery
On December 20th, 2010 I had micro-fracture surgery. I had been struggling with knee pain for 3 years and been to my family physician and an orthopedic doctor who misdiagnosed me. The MRI showed that I had arthritis in my knee and they never looked farther. In my frustration I went to the Core Institute and took the same MRI to Dr. Marcus who saw that I had a tear in my cartilage. I went in for surgery and found out that the damage was worse than the MRI showed (probably because I was running and exercising on it for the last 3 years) and I had to have the Micro-fracture surgery. So know I am bound to crutches for the next 8 weeks. I have NEVER looked forward to Valentines day so much in my life.
I am a married woman in my mid 30's with 5 children the youngest is 7. We have a two story house and of course my room is upstairs along with the laundry room. If you have never been on crutches the hardest part for me is not having any hands to carry anything. I have become very creative to get things from one place to another. I am very thankful for the stores with motorized scooters and wheelchairs.
This is my 4th week and I will try to back track as much as I can remember.
Week 1: Came home and lived down stairs for the first week. Took pain pills regularly but only because I was afraid that I would be in a lot of pain and not be able to control it once it began. The pills made me itch and I had to take Benadryl with the Vicodin so I sleep really well. At the end of the week I only took the meds at night when I went to bed. I have been doing my leg lifts and point and flex exercise regularly. The leg lifts are extremely hard, they don't hurt but my leg does not want to move. I have to look at it and mentally will it up. I ice my knee all through out the day. It is always swollen.
Week 2: Went to the doctors for a check up and to get the stitches out. Knee looks good and he encourage me to continue the exercise and to try and bend my leg into a 90 degree angle, it is at a 120 degree angle now. At night when I am lying in bed my heart has been fluttering and I feel light headed. It doesn't last long but it has been happening more frequently. I think this might be anxiety from the mental stress of crutches and my limitations. It is very hard not being able to do what I want to do. I have moved back upstairs. Climbing the stairs is NO fun.
Week 3: Totally depressed want to cry all day and very grumpy. I think I am upset that I can't clean the house and of course the 5 kids don't want to help. Also I can't go anywhere I am stuck at home. It seams like if I am downstairs I want something upstairs and if I am upstairs I am hungry and want to go down. I am totally off any pain medicine and am not sleeping well at night not sure if it's stress or my knee.
Week 4: Kicked the depression even though the Christmas tree is still up and it is January 14th. I have been driving and can't wait for this week to be over with. Starting next week it is all down hill. I go back to the doctor Feb 3rd. I don't know what to expect. I have read some blogs where the person started putting weight on his leg after 4 weeks. My doctor was pretty insistent that it will be 8 weeks for me but by the time my appointment rolls around I will be in week 6. I am still doing my leg exercises but the muscle in my thigh has decreased significantly. I have been doing three sets of 30 leg lifts every morning and try to do more during the day as time allows. I do the calf exercises (point and flex) all day long. I am scared that I will be on crutches for another 8 weeks learning how to walk again. I hope the other bloggers I read were wrong. I have been sleeping fine this week so I chalk last week insomnia to depression.
I am a married woman in my mid 30's with 5 children the youngest is 7. We have a two story house and of course my room is upstairs along with the laundry room. If you have never been on crutches the hardest part for me is not having any hands to carry anything. I have become very creative to get things from one place to another. I am very thankful for the stores with motorized scooters and wheelchairs.
This is my 4th week and I will try to back track as much as I can remember.
Week 1: Came home and lived down stairs for the first week. Took pain pills regularly but only because I was afraid that I would be in a lot of pain and not be able to control it once it began. The pills made me itch and I had to take Benadryl with the Vicodin so I sleep really well. At the end of the week I only took the meds at night when I went to bed. I have been doing my leg lifts and point and flex exercise regularly. The leg lifts are extremely hard, they don't hurt but my leg does not want to move. I have to look at it and mentally will it up. I ice my knee all through out the day. It is always swollen.
Week 2: Went to the doctors for a check up and to get the stitches out. Knee looks good and he encourage me to continue the exercise and to try and bend my leg into a 90 degree angle, it is at a 120 degree angle now. At night when I am lying in bed my heart has been fluttering and I feel light headed. It doesn't last long but it has been happening more frequently. I think this might be anxiety from the mental stress of crutches and my limitations. It is very hard not being able to do what I want to do. I have moved back upstairs. Climbing the stairs is NO fun.
Week 3: Totally depressed want to cry all day and very grumpy. I think I am upset that I can't clean the house and of course the 5 kids don't want to help. Also I can't go anywhere I am stuck at home. It seams like if I am downstairs I want something upstairs and if I am upstairs I am hungry and want to go down. I am totally off any pain medicine and am not sleeping well at night not sure if it's stress or my knee.
Week 4: Kicked the depression even though the Christmas tree is still up and it is January 14th. I have been driving and can't wait for this week to be over with. Starting next week it is all down hill. I go back to the doctor Feb 3rd. I don't know what to expect. I have read some blogs where the person started putting weight on his leg after 4 weeks. My doctor was pretty insistent that it will be 8 weeks for me but by the time my appointment rolls around I will be in week 6. I am still doing my leg exercises but the muscle in my thigh has decreased significantly. I have been doing three sets of 30 leg lifts every morning and try to do more during the day as time allows. I do the calf exercises (point and flex) all day long. I am scared that I will be on crutches for another 8 weeks learning how to walk again. I hope the other bloggers I read were wrong. I have been sleeping fine this week so I chalk last week insomnia to depression.
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