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My Road to Recovery |
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Pictures from My Surgery |
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| May 30.01 - No Progress So, in the past month I've had needles pushed into my legs and wiggled around to test my nerves. I've had Electrical shocks shot through my legs and have had more MRI's done on my Spine and pelvis. Results? Nada! Now this new quack of a dr I'm going to see says he wants to do a "nerve block" because one of my vertebrea seems to be swollen and possibly pushing on my nerve cord. But he doesn't tihnk it will work. Sure why not, I love injections into my spine! Not happy, hate this new guy and want it to be all over! Argh! |
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| May 03.01 - New Dr Went and met my new dr today. I guess I'm done with my old dr for the time being, kind of weird. New dr seems cool, I don't like the group he's with though. He practises with my old dr from a ways back. Soon as he saw the condition I'm in he had a lot to say. Going to get an EMG done on the 15th to see if my athrophy is nerve related and we'll go from there. So, more waiting... |
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| Apr 17.01 - 3.5 month check up Went to see my orthopeadic. Wasn't to happy about my progress (summertime and I can't enjoy it) Dr wasn't to happy either. Still suffering from atrophy, whichs causes some tracking problems with my patella. End result: referrel to anopther specialist. This time an orthopeadic that deals with stroke patients. No, not that I have that problem but my dr feels that something is wrong with me, neuromuscular-wise. Quads just don't seem to be responding. |
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| Feb 09.01 - Doc Appt OS was very pleased with my progress. Still don't have much of a VMO or Quad but it's coming. He said that I'm doing just as well without therapy so I will continue my at home exercises and keep the E-STIM machine. I have a lot of clicking and squishy noises when I do leg extensions and they are still somewhat difficult to do but OS says that is because my quads aren't pulling the knee cap up like they are supposed to do. Until I get my muscles back in shape I''m going to have a lot of patellar movement problems. I can go back to work, mid way through my day I can put my patella brace on. Also taking classes so we'll see how I can handle all of this work. Legs get sore just from going to the classes! OS said that I should expect tenderness and swelling when I go back to work, just like last time. I'll see him in one month and hopefully will have something that resembles a quad. |
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| Jan 24.01 - Update OK so not much has happened since doctor's appt but figured an update was due. Went to therapy a few times but realized that since the doc wanted me to take it easy there wasn't much to do and it was quite expensive since my insurance may not be covering it. So I asked my doctor if I could just rent the ESTIM machine since that is the only thing I don't have at home. So, now I do the NMES machine twice a day along with my other exercises, maybe the increase in the stimulation machine will get those quads and vmo working a little more. Also taking some classes again it's rather difficult getting around campus, very tired by the end of the day. Still not back at work yet, we'll see what doc says at next appt on Feb 9th. |
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| Jan 12.01 - Doc Appt Doctor was very pleased with my ROM and said to keep it up. Told me not to worry so much with leg extensions (I'm in such pain after doing those!) but to really concentrate on the qauds. Wrote a new PT prescription and said to go slow for the first month and concentrate on doing leg raises etc for quad strength. Asked him about work (I was expecting to go back after this appointment) but he flat out said NO, last time I went to work my progress halted. Though the pain started a few days before I went to work. :) I asked him if I could go to school at least part time and he said that would be ok, just to take it easy. Next appt is in one month. Went to therapy, did all my exercises except the leg extensions. Therapist was confused because she thinks I really need to do leg extensions otherwise I won't gain quad strength. I told her I could do them every once in a while but to not pay so much attention to them. Hopefully in a month my left leg will look like my right leg and I'll be back in action, or at least almost there! |
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Jan 05.01 - Swollen Well the time has come to finally have some pain and swelling I suppose. Took it easy at therapy yesterday and today, only did leg raises and STEM, a little massage and the STIM machine that helps swelling back down. Still swollen, going to be a long weekend trying to keep it down and to keep my ROM. Yesterday I got my stitches removed so now the other big task is to keep massaging them so no additional scar tissue builds up. Call for the company to come take the CPM machine away but they never showed so I suppose I'll work on that some more this week, deffinitely wont hurt!
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| Jan 02.01 - Back to PT Feeling pretty good, some soreness coming on but hopefully that will subside. Second day back at therapy went rather well, got back on the bike, did all my exercises and only had a problem doing leg extensions. Hearing a little snap, crackle and pop in the lower region of my knee, not too pleasant. Therapist said she had a dream that I would come in and not be able to bend my knee at all, she knows me all to well! Flexion is now at 130 degrees and extension is at 0 degree, so far so good with doctor's orders. Actually ahead of schedule. |
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| Dec 29.00 - Post OP Well, basically 24 hours later I'm at my OS's office for my check-up. Can already put some weight on my leg and I don't feel as groggy and basically out of it as I did last time. He took out one stitch and removed my drainage tube and bandaged that incision back up, let me tell you it's not fun oozing out stuff every time you stand up! Next week I'll stop by and get the remaining stitches removed. I'm to be on the CPM machine as much as I can stand it. Game plan is 90 degrees flexion in one week. OS is going on vacation so next appointment isn't until the 12th of January. If my knee isn't bending by then my OS said he and my knee are going ot have a fight, and he'll win! Went over arthroscopic pictures and he explained exactly what happened. Scar tissue acquired so speedily that before I got my ROM (range of motion) back the scar tissue had already trapped my kneecap down, it had wrapped itself around my patellar tendon. My OS had never fathomed this when trying to diagnose because I hadn't had any problems with my pateller tendon area. This is why regaining my ROM swiftly is so important. My lateral release and all the work he did in my previous surgery is still intact, just have to be cautious of any adhesions. Next stop, physical therapy. Before I started any exercises my therapist measured me at 51 degrees so my goal is insight. Did straight leg raises, STEM machine, heel slides and a lot of stretching. By the end of my session my therapist remeasured me at 116 degrees, already beat the goal, wanted ot call my OS and tell him the good news but knowing me, let's see if I can keep it until the 12th! |
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