coming to confession, or just call me crash

[bmccasland]

It's been an eventful few weeks.....
As some of you know from the "old dog" thread, my 15-yr old dog, Nala, has crossed the rainbow bridge. So on the day I was riding my townie (a Breezer) over to the vet to pick up her ashes, I was hit by a car. Technically the accident was my fault, in the eyes of the law (if I had actually waited around for them to show up, but confirmed in talking to a friend who's a retired cop). The vet's office is just beyond my neighborhood, on the opposite corner of a major intersection. One of the major streets has a big drainage canal running down the center of it, so crossing to the other side is limited. Thus, I work my way through neighborhood streets to get almost to the intersection, then ride to the interesction on the sidewalk, going against traffic - or to be legal I could get off and walk. At the interesection there was a car stopped, but waiting to make a right turn, I proceed through the intersection, she starts, and hits me. It was at a slow enough speed that it was more like I was shoved over. Driver stopped, other people stop. I scoot to the sidewalk myself thinking two things - "how's my bike? and I'm starting vacation on sunday!" My left knee is swollen and unhappy, but otherwise I seem to be OK. A good Samaritan, helps me up, gets my bike, which seems to escape without a scratch, agrees to take me to the vet, then takes me home.

About an hour later my knee really really hurts, so I call a friend to take me to the ER. X-rays show no fracture, but Doc puts me in a brace and on crutches until I'm seen by an Orthopod. And I have minor road rash on my elbows.

Head off on vacation anyway on Sunday - an annual big camping event, with my knee in a brace. The event an hour and a half from here, and a friend has volunteered to drive me back to town for the Orthopod appointment.

Come in on Wednesday and see Orthopod - he gets one more x-ray of my knee, and does exam. No fracture, but "impressive bruising". My leg is bruised from my mid-thigh down to my ankle. He says I don't have to wear the brace, and crutches are optional, to take it easy, and to listen to my body, and come back in two weeks.

So that was a week and a half ago - I see him again this coming wednesday. My knee is still swollen, with a sore bruise on the side, doesn't want to bend very much, and I still have some bruises on my lower leg. I'm not sure what's normal in the healing process, for someone in my age group, and what's abnormal. I realize that I do take longer to heal that I did when I was 20, but I've never been this banged up before.

[OakLeaf]

((((((Beth)))))))

Heal up quick - emotionally and physically. :(

[Blueberry]

Did he do an MRI? That's really the only way to tell if there's damage to other than the bones in the knee (torn meniscus, etc).

Can't help you on healing times - I'm still dealing with the aftermath of a fall (onto concrete - non-bike related) from almost a year ago.

((Beth)) I'm so sorry - getting hit just sucks, but the timing really sucks:(

[Catrin]

The timing certainly wasn't good (not that there IS a good timing for such things). An MRI would certainly give a more complete picture of things.

Heal up quickly, sending warm thoughts and prayers your direction!

[bmccasland]

Today I get a phone call - telephone survey - about bicycling, traffic safety, knowledge of laws, and sharing the road.

Yeah, riding the one block on the sidewalk was technically wrong, and crossing in crosswalk, against traffic on my bike was wrong #2. But where do you meet being technically right - bicycles have a right to the road, and feeling safe being there? I could get closer to where I wanted to be by riding on neighborhood streets, but then I'm on the wrong side of the canal. According to my cop friend, to be legal, I was to dismount and walk my bike the rest of the way. I plain do not feel safe riding my bike on most of the streets around here. Of course, right now, I'm not riding anywhere. As it is, I'm not even walking very well. :rolleyes:

MRI - Dr. K mentioned it when I was in last, but he hasn't ordered one as of yet. We'll see what he does when I see him on wednesday. I wonder if his focus on tests has changed as he recently came back from Haiti? Or if he's just being conservative?

[Tri Girl]

Holy moly!! I'm glad you didn't get more seriously hurt. And right or wrong- it's not like you were riding against traffic in the road. I probably would have done the same thing as you. I live in a not-so-bicycle friendly place, and I won't ride to a few places because of the same situation you describe. Some intersections are so catty wampuss that it's nearly impossible to navigate safely. You did what you had to do- I'm just sorry you got clocked while doing it. :(

Heal up soon!!!

[lph]

Poor Beth! Don't beat yourself up about making an unwise shortcut, you're hardly the first one to do that, it's human. You take pictures of the bruising? We can compare :D

Hugs to you and Nalas memory, may the rest of the year be kind to you.

[redrhodie]

(((Beth))) Hope you get better soon. I'm also so sorry about Nala. I couldn't even read the other thread. What a bad week.

[MartianDestiny]

Sheesh! What a good run of bad luck!

You're injured enough, so don't beat yourself up too much over the sidewalk crossing. It may be illegal where you are, and maybe it wasn't the safest possible thing, but it's hardly an unforgivable sin. In my area it's perfectly legal to ride your bike across a crosswalk so long as you enter that crosswalk at a walking pace. That women may have hit you even if you had dismounted to cross; we'll never know.

Hope you heal up quickly.

[lunacycles]

damn. talk about adding insult to injury...so sorry about your beloved canine...so beautiful you were on your bike to pick up her ashes. So, seems perfectly right to say Do Not feel guilt about riding "wrongfully." Whatever that means in real world commuting... Here in Santa Fe, riding safely often means riding wrongfully, and I always cross myself (not even ever having been catholic) when I survive the somewhat wrongful bizarre path I often take to get to work safely.
Good luck healing to you. Yes, getting older sucks this way! Healing seems to take so much longer!

[Selkie]

Beth, you've certainly had a rough time of it lately. I hope you are feeling better -- physically and emotionally. On the plus side, the injury could have been so much worse...

I was t-boned by a rottweiler on my 2nd day of vacation in September - my bike and I ended up on the side of the trail, in the grass, thank goodness. Spectacular bruising all over my legs/hips. It took a couple weeks before the pain subsided. Arnica gel applied topically and those tiny arnica pills really helped.

I'm glad that Nala is back with you, at home. She's your guardian angel dog.

[Bike Chick]

Holy cow, Beth! What a scary, awful thing and what a tragedy that it happened when you were on your way to the vet to get Nala's ashes.

It may not have made a difference if you had been riding legal. We had two very tragic bike/car collisions in our area in the past week and the cyclists were riding legal. Between the crazy drivers and irresponsible dog owners, I am constantly on guard when I ride around our area anymore. It's very rural and folks aren't very bike friendly. DH and I talk about relocating when we retire. I want to move to a location where I can ride year 'round and that's bike friendly.....if there is such a place.

Here's wishing you heal quickly and are back on your bike soon.

[TriMom217]

just my 2 cents.....but don't wait for your doctor to order an MRI, TELL him you want one done!

I only say that because my experience has been that they sometimes shy away from expensive diagnostic tools even though your situation warrants it. I have learned to be my own best advocate in those situations. You need to do the same!

[tangentgirl]

Ouch, ouch, ouch! But I'm glad it was relatively minor.

[bmccasland]

Had the MRI this morning - and considering that I haven't been able to completely straighten my knee, having a small amount of weight on my knee, forcing it straight, got to be rather painful after 20 or so minutes. The technician had to cut the exam short, as I moved. I swear I didn't, but on the microscopic level who am I to argue?

PT starts in earnest this afternoon. Ice bag is currently on my knee to get it to forgive me for this morning's torture session.

[arielmoon]

Meep! I know about knee pain first hand (and both knees...LOL)

I hope it feels better soon!

[Biciclista]

I am still trying to figure out why this was your fault if you were in a crosswalk and a car hit you. were you crossing against a red light? (Is that what you mean by "against traffic?")

ps and just because your friend is a cop doesn't make him a law expert.
It was a cop that tried to force us into driving in the parking strip instead of the clearly marked sharrow....

[spokewench]

Sorry, I hope your knee gets better - and I understand about Nala's ashes. It is important to have them home. I was really sad to leave Big Kitty at the vet when we said goodbye to him; and it was good to bring him home later even though it was his ashes.

Heal up soon. spoke

[IFjane]

Beth, I am so sorry to hear about all you have been through! Know I am sending healing thoughts your way, both physically & emotionally...

[bmccasland]

I am still trying to figure out why this was your fault if you were in a crosswalk and a car hit you. were you crossing against a red light? (Is that what you mean by "against traffic?")

ps and just because your friend is a cop doesn't make him a law expert.
It was a cop that tried to force us into driving in the parking strip instead of the clearly marked sharrow....

Riding against the flow of traffic. My cop friend is a retired state trooper (was an investigator), and our state police are held in a bit better esteem (and better trained) than the local boys.


On a side note - I got an automated call last night from a lawyer's office. Now how they got my information is baffling to me. I've only sought MEDICAL care. No one else has my information about the accident. Other than this forum....

[OakLeaf]

On a side note - I got an automated call last night from a lawyer's office. Now how they got my information is baffling to me. I've only sought MEDICAL care. No one else has my information about the accident. Other than this forum....

You didn't actually READ the four (or more!) page privacy policy from the ER, the ortho and/or the PT, did you? If you did, you'd know exactly how the lawyer (and everyone else who could possibly profit from you now or in the future) got your information.

One of my doctors opted out of HIPAA to protect her patients' privacy when the law was first passed. But that meant that she couldn't participate in a lot of insurance companies' networks, and in any case patients had to pay her in full and file their own insurance claims, rather than paying the co-pay and letting the office file the claim as is the custom nowadays, and for financial reasons she wound up having to go to work for the local hospital affiliate. :(


Not that there ever has been any real privacy on the internets, either. :rolleyes:

IAE, hope you get to feeling better soon!

[MommyBird]

So sorry to hear about your injuries and at such a time as to add insult to injury.

One thing to remember is to always make eye contact with a driver before pulling out in their presence. This goes for driveways and intersections. You can never assume that a driver even knows you are there. Right-of-way means nothing if you have not been acknowledged.

[OakLeaf]

Eye contact means nothing, either.

I can't tell you how many times a car driver has looked me straight in the eyes and pulled right out in front of me, on the bici and moto both.

[bmccasland]

In the words of my Orthopod - "one messed up knee" :rolleyes:
Torn MCL, partial tearing of the ACL and PCL. Apparently the MCL will resolve itself with PT, and considering that I have stiffness problems and not instability problems we're doing the "wait and see" on the ACL and PCL. So a few weeks of PT are definitely in my future, to try to get function back in my knee. If I start having instability problems, to let him know, otherwise come back in 4-6 weeks.
Oh, and yes, as soon as my knee bends enough I can ride a bike again, "inside, in a controlled environment, like the PT clinic." I noted that he said "a" bike and not "your" bike.:o

[OakLeaf]

yeow. :(

Good luck with the PT.

[crazycanuck]

Beth-I tore my MCL(no idea what this means but i did the medial & third fibres???) and ruptured my PCL in my oops-thwack back in 2007. Do i ever remember my leg being able to bend in ways it shouldn't. Yeowsers!

When I told my pilates studio dudes about not being able to bend my knee whilst in the leg brace, they just gave me leg lifts to do whilst lying on the floor. Very simple & easy stuff like that helped. After I didn't need the leg brace, they moved me onto squats w a swiss ball. Easy stuff again. It took me ages to be get the strength back in my right leg & just a couple o physio sessions. I might still have the exercises the coolio physio dude wrote down for me, if you want them for later.

Every once in a while, if i've been lazy & not done any hammy exercises, my leg wobbles...

Can you swim? If so, swimming w a pull buoy might be an idea for later?

Hope your knee's happier soon :)

[invsblwmn]

In the words of my Orthopod - "one messed up knee" :rolleyes:
Torn MCL, partial tearing of the ACL and PCL. Apparently the MCL will resolve itself with PT, and considering that I have stiffness problems and not instability problems we're doing the "wait and see" on the ACL and PCL. So a few weeks of PT are definitely in my future, to try to get function back in my knee. If I start having instability problems, to let him know, otherwise come back in 4-6 weeks.
Oh, and yes, as soon as my knee bends enough I can ride a bike again, "inside, in a controlled environment, like the PT clinic." I noted that he said "a" bike and not "your" bike.:o

Patience and time, dear sister. It's been two and a half years since I got hit and three surgeries. The knees are soooo much better. Do what they tell you. Ice, ice, ice!!!! Don't push it. I rode 30 miles last Saturday and 25 on Sunday. It was worth every pt session, every moment of pain, every stretch. In a crosswalk, at least in PA, the pedestrian (and as a cyclist you ARE a pedestrian) you have the right of way no matter what. I have been to more hearings than I can count and we won every one. The cops from my accident stripped all of my expensive gadgets off of my bike for personal use and then disposed of the bike within one week of my wreck. I don't trust them at most levels state or local. An attorney might not be a bad idea and a few pics of that swollen knee. They won't charge you if you don't win and won't even take you if they don't think you will win. Think about it. We are all here for you and keep healing. Take care.

[Bike Chick]

The cops from my accident stripped all of my expensive gadgets off of my bike for personal use and then disposed of the bike within one week of my wreck. I don't trust them at most levels state or local. An attorney might not be a bad idea and a few pics of that swollen knee. They won't charge you if you don't win and won't even take you if they don't think you will win. Think about it. We are all here for you and keep healing. Take care.

OMG! Are you saying your bike and everything was gone after the accident??? I would have hired a lawyer to sue the cops!!!!!

This is good advice. An initial consultation with an attorney won't cost anything or, if anything, a minimal amount. It would be worth it.

Sorry about the knee:( That really sucks. Bummer!

[bmccasland]

So I did months of PT and for the most part my knee seems to be cooperative.
I still haven't uncrated my road bike, but I've ridden my cruiser a bit.

Anywho, saturday evening I went to a party, was standing on my feet for about 4 hours (wooden floors, sock feet), and yesterday my knee was somewhat painful. So I went for a walk, figured I needed it. Came home and the knee really hurt and was swollen. WTH? :mad::confused:

So my question is, in a whiney voice, "how much longer is this dang knee going to bother me???"
I haven't been doing my PT exercises for a couple of months now - I suppose I should start up again.

mumble mumble grumble

[LivetoRide]

Oh no! Knee problems can be a awful in that they can continue to cause problems down the line. The Knee Guru forum (http://www.kneeguru.co.uk/KNEEtalk/index.php?board=7.0) has been my friend since I've been having knee troubles of my own. Good luck and hopefully the the PT exercises will help you again! :o

[bmccasland]

I got tired of my knee hurting and not sure if it would "be there" when I walk on unstable ground (like rock covered levees), so I saw a Sports Medicine / Orthopedic Surgeon Doc this morning. Yup, yup, the torn ACL is still unstable. We have surgery tentatively scheduled for next wednesday (Jun 1).

Not sure what this will do with my participation in the planned PNW TE ride later in June. Y'all have told me about those dressed sweet potatoe fries and I don't want to miss out!

[sundial]

Aw gee, Beth! I missed out when you first posted about your doggie and your accident (I'm so sorry for both!) and just want to send warm wishes. What a way to start a new year in a new place. Do you have someone available to help take you to PT after you have your surgery? Until you can get back on your feet? I'm really sorry your knee is messed up but on the bright side there have been major advancements in knee surgery just within the last 5 years. Patients are recovering quicker with less pain. So if you had to mess it up, better now than say 10 years ago. ;)

Any chance you have access to a knee surgical center that your ortho participates with? I've found that they offer the best pre- and post-op care specific to your needs and the nursing staff is pretty johnny on the spot with the pain meds.

[OakLeaf]

Wow, that was quick! I'm glad at least they were able to schedule you so quickly, and that you have a plan, and the likelihood of a return to full function.

Sending good wishes for a successful surgery and quick, uncomplicated rehab!

[bmccasland]

Aw gee, Beth! I missed out when you first posted about your doggie and your accident (I'm so sorry for both!) and just want to send warm wishes. What a way to start a new year in a new place. Do you have someone available to help take you to PT after you have your surgery? Until you can get back on your feet? I'm really sorry your knee is messed up but on the bright side there have been major advancements in knee surgery just within the last 5 years. Patients are recovering quicker with less pain. So if you had to mess it up, better now than say 10 years ago. ;)

Any chance you have access to a knee surgical center that your ortho participates with? I've found that they offer the best pre- and post-op care specific to your needs and the nursing staff is pretty johnny on the spot with the pain meds.

Yeah, I miss Nala. Going for walks isn't the same without her.

My insurance requires surgery be done in a hospital, or at least NOT in the out-patient surgery center that my Doc normally does his surgery. The lady doing the scheduling wasn't completely surprised.

I checked out the Doc, he's board certified, and is a sports medicine doctor. So getting the knee fixed will get me back on the bike and other fun things. He carefully inferred that I should have had surgery months ago. Which was probably true. So I'm happy having a doc that grasps the concept of sports medicine.

I live alone, so will up to me to get to PT and such. Am hoping to bribe neighbors to take me to/from surgery.

[Bike Writer]

Yeah, I miss Nala. Going for walks isn't the same without her.

My insurance requires surgery be done in a hospital, or at least NOT in the out-patient surgery center that my Doc normally does his surgery. The lady doing the scheduling wasn't completely surprised.

I checked out the Doc, he's board certified, and is a sports medicine doctor. So getting the knee fixed will get me back on the bike and other fun things. He carefully inferred that I should have had surgery months ago. Which was probably true. So I'm happy having a doc that grasps the concept of sports medicine.

I live alone, so will up to me to get to PT and such. Am hoping to bribe neighbors to take me to/from surgery.

Me too, just read about this now and I have sympathatic pain for you, sad face here. So glad you found a sports med doc! He will get you fixed up in no time flat and you'll be out and about on your bike. About the PT, check to see if you can have in home PT visits for the first couple of weeks or so. When I had knee replacement my insurance allowed in home PT care for the first few weeks. It was great not having to go out to the rehab center.

[sundial]

About the PT, check to see if you can have in home PT visits for the first couple of weeks or so.

That's right! Check with your insurance to see if you can have home health PT for the first several visits until you feel up to driving. Generally the OS (ortho surgeon) doesn't want you to drive while you are on pain meds or if you cannot put pressure on your foot that you use to drive.

Speaking of driving....back eons ago when I had my right leg in a full length cast, I learned to drive with my left foot. Cars in the early 80's were roomy enough to sling a casted leg in and out of the drivers seat. :p

[emily_in_nc]

That's right! Check with your insurance to see if you can have home health PT for the first several visits until you feel up to driving. Generally the OS (ortho surgeon) doesn't want you to drive while you are on pain meds or if you cannot put pressure on your foot that you use to drive.


Very true -- after I fractured my pelvis and had surgery, I was non weight-bearing on the right side for 8 weeks. I got in-home PT (great!) and was not released to drive until the time was up. I didn't mind it one bit as it meant I got to work from home (once I was off pain meds and able to sit up long enough at a computer) instead of going back into the office! :D

[bmccasland]

Surgery was yesterday, am told it went well.
Wished someone warned me about the post-anathesia nausea. Blech
Had a nerve block in my leg, so it still isn't very cooperative. Have tested the laws of gravity 3 times now, and lost. Towel bars in the bathroom do not equal handicapped grab bars. It is not easy to drop your undies, turn around, lift the lid of the toilet and sit down to pee.
Have a lovely knee exercise machine that I'm to strap myself in to every two hours for 30 minutes while it flexs and extends my knee. Not bad. Nap time.
I wind up staying in bed a lot. Got up this afternoon to check email and check in with my cyber friends.
Am home with the cat, wishing I felt better. I could do without the nausea and headache. Will someone please explain to my why I have a headache despite the lovely pain killers. whine whine whine. :(

[Savra]

Oh, that just sounds so scary. I'm so sorry for you knee and glad you aren't hurt worse. What a bummer week.

[redrhodie]

(((Beth))) Soon you'll be back on your bike, and this will all be worth it. Rest up!

[Owlie]

((Hugs)) I'm glad it went well, not glad for you feeling lousy. Recovery vibes heading your way!

[Roadtrip]

Wished someone warned me about the post-anathesia nausea. Belch

I know when I had my surgery, actually had a reaction to the pain mess that caused nausea. I hear anestesia affects everyone differently too.

Hoping you a speedy recovery!

Shannon

[Crankin]

Hope you are feeling better soon!

[jessmarimba]

I can't have codeine, as it makes me nauseous. Not sure what you're on, but perhaps see if they can switch you to something less offensive?

I don't remember feeling sick from the anesthesia but I was starving before I went into surgery and was still hungry when I woke up. I ate the ice chips they gave me in the recovery room. After one meal of pancakes the next day, I wasn't hungry again for a week.

Glad the surgery went well and I hope you're feeling better soon. Wish I could do something to help! Please let us know if you need anything. And keep in mind that your local grocery chain likely has delivery service if you don't feel like getting to the store for the next little while.

[owlice]

About 30% of the population suffers from nausea after anesthesia. (I'm among that 30%.) In the future, you can let doctors know anesthesia nauseates you, and they will try to mitigate it (with anti-nausea meds).

If you are testing gravity, you might want to wear your helmet (!) when you're on your feet until you're stable, just in case.

I hope you are starting to feel better! And yay for getting your knee fixed!!

[channlluv]

I'm so glad your surgery went well. Sorry about the nausea, though. What did the insurance company say about the at-home PT?

Roxy

[OakLeaf]

((((((Beth)))))) Heal quick. Hoping the side effects go away pronto.

Both my parents had in-home PT after their surgeries until they could drive - even though they didn't have simultaneous surgery, so each of them could've driven the other. My dad also got a home health aide. I know it depends on your insurance and the hospital - but do check.

[sundial]

Surgery was yesterday, am told it went well.
Wished someone warned me about the post-anathesia nausea. Will someone please explain to my why I have a headache despite the lovely pain killers.

Oh dear, call your ortho's office and have them order Zofran (now available as a generic) to help with your nausea. The drug is often used by chemo patients to combat the side effects. Hopefully your pharmacy delivers. And as for your headache, I had a headache because of the pain killers too. :rolleyes:

Can you also call a medical supply company and have them install a super suction cup grab bar in your shower? A potty riser? And a walker/rollator? Beth, I wish I lived nearby. I'd drop by and help you. Get plenty of beauty rest and please be careful when you are getting up and down from the bed.

[bmccasland]

I called my supervisor to tell him I'd be out all next week, got his voice mail. He called back, told him I felt like crap, and he offered to run to the store for me. So he brought me a 12 pack of gingerale (I asked for a 6-pack). Thought the gingerale would help the nausea, nope. Barfed that up. So I called my doc, and since the office was closed for lunch, left a message. He called back shortly, was sorry that I was still sick, and called in a prescription for phenergan. Lovely neighbor went and got it for me.

How can anyone get addicted to Oxycontin when it makes you sick? :confused:

But it's now evening, I've napped, woke up without nausea, still have a touch of a headache. Have eaten some toast, yogurt, and tea. It's all staying down. Haven't eaten for 3 days. I wanted to loose some weight, but not this way! I was willing to do it the old fashioned way, diet and exercise. :rolleyes:

I haven't broached the home PT subject. I get to use the knee machine for 10 days, and see my doc on thursday (8 days post-op). After knee machine comes PT. Not being nauseated any more I can see the light at the end of the tunnel, and it isn't the oncoming train.

[jessmarimba]

I also got Phenergan, for something (not post-surgery...everything they gave me for nausea then was injected). But I wonder if maybe it's not the oxycontin, but your digestive system "waking up" from the anesthesia. It can take several days to a week for it to work properly again.

Hope you're doing better now that you've been able to eat a little bit. Try and get fiber to counter those pain meds... :rolleyes:

[smilingcat]

Hi,

After a surgery and feeling worse than a sick dog, I wouldn't hesitate to call my doctor. Sounds like different medication is more agreeable to you. Take one day at a time. This is your down time so do nothing!!! Well the knee machine. PT will come around sooner than you might think.

Meanwhile enjoy being a bohemian of sort. Not going to work, wake up at noon and say... "Good gawd, people are up so early and doing things?"

It's also a time to snuggle with your fur baby 24/7. :D

Wishing you a speedy and comfortable recovery.

[bmccasland]

I've been feeling grimy. And now that the nausea is gone, I managed breakfast (buttered biscuit with fig preserves, banana, sm glass of milk, and tea). Sat and read the newspaper, gee, like a normal person on a saturday morning. Enjoyed the SUN beaming through the door. So I decided a shower was in order.

The tub wall is very tall, or so it seemed. So there I was, naked, trying to figure out how to get in and out of the tub, without killing myself. Finally decided to sit on the tub edge, swing my legs around, hope my rubber no-slip mat is secure, and stand up. It worked! And I was out of breath. Who knew that taking a shower would be a work out? I reversed the process to get out of the tub. Hobbled to bed for a rest, and the appointment with the lovely knee machine was in 15 minutes.

Calypso the kitty has apparently decided that even though the back door is open, she'd rather be by me. :rolleyes:

[Blueberry]

Calypso the kitty has apparently decided that even though the back door is open, she'd rather be by me. :rolleyes:

Awww....kitties rock!

So glad you're starting to have some moments of "normal" - here's to continuing recovery!!

[Catrin]

Glad to hear that you won the bought with the shower, it can be daunting after surgery. Enjoy cuddling with your fur-baby and hope each day is better than the one before!

[emily_in_nc]

Beth - Glad to hear you're feeling a bit better! I am so lucky that I don't get nauseous from anesthesia or pain meds, so I can't even imagine how yucky that would be. Nor can I imagine trying to cope alone after surgery -- so sorry you are having to! My DH helped me immensely in the weeks after my pelvic fracture surgery, and I had a walker. Could only do sponge baths for a couple weeks, though, as our only showers were upstairs. Once I could scoot on my butt up the stairs, I was able to get my walker (which my DH had brought upstairs) into the walk-in shower in the master bath, which was a good thing as I would not have been able to get over a tub side easily either.

Here's hoping you'll get in-home PT approved, and your recovery will proceed quickly from here!

Hugs!

[bmccasland]

stir crazy stir crazy stir crazy!!!!

I'm out of bed for 1hr 15 min every 2 hours (30 min knee machine, 15 min ice). Since I'm drug free, I'm wide awake. Going nuts.... AARRRGGGG!

15 min to go before next knee session.

[jessmarimba]

And I bet people aren't posting enough here to keep you occupied, hmm? Funny how quickly you can reach the "end" of the internet when you're getting cabin fever! :rolleyes:

[spokewench]

Beth: I just saw these posts and did not know you just had knee surgery. I'm sure you will be glad when all the recovery stuff is over with! I'm sure it is a struggle all by yourself. Wish I were in the PNW, I'd come and help.

Take good care of yourself and it sounds like your supervisor and neighbors are being very nice. It is when these things come up in our lives, that we find out we really do have friends out there.

[Velocivixen]

Hey Beth, sorry to hear about your accident and all. Hopefully you'll be up and at em in no time. Maybe I could use coming to help you as an excuse for a road trip!? Seriously though, hang in there and get better soon.

[bmccasland]

Saw my doc this morning and got the sutures removed. He said my knee looks good, and is stable. Is it a bad thing when he's smiling as he's writing you a different 'script for pain killers, saying "you'll need them"?

I have my first PT session this afternoon. Let the fun begin. Meanwhile, Allez Sport is standing in her trainer, mocking me. Still haven't actually tried clipping in. Achieved 90 degree bend with knee flex machine yesterday. I get to call and have that taken away.

[sundial]

Beth, staying ahead of the pain will help greatly and if you are sensitive to the narcotics, there are other alternatives like Tramadol. What helped me greatly in managing my pain was icing and elevating the toes above the nose. A king size pillow was the ideal size and kept my knee relatively straight and supported. Did your ortho send you home with a cryotherapy machine or cold pack knee wrap by chance?

As for the PT, let your therapist know what your goals are and have a program tailored for your needs. PT does not have to be excruciatingly painful and if the therapist is forcing your knee beyond what you can tolerate, stop! Fresh, post-op knees do not like to be pushed hard and they will become angry and swell, thereby slowing your recovery progress. There is a fine line to finding the right amount of therapy: too little and too much will result in an unhappy knee.