Glad to hear that you are doing well and wishing you a quick recovery!!
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Glad to hear that you are doing well and wishing you a quick recovery!!
Just wondering how you are doing today?
I'm ok, as it turns out I was very sensitive to the dressings they sent home with me. Ironically, he had started using those because so many had problems with the initial dressing, you have to laugh about it. So PT is put off for a week so we can get the wound sites to calm, nothing serious.
I think I'm doing well, all things considered :) walked downstairs for the first time yesterday and it was fine taking one step at a time. Recovery is going to take time but I am optomistic!
Catrin,
Once the swelling goes down I will be interested to hear if you ended up with a "dimple" I have a pretty prominent one from my lateral release. Of course people say they don't notice unless I point it out but I am somewhat self conscious about it. It on the outside top of my left knee where the tied the ligament
Interesting, I will let you know. There is an incision for the lateral release, they used the scope to clean the knee out.
Catrin, I'm horribly allergic to tape so my surgeon used this stuff: http://www.amazon.com/3M-Medipore-H-...xgy_121_text_y It was amazing, no blistering and peeling around the wound, and I could keep using at it the same place instead of playing jigsaw around the sore spots.
Thanks Pax! No blisters and so forth, thankfully, just very ugly colors, itching and some light burning. It was very obviously not bruising, though that is starting now. I think I'm in pretty good shape all things considered, through for some reason I wasn't expecting things to be happening behind my knee. Well, of course there is, don't know where that assumption came from :confused: Regardless, looking forward to meeting some friends for dinner in a nice Greek restaurant very close to where I live in another week and a half, hopefully I can drive by then :eek:
Thankfully I can handle good old-fashioned gauze - both the vaseline soaked and plain varieties - and the compression sock/tight/thing holds it in place. Things are improving though the skin problem put off PT for a week - but I get to start doing LIGHT exercises this weekend :D
So what am I doing to keep my hands and brain occupied? Netflix becomes less attractive as I get to cut back on the drugs. I am going to try to share this picture I just took from Instagram and crossing my fingers that all of you can see this :D Can't seem to actually post the picture but the link will work. If anyone knows how to do this from Instagram or Photos please let me know!
BTW, this is only my second knitting project. Ever!
Nope, the picture doesn't show... and here I was, all excited to see what knitting on drugs would yield. :D
So the link didn't work? Let me retry this :)
Okay, how does this link work? https://goo.gl/photos/GzvbpXsSrVQaCkJJ9 I've given up trying to post actual photos here, I used to be able to but it no longer works for me.
I am in awe you can do that on even minimal drugs. My mom was a serious knitter (she made me winter coats when I was a kid), worked in a yarn shop, and taught others. But, she couldn't teach me! It sounds like things will be getting better quickly.
It is an easy pattern that groups series of knit and purl stitches in repeats. I can even work on it while watching (well, listening) to a movie. I just learned how to knit 3 months ago as an alternative form of hand therapy for some pretty severe arthritis. It has done wonders!
Ortho was hopeful today, the complicated part of my recovery is the lateral release, but I think once the inflammation goes down that things will get much better. The knee is HUGE right now, which they say is normal with the lateral release and not having anyone at home to do my fetching and carrying, so I am up more than I really should be.
Why am I getting a mental image of those tests that they did where they gave spiders different drugs and photographed their webs? :cool:
You made me laugh out loud Oakleaf :) It will eventually be a very long and warm wrap. The yarn is a Merino - silk blend and this style of knitting goes back to some fishing village. I love the visual, and tactile, texture which keeps my brain engaged to get it right. It is considered an easy pattern...and the drugs might help!
How is the recovery going?
The dressings-allergy thing really put things back, I am not as far along as I should be, sadly. However the stitches are out, I start PT Thursday, and my knee is only 3 times it's normal size rather than 5. I actually drove my car across the parking lot to the dumpster today to dispose of a box and it went fine - so things appear to be on an upwards swing. I am still not cleared to drive, but I figure they have to err on the strong side of caution on this (and I've a manual transmission). I figure I can drive when I can get in and out of my car without my knee complaining - as it stands I COULD drive short distances, say a mile or less if I need to do so.Quote:
Originally Posted by Crankin
Thanks for asking :)
So I continue to improve, no more drugs, physical therapy has begun. This wrap is about 30% completed, and will obviously require some intense blocking when the time comes. It WILL, however, be quite warm! How could it not be, it is a merino wool/silk blend :cool: It won't be done before I return to work - at least I really hope so! Photo is interesting, parts of the pattern in this image appear to be reversed but that is not the case. Odd, but that doesn't much matter. I noticed a similar, yet different, oddity in the original photo I posted.
http://images4-d.ravelrycache.com/up...l_best_fit.jpg
no more drugs is GOOD!!!!....nice wrap, LUV the color! has focusing on knitting helped in taking your mind off the healing process?
Lovely knitting!! I'm a big knitting enthusiast, too. Healing thoughts for your knee after surgery. I'm new around these forums but might as well jump in.
It does help and then I wind up with a nice warm wrap. I hate being cold in the winter...and I am also new, I just learned this last winter. The yarn was actually purchased for another project and it got repurposed when I decided to use another yarn for my sister's shawl. It IS a nice color, though I likely wouldn't have chosen it for myself. I think I am really going to like it though :DQuote:
Originally Posted by rebeccaC
Welcome and certainly, jump in the pool :cool:Quote:
Originally Posted by creationsbyuli
Funny, I have the same thing, but on the right knee from my lateral release. Mine is very noticeable.Quote:
Originally Posted by Sky King
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sky King
Interesting, did they do both of yours via the scope or a full incision? Mine was the latter, though I understand some do it through the scope as well, so he used both techniques on my knee. Thankfully my patella is back to where it should be, now the real work begins in PT to balance out all of the muscles so the patella will actually stay where it is supposed to be.Quote:
Originally Posted by thekarens
mine was scope. I already had railroad track scars from my first surgery in 75. The Lateral Release was in 98. Happy to say the Patella has stayed in place. Now I have other issues - such is life :)
Quote:
Originally Posted by Catrin
Glad the patella has been obedient since then! Sadly my knee has many other issues that can't be solved without a full knee replacement, but I am a long time away from THAT. Hoping that this will allow me to add even more years before that might become necessary. I don't expect to return to trail running, but between my kettlebell lifting and hiking I've sustainable activities that I hope will serve for however many years remain for me! VERY glad I didn't allow him to do that patella realignment surgery he wanted to do.Quote:
Originally Posted by Sky King
I had mine done via scope in 86. They also had to make a separate incision because I had a bone fragment floating around in there that they took out.
My lateral release was done because my knee cap kept popping off my knee to one side. It continued doing that even after three surgery, but not nearly as often.
Yikes! Glad it calmed down a bit - but 3 surgeries! My sympathies. My patella was very comfortable where it was, it was just a very long distance from where it was supposed to be and in a strange angle. Women are more prone to this than men because, I know it will come as a surprise, we are built differently. Now it is where it is supposed to be hopefully we can persuade all my muscles to work properly together to keep it there. Even today, from what I've read, lateral releases done through an incision rather than the scope typically have a better outcome. Except for when they don't, it isn't as predictable a procedure as some are.Quote:
Originally Posted by thekarens
Things are improving, I am walking more naturally now and driving shorter distances :-) Hopefully back to the office by the end of August!
Glad to hear you are moving along in healing. Hopefully, you are not going crazy with boredom.
Thanks! Knitting, reading, Netflix, seated kettlebell work and NOT THINKING ABOUT WORK is getting me through :DQuote:
Originally Posted by Crankin
How's it going?
Things are improving :cool: The knee now actually resembles a knee, and I can now walk for 10 minutes or so at a time, albeit slowly. I CAN walk longer but there are consequences. Hoping to get back to the office in a week or two as it would be nice to start returning to something like a normal schedule! Working hard on my PT exercises so I can get back sooner than later. Thanks for asking!Quote:
Originally Posted by OakLeaf
slowly 'or hopefully faster' and surely 'or Shirley' you'll get there. :).....your positive attitude certainly helps!!!!!Quote:
Originally Posted by Catrin
Glad to hear it! Hope you keep making such good progress.
And I saw my Ortho today, I return to the office next week :)
:) :) :)Quote:
Originally Posted by Catrin
....well there seems to be a 3 character rule for posting....but then more smiles are good :)
Yes they are :cool:Quote:
Originally Posted by rebeccaC
Glad you're on the road back to normal!
Glad things are progressing well. You've done a good job of "following doctor's orders."
Better than normal :cool: I HAVE pushed the envelope a bit, but cautiously. I've not thrown caution to the wind at the first sign of improvement and THAT is probably a first in my 54 years :oQuote:
Originally Posted by Crankin
That is good news. Glad things are looking good.