Thursday April 15, 2010: Tax Day and 6 days to go!

Yesterday was my pre-op with my hematologist where my platelet count had to be 75,000or more to go without a short course of prednisone beforehand. It was, as it was 86,000. He also was calling the hospital blood bank to make sure it would have platelets on hand for me the day of the surgery in case they were needed. So we're inching forward. Joints are still aching but not much longer!

Friday April 9, 2010: Update

Monday the 5th, I had the autologous blood donation appointment at the hosptial. Platelets were at 86,000. Tuesday the 6th, I had my preop with my primary care physician. Thursday the 7th, she called to say platelets were at 93,000. Today (the 9th) was the preop with the ortho. I had an xray of my knee taken at an angle that hadn't been done. Even I could see the bone on bone arthritis. I described pain level at a 9 at times. I got a prescription for a painkiller for now. PT, it turns out, will start at home, done by the VNA. 12 days! Yea! Can't wait (mostly, lol).

Friday March 25- Friday April 2, 2010: A crazy week

Friday April 2, 2010: Crazy week. Tuesday at 4:40, I got a call from Danbury Hospital about my ortho wanting me to have an MRI of knee and thigh STAT because there is a cyst in there. Knowing nothing, the hospital person said she’d call the ortho office. No call back. It was a long night! Wednesday March 31, I call the ortho office and sure enough, yes I need one. So I call the hospital and make an appointment. Meanwhile, I realize I forgot to ask ortho person something. So I call afterwards: I need to know will my surgery be cancelled or postponed because of this? The answer is no. A lot of relief! Shortly after that, ortho surgery person (not the usual one), whom I had learned the hospital had left a voice mail with last night, called me back and confirmed everything I had been told. Then I was about to leave for work when Henry said there was a voice mail, so I listened and it was the hospital MRI department. Because the MRI was to with and without contrast and I’m on BP medicine, I had to have blood work done and it had to be done that day. So after work, I had to run over to CFO and get a prescription for the blood work and then go to the hospital lab on Sandpit Rd. I took care of that. Thursday April 2 (yesterday) in the afternoon, I took Ativan for the MRI before we left the house. Jonathan drove me. I felt fine. But when I had to lay down on the bed for the MRI, I got dizzy but it passed. The scan proceeded fine until it was time to add the contrast (near the end). I mistakenly told them to do it in my left arm but the vein blew (the contrast started coming out of the spot) – do not get injections/whatever in the same spot as where blood was drawn less than 24 hours before. But then things were okay for the rest of the scan. When it was done, I got up and promptly got very dizzy again. I sat a few times on the way back to the changing room. While changing, I got dizzy again but it passed. I finally got home exhausted. Then last night, the primary doctor called back to say my cholesterol was even higher than before. I’m making it, although I had modified my diet. Oy!!!! Oh, and I forgot to mention that the cyst is something I have had for 15+ years-never think about it, doesn't bother me.

Saturday March 20, 2010: Time for an update

My trip to the Azores was wonderful despite terrible weather. I used my folding cane only once-preventative cortisone shot seemed to do the trick. The shot's effects are gone now, but were good while they lasted!
We attended the hospital joint replacement class and met with an anesthesiologist and nurse. Bumping surgery to 2nd or 3rd of the day so a CBC can be done and a hematologist called if necessary. The next day, I saw the hematologist. I see him a week before the surgery, and if my count is less than 75,000 (it was 76,000 that day), I'll have a short course of prednisone which he thought is preferable to a platelet transfusion since the one and only time I had that, I got a fever and the shakes in the recovery room. Ah the joys of ITP and surgery!
Next thing on the agenda is tomorrow I start the iron pills in preparation for the autologous blood donation. Tuesday I go the rheumy office, Friday the PCP office for a cholesterol recheck. The following week is doctor-free and then lots of appointments after that.
March 27, next Saturday, we're going to Boston, having a small family gathering at Durgin Park. Can't wait!

Friday Feb. 26, 2010: MRI Scan Day

MRI scan for the custom implant today at the hospital. I had been very nervous last night and finally decided I would take ½ of an Ativan pill from my prescription for the trip next week. Henry didn’t break it very evenly so I took more like ¾ of the pill. It was snowing this morning so Henry drove me. The scan was about 2 hours, with a short break in the middle. Technician called me skinny (not really am) and then a troublemaker being skinny and having already an knee implant, when I mentioned it. That knee was kept away sort of from the knee being scanned. I dozed a lot through the 2nd half of the scan. We came home, had lunch, and then tried to take a nap in bed but couldn’t sleep so I came downstairs and watching curling at the Olympics while my husband was working. I managed to doze off and on with that. I woke completely when I heard my cell phone ring upstairs. I'm glad that's over with. I was told the technician would be sending the scans "on the internet" to Biomet and I was given a large envelope with the actual scans. I'm supposed to give them to my ortho the next time I see him, which isn't until April 9.
I am trying to stop wondering that someone looking at the scans will wonder why I am getting a TKR!! Nutty but true!

Wednesday Feb. 24, 2010: More progress

More progress moving toward surgery day, which is 8 weeks from today. I got a call from the hosptial confirming my MRI scan for FRiday morning, regardless of the weather (which isn't supposed to be very good). A bit nervous due to always having had open MRIs for all my other scans. This one, required for my custom implant, has to be a closed machine. I know my head will be out but I hope it's enough that I can breathe. The woman I spoke to suggested maybe an Ativan (something I never took until last week when I tried it once to see if it worked for my upcoming plane ride) but I rejected it, knowing how knocked out and for how long it knocked me out when I tried it.
Then in the mail came a letter from the hospital comfirming my joint replacement class. It mentioned scheduling an appointment with a nurse and anesthesologist prior to surgery, if desired. I thought that had been included in the class, but apparently not. So I had to call the ortho office which got me an appointment with them right after the class. With my PKR, I had told the anesthesiologist in the holding area that my hematologist said I should have general rather than spinal anesthesia due to my low platelet count. Since I don't remember anything after being given a femoral block and sedative, I don't know if I consented to the spinal during the period I have no memory of. I don't remember the OR at all. As far as I know, I ended up with a spinal anyway, so I want to get things cleared up beforehand.

Monday Feb. 22, 2010: Cortisone shot day

I got my shot in my left knee this morning in preparation for my trip. The office again was running late. That never happened before. I don't know if they're trying to get more patients in an hour or what (or their new computer system is causing problems-which is was last time). Anyway, he gave me the shot. We discussed and poked at the other knee. I described where and when that knee is hurting (going down stairs and bent when I drive mostly) and he said that is kneecap/patella issues---arthritis----and possibly in another spot where it's hard to tell because it's still numb there from the PKR (nerves haven't regenerated completely-smaller area than at first). He said when it gets troublesome, we'll check that one out. He doesn't like to go in arthroscopically to see what is going on because that in itself can stir up problems. It is feeling better. I am no longer having the muscle cramps since I seem to have figured out what motions trigger them (although when they first started 10 or so days ago, they'd just cramp up for some reason) so I avoid those motions. I don't see him again until my pre-op in April so he told me to have a nice trip:)
So Friday I have the MRI for the implant scan---closed machine but my head will be sticking out. And they have it in their records (noted when I made the appointment) that I am slightly claustrophobic so they're prepared if there is a problem.