Monday Feb. 9, 2009

Just sitting here and decided to write because I was and am still getting a nasty pain in my left knee. Sure hope it won't need a total knee replacement any time soon but I have a feeling it will.

Thursday, Feb. 5, 2009

On Jan. 27, after increasing pain over the weekend, I called CFO for an appointment with Dr. Schweitzer which I was lucky enough to get the next day. The bursa located below and medial in my right knee (pes bursa I now know it's called, thanks to my friends at Knee Geeks) was aching-the same one I was having issues with before Dr. Gray sent me to see Dr. Schweitzer to discuss replacement. He gave me a cortisone shot in the area that caused a nasty bruise. But the bursa is generally feeling better than it had been. We aldo discussed numb knee and nerve weirdness which he explained, but I can't explain myself so I won't. He also said I don't have to come back for a year (not in the fall) but a year from now, January 2010 and I already have an appointment for that, with the appointment reminder card stapled to the Dec. 2009 page of our calendar. He said my knee is still doing very well and said the incision will fade to white eventually. The picture there is of the bruise.

Yesterday, Feb. 4, marked the year anniversary of my last arthroscopic surgery on my left torn medial meniscus. I discovered yesterday, by rereading my orthopedic history document that apparently with that surgery, I have only 50% of that meniscus left, which isn't good news. Hopefully what is left in there will last a while.

Meanwhile I am getting ready to sell some pink Depression glass in hopes of making some much needed money! Awaiting an email from the NYPL about the value of the plates of one pattern that the Danbury Library couldn't find. It will take a couple of days to get that information. DPL gave me information on a different pattern and guestimating, I think the total value of everything is about $300. The patterns are Arcadian Pink by Tiffin-Franciscan and Florentine #1 in pink by Hazel Adams (I did get values for the Florentine pattern ). I'm going to first list the stuff on Craig's List because it's free and then try eBay if necessary.

I worked 4 hours this week and I have a feeling I'm not on the schedule for next week. Not surprising news as it's happening to everyone.

Just printed all my old posts on this blog preparing to make a My Knee notebook which will be funny to look at some day.

Jan. 03, 2009: Another year, another post

It has been ages since I posted. The surgery and its aftermath have gone very well. 4 weeks of PT 3 times a week, followed by 4 weeks of PT 2 times a week, then a 2 week break, followed by going back to work the week of Dec. 1. For any information and future information (unless I manage to get myself back here), go to the Knee Geeks web site where I post a lot, especially under the Unicompartmental Replacement message board in the Knee Arthritis page. My name there is Caroline109. Here is a link to the Unicompartmental Replacement message board:



KNEE ARTHRITIS - Unicompartmental knee replacement

The arthritis pain is gone -hooray- but there is some occasional muscle (hamstring and quads) occasionally and my left knee has its own twinges, worsening, but livable without cortisone shots still.

I stopped taking Celebrex at the end of October when it was $150 for 90 pills. I switched to generic Mobic which I can get at the Stop and Shop pharmacy here for the much more livable price of $9.99 for 90 pills. What a difference! Still have to watch the platelet count and function but still doing fine!

Tues. Sept. 16, 2008: Tomorrow's the day!

Hard to believe it's almost here. I get nervous when I'm not busy computering, cleaning or doing something else constructive!
The nurse from Danbury Hospital called around 1PM. Big discussion with the nurse who said part of their usual instructions is for the patient to take Celebrex prior to the procedure (at home). However, after much discission, we decided I wouldn't do that but would bring my Celebrex with me. About a minute after the call, the phone rang again and it was the nurse again who said she spoke to the anesthesiologist who said I should NOT take the Celebrex and they'd give me something else.
So that's all for now. No deep last thoughts on the subject because I can't think of any. Plus the large cannoli in the refrigerator is calling my name!

Wed. Sept. 10, 2008:One week to go

So here we sit with 1 week to go. Hard to believe! So here's a quick run down of what's happened since my birthday:
Friday the 5th, I had my pre-op with the ortho. who also gave me a tube of Volaren Gel to see if it helps for pain relief for a short bit before the surgery. As an NSAID gel, I had to stop using it by Tuesday(yesterday) but as it didn't do much of anything, I'm saving it for another day! I also got my PT prescription so I stopped at the PT part and got my appointments. He also gave me a prescription for Phisohex with which I have to wash my knee the night before and the morning of my surgery. I almost fainted when the price was $60 for a large bottle of something I may use 2-3 teaspoons of! I also got, for filling the prescription, a $25 gift card from CVS and got some odds and ends.
SAturday the 6th, I worked 12-6PM. I saw my friend Karen whom I was going to call a few days later to discuss rides to PT. My knees survived. The ride home from work was bad as Tropical Storm Hanna (a former hurricane) was passing through and the puddles were terrible. The storm got worse after I got home so I was glad to get home when I did.
Sunday the 7th, I worked 10:45-2:45. It was almost the longest 4 hours of my life. I could barely move. Not fun!
Monday the 8th, in the morning, a call from the ortho office, they need a new xray of my knee so I have to go in on Tuesday (no appointment necessary). It's also my last day of work. I first stopped at the HR department to say I'd be on leave for at least 1 month and find out I got $10 worth of Macy money:) I worked 1-6 and it wasn't as bad as Sunday but I was still pooped when I got home.
Tuesday the 9th, I went for my xray and the office stank as one of their xray machines had leaked and the whole place smelled like sulphur. Yuck! Our recliner love seat was delivered in the afternoon. Hooray! We also went to Cold Stone Creamery so I could use my birthday free ice cream coupon. Delicious!
WHich brings us to today. No big plans. I need to work on the Neighbor to Neighbor campaign papers so they're done before surgery. If my glasses come in, I'll go get them, but nothing else will be happening! At this time next week, hopefully the surgery will be over and everything will be fine.

Th. Sept. 4, 2008: Happy Birthday to Me!

You say it's your birthday!
It's my birthday too, yea!

And my platelet count was 113,000 at the hematologist! Hooray! I had been told I needed a count of 50,000 without treatment for the surgery but today, he reread a paper that said a count of 70,000 without treatment, which would have been prednisone or WinRho! So the platelet dance did its magic! Yea!

Tomorrow is the ortho. pre-op and I've typed up a list of questions for that~!

Sept. 3, 2008: Big Big Ouchies

My right knee has decided to have a life of its own and has gotten really really bad since I stopped the Celebrex-only 2 days ago! I went to the eye doctor this afternoon after working 5 hours (with an hour at home in between), it was hard to concentrate on the eye test. YEsterday was the pre-op at the primary where the EKG caused difficulties with interference showing up in the tracings. Waiting now to hear from them. TOmorrow brings the hematologist appointment in mid-afternoon as well as my birthday.
Hopefully tomorrow will be better and if I don't hear from Dr. MAki's office, at least I'll be getting the results of a platelet count at the hematology office.