Derotational Osteotomy + TTT - 10/20/2009

[WorkinWings]

Hey, Cranker!

I know why you've been so quiet here in your thread: you've been doing wonderfully well :-)

But I wonder if you've seen this article about your Super Surgeon??

Here's the link:
http://www.gainesvilleregister.com/local/x1300077664/Sanders-brings-orthopaedic-surgical-skill-to-NTMC


Enjoy!!

[crankerchick]

Hey ClippedWings, errr wait, WorkinWings :-)

It just so happens that I have seen that article, but thanks for sharing it.
The funny thing about that article is that for both of my surgeries, going to Gainesville tended to turn many heads. The hospital staff, seeing on my wrist tag that I was from MD, just kept saying, "You came here? From MD?! But that's faaaaaar." At the hotel, when I gave the attendant my license, same thing: "You came here? To Gainesville? For a surgery like that?" I just kept saying "Yes, you all have one of the best surgeons in the country for these kinds of things and I would go to podunk if that's where he was operating out of." It's really a no-brainer.

Since I'm on here, I will update and say that yes I have been doing quite well. No complaints. Life is moving along, which is a blessing. As far as my leg goes, well it has been 7 months since the hardware removal and I don't care to count how long since the derotation surgery and things are still going well I think. They say you are never the same after surgery, and I can believe that. Just from the plica excision 4 years ago, things never felt the same. Since the derotation, yes, my leg still feels like I had surgery. It works like it should and my knee doesn't hurt and the patella stays in place, but sure some parts of my leg around the incision still feel "different" and even sensitive. Most days I think about my leg very little. I think about my knee specifically hardly ever. I just don't see my knee as an issue anymore. Aside from not having the pain or instability (as if that isn't enough!), I can't begin to describe how refreshing it is not to think about that knee anymore--the knee that has been on my mind or in the back of my mind since grade school.

I've been working with a soft tissue therapist and strength and conditioning coach as part of my on-going goal to get in better shape overall. We focus right now mainly on my thigh area around the incision as well as hip flexors and the other tissue and muscles in that area. He does ART (thanks Suzanne!) and also the Graston technique to stimulate the area and work out scar tissue. He says my muscle strength is good, but there's room for improvement of course. I am not one to really go for what I deem the "hocus pocus" with the adjustments and the massage, but what he does seems to relieve some of the tightness in the area and help get the tissue from being bound up, which means more fluid movement and muscles that work in my favor. Mostly time has been the biggest contributor in my opinion, along with the stretching and working out.

So yeah, I do everything I want to do. Everything isn't to the level it was at various points in my life (usually at the expense of pain), but there's nothing I can't do and very little that I do that leaves me wishing I didn't do it.

The other leg is a different story, but it has been mostly cooperative. It's never been unstable, which is the main reason I don't fix it yet, but it does hurt and I can feel that it doesn't track right. I now call it the new bad knee while the straight leg is the new good knee. Moving on with life and living life just seemed more appealing than more surgery at this time, so I willingly duke it out with the right with no complaints. I just hope Dr. Sanders hasn't retired by the time I'm ready to fix that one, if that day ever comes.

So that's it for now. Apparently some people still read this, so there's your update. Life is good. Leg is good. No complaints.

[agresknee]

AWESOME post I LOVED IT, Kate is still doing ART and I am really glad you find it helping, she doesnt do the adjustments just ART but I swear it has kept her on the court and pain free, I dont think she even thinks about her knee anymore.......who thought we would get here from those early days.

In a little while it will be two years from kates surgery but my life is good and so is her, I now have a new worry as a parent she is off to college in the fall.

I am so happy  your doing so great!!!!!!!

[emergRN]

Happy Birthday

[crankerchick]

Awesome! Thanks!

[smillie]

The funny thing about that article is that for both of my surgeries, going to Gainesville tended to turn many heads. The hospital staff, seeing on my wrist tag that I was from MD, just kept saying, "You came here? From MD?! But that's faaaaaar." At the hotel, when I gave the attendant my license, same thing: "You came here? To Gainesville? For a surgery like that?" I just kept saying "Yes, you all have one of the best surgeons in the country for these kinds of things and I would go to podunk if that's where he was operating out of." It's really a no-brainer.

They must be getting used to the traveling patients now, because when I was dealing with the people at the hospital and hotel they would start to ask and then would stop and say, "Oh, you must be here to see Dr. Sanders."  :-)

[crankerchick]

They must be getting used to the traveling patients now, because when I was dealing with the people at the hospital and hotel they would start to ask and then would stop and say, "Oh, you must be here to see Dr. Sanders."  :-)

Cool! When I had my first surgery, I believe he only had that clinic open for a few months at that point so it makes sense. Small towns are funny though. Word travels fast and everybody knows everybody.

When is your surgery? May 17th or somewhere around there?

[smillie]

Living in a small town, I can attest--word travels fast and everyone knows what everyone else is doing.  LOL  I still am getting used to finding out that people I've not yet met know all of my business.   

We go over a week from tomorrow. Surgery is on the 9th. I'm trying to figure out what I should pack and what we'll need in the hotel.

[crankerchick]

Smilllie! Hopefully you are settled in your room now and on the path to recovery. I'm not sure if you have a thread somewhere created for your surgery, so I'll post here in hopes that you see it. Just want to wish you a speedy and uneventful recovery. You are/were in GREAT hands. Hopefully I'll talk to you soon. Take care.

[crankerchick]

So, here's an update.

Quite a few people have been asking me online and offline lately about my activity level, the "long term" results of surgery, and Dr. Sanders.

For my activity level, I do everything I want to do. I feel like I keep saying this, but there it is again in case you missed it in my previous posts. I mountain bike at intermediate level a couple of times a month. I ride paved trails a few times a week, sometimes longer depending on where we go. I'm bowling as much as I want and am probably going to go back to bowling tournaments this summer and resume leagues and serious tournament play in the fall. The fact that I'm just now doing bowling like this isn't because of my leg so much as my motivation level to bowl as well as miscellaneous health issues completely unrelated to my leg. I play whatever sport I want, mostly just for fun, but sometimes more competitive when I feel like it. This obviously isn't a ton of activity compared to people who play in rec leagues or run 10Ks, but for me, it's a lot more than I've done in many many many years. Plus, I really feel like if I wanted to play rec league basketball, I could.

Today I biked 20 miles in the morning then went to a cookout and played ultimate frisbee, soccer, basketball, and football all afternoon and evening. My leg doesn't feel any different than it did when I woke up at 8 am, after 4 hours of sleep. Two weeks ago I was on vacation and walked all over every city we visited each day as well as danced the nights away on the cruise ship, with very little consequence. I'm honest, somedays by the end of the day (i guess I should say by the end of the early morning when I decided to finally sleep), my upper leg--the area that seemed to take the longest to bounce back--would feel a bit fatigued and a little more irritated than normal but it didn't "hurt" and did not stop me from enjoying vacation or doing anything I wanted to. My knee never hurt.

My husband commented that it's so great to see me active this last year and finally doing the things I enjoy without dealing with pain or instability. Last summer I was so happy to finally just do things that I hadn't done for so long. This summer I'm very grateful not only to do those things, but also to do them well, and without much consequence. Personally, it's a fair trade to not be able to do things quite as well as I once did, but to at least be able to do them without knee pain. It's certainly nice to be able to do them without apprehension. While I'm not quite sure that my leg will physically ever feel like I never had surgery, I can say that none of that interferes with doing the things I want to. Strength is something that can continually be worked on, so I don't count that in equation. The remaining residual irritation is so manageable that I consider it mostly a nonfactor. It's there, I accept it, and I move on. It doesn't stop me.

Last, regarding Dr. Sanders, I think if you've read even a portion of this thread you will know that I think the world of my surgeon. Everybody thinks they have the best doctor, I know I'm not special in that regard, but I will be realistic and break it down and state facts. The facts are there are many doctors out there, but only a few that will do the requisite imaging and thorough examinations that these patellofemoral issues demand before making a decision on surgery. Only a few have the know how, guts, and skill level to perform the complex procedures to fix these patellofemoral issues that often go unnoticed or undiagnosed.  Only a few understand and know how to correct the mistakes of previously failed surgeries. As always, your mileage may vary, but you always have a choice in who you trust to attempt to fix you. Exercise that freedom of choice and make sure you get yourself thoroughly evaluated. I obviously don't regret my choice of who I let fix me.

My right still twisted knee a few weeks ago felt as though it passed the point of no return, to the point of picking up the phone to make that call to TX once I got back from vacation, but for whatever reason has calmed down greatly in this time. Fingers crossed that it will behave. I'm not optimistic, but am obviously hopeful.

I'm probably not going to touch this thing for a good long while after this. There's nothing left to say on this one. If you have questions, you can post here, email me, or catch me posting in other threads.

[agresknee]

YOUR post is so AWESOME I wish there was some way for the new people who join this community to find it!!!!! I read some of the new posts and refer them to yours.

Congrats on all your progress  and I enjoy your FB and seeing you enjoy life knee complications free

[Clarkey]

Hi There,

I have seen your posts on KG and like me are a regular poster and really pleased for you that you are making some real progress after your knee problems. I am also more and less over my knee problems and has been over 6 weeks now since I could go for a jog for the 1st time in over 3 and a half years.  It is nice to read a postive post for a change where a members knee is almost back to normal and pleased you have shared your success on your thread.

Just do not over do it as I did and ran too many mile at once and my knee flared up and could not run for 2 weeks. Slow and steady progress is the best way to get back to normal physical activities. Could maybe do a marathon one day that I hope to do one year and already training for it.

Nick  {2011}

[crankerchick]

Thanks Suzanne and Nick! It is very nice to be living life and enjoying myself. Nick I'm very pleased to hear that things are going better for you and that you are now able to run. That is just excellent. Do remember, slow and steady definitely finishes the race, even with running. Best wishes for the marathon run. Running isn't my thing, but being able to play basketball with confidence and without knee pain sure does feel good.

[Hooligan]

Hi there -
I just wanted to pop in to this thread. I rarely post on this site, but have read this thread for a while (along with Brianne's) and have found it very helpful. If you don't mind, I have a question I'd like to run by you all. It's about fear of reinjury.

Following years of subluxations, I had a TTT one year ago. I've worked hard at the rehab - my ROM is great, I can jump, I can squat (and I look super fit - lol!). There are muscle imbalances and tightness, but I really think it will sort itself out with more hard work.

However - I have a residual and constant fear of reinjury. I was walking so badly before the surgery for two years that I developed all sorts of compensatory movements. Mostly, I would hike my hip and not fully weight bear through my left leg. In the past two weeks, my gait has FINALLY started to normalize - but it makes my heart skip a beat every time. I got so nervous and shakey the other day I had to bust out the cane - it's absurd!!

Repeated subluxations are no joke - before the surgery, I'd literally fallen on my face in the middle of the street from my knee going out. I have to say, my only regret with this surgery is that I didn't have it sooner before all these fears set in.

I see some of you have made phenomenal progress - some of you even run, which blows my mind. How have you overcome this fear?

Hooligan

[crankerchick]

Hi Hooligan, glad to hear you are doing well after your TTT. I remember you posting a while back in this thread.

You are so right, recurrent instability is no joke and it does a number on the psyche. Prior to surgery, I was walking pretty terribly as well--like a pirate with a peg leg!

I'm not really sure how to answer your question without sounding all perky and motivational and annoying, like the opening speaker at a high school graduation.

For me, I just reminded myself that I did a lot of groundwork and had a lot of help to get my knee working properly. I would be doing a disservice if I let fear keep me from using my leg to it's fullest potential. I basically kept reminding myself that I didn't go through surgery just to wuss out of everything surgery was meant to give me.

There's no way to know it works without using it. I just reminded myself, if it's fixed, it isn't going to go out, and if for some reason it isn't fixed, I wouldn't know unless I used it to find out. When I was working with my favorite trainer, I told him I was so annoyed at having to fight my mind, let alone my leg, to do some things. It's not that I wouldn't do them, because I always gave it my all and did my best and pushed through, but I was just tired of the thoughts that would initially come into my mind, especially when doing movements like those that involved twisting. What he told me was, "If [Dr. Sanders] said your knee is fixed then it is fixed." That was the end of that conversation.

You have trained your brain and body to behave a certain way with your knee, now you just have to train it again.

So I say, trust yourself that you did the best thing for you knee, trust your doctor that he fixed you, and then beyond that, just do it. If seeing is believing, well you won't know unless you use it the proper way. It's either fixed or it's not and if you never do anything to find out, then you just rob yourself of all that you could be doing with your fixed knee. And if it's not fixed, then you are just prolonging finding out. For some, ignorance may be bliss, but that's not me.

Are you doing any plyometric type exercises? Any that involve twisting or cutting? The reason I ask is because these types of things are more explosive and you really are relying more on action and less on thinking to do them, because they are deliberate and require you to do the motion before you can think about it.

For just general walking, that is something you just have to overcome in your mind. Walk deliberately. Count in your head if you need to, to force your body into a cadence. And remember, if you cheat, you are only cheating yourself.