mmrocker13's distal femoral osteotomy novella :p

[mmrocker13]

FWIW, I am also keeping a lot of this information (and other random crap) on a blog (yeah, I finally joined the 21st century and got a blog. I also just got an MP3 player. I'm living a wacky, wacky life. ;-)).

The Blog address: http://mmrocker13.wordpress.com

[mmrocker13]

I suppose I should start by going over what I've gotten ready, etc., so all you osteotomy vets can tell me what I've forgotten :-)

Surgery date: January 26, 2010. Now I'm kind of in the process of getting all my sh!t together. Once that's all done, I guess I'll be in the process of second guessing my decision, having a series of anxiety attacks, and vacillating wildly between the serene calm that comes from knowing you've made a life-changing decision, but one that's for the right reasons, and the anguished panic that happens the moment you realized that you just base-jumped off a 4,000 foot cliff with a parachute you bought secondhand off of Craig'sList.

As of this weekend, I have bought:

A shower seat for the shower (still don't have that detatchable showerhead yet...really, of ALL the things to put off buying. At least that one I could get some use out of ahead of time).

Shower sleeve.

A little, four-tiered rolling cart with metal wire baskets that slide out. I found it at Goodwill for $4, and am quite proud of my thriftiness.

My Air Cast Cryo-Cuff (made with Colder products! as Pat likes to point out)

A cane, for post-crutches. Here it is, in the "Maui Flowers" pattern:


I already have crutches that have seen plenty of use.

My pre-op physical is next wednesday, and this week I'll be taking the dogs in for nail trims, etc., getting my hair cut, blah blah blah. Next week will be cleaning up the house, getting all the laundry done and away, and stocking the pantry so Pat doesn't resort to feeding us only hamburger helper for the next two months.

Still need to get my paperwork for my disability sticker filled out and signed by my doctor. Other than that, I think I'm pretty much set. Netflix queue is ready, the Kindle is charged and filled with books, I just got an MP3 player and filled that up. 

Now...on to the emotional instability! :p

[mmrocker13]

I have my pre-op physical today (my 2nd physical in 3 months…let’s see if I’ve improved my shape or regressed), and other than a few other small things–check to see if the cryocuff is working okay, finish up my laundry, tie up some odds and ends at work, I guess, for all practical purposes I am as ready as possible.

The last 13 weeks or so, I have spent a goodly amount of time in rehab…and then in pre-hab. Honestly, I feel in pretty good shape. My running is a bit stunted, as I didn’t really resume that until right around Christmastime–and even  that was more of a run walk (although this past week I’ve been doing a straight 30-35 minute run. It’s lurching and laborious, but whatever). But I’ve been on the trainer for up to an hour, and have been doing the elliptical trainer for 45-75 minutes. Pretty much 6 dyas a week I’ve been getting 45-75 minutes of cardion, and then another 30 or so minutes of “pre-hab” strength stuff. On the whole, my leg feels almost back to where it was pre-op, and I’m sure given a normal winter, I’d be in okay shape come summer. Or, at least as okay as I have been as of late.

It’s days like this one where I have to stop and derail that “Why on earth am I doing this procedure when I am feeling [relatively] okay???” train of thought. Logically, rationally, I KNOW that I am doing this not for today or tomorrow or even next summer, but for years down the line. Ah, but emotionally…well, that’s a different beast. Don’t ever let anyone kid you: rehab sucks donkey balls, fer sure…but the mental side of things is always the toughest.

:-)

[Tailwind]

OMG! Reading the blog now. Scary to think about you post-op, when you really have time on your hands. Hang in there. First week is the hardest. Then you will be cruising!

[mmrocker13]

OMG! Reading the blog now. Scary to think about you post-op, when you really have time on your hands. Hang in there. First week is the hardest. Then you will be cruising!

What can I say... I am a writer. And a slightly keyed up one at that. I have a lot of randomness to say :p Hopefully some meds will calm me down next week

[Tailwind]

And what's with the cats and the dressing up? Odd.

[mmrocker13]

Surgery is tomorrow. I seem to have developed a stuffy nose in the last few days. But no fever, aches, chills, or anything other than a plugged nose...so I am assuming that it will be okay.

I am wondering what to pack in my overnight bag besides my normal meds, a toothbrush, and a book and my MP3 player. Clean underpants? As far as clothes, I imagine I will wear something in...and then wear it home, so....

[carlajp]

hmmm, having the same clothing dilemmas myself- made worse because I don't know if I will have brace or cast or nothing. I will have to assume I will have something and account for clothes to cover this. Books (essential), wash stuff, no meds as I don't take any other than ibuprofen, slippers and possibly a teddy bear! Wish I was allowed to take my cat!!!!

Good luck today, Megan. Will be joining you on sofa watch by the end of the week!
Carla

[Tailwind]

I hope everything went well!

I sort of expected you'd be giving us a live play-by-play of the surgery yesterday! 

Rest easy and heal quick. You've got work to do!

[mmrocker13]

Post-op Day 2 :-)

I came home last night. I had been planning to post, but felt so crappy by the time I got home, all I could manage was lying on the couch. Partly it was b/c I had gotten behind on my pain meds and partly b/c I had a nasty, blinding headache. Neither of it was helped by the fact that we had an hour long drive across the Cities in rush hour (HA!) traffic that hit pretty much every pothole on I-94 (there are 32,768 of them, in case you were wondering).

So, here's the run down:
Surgery Day... Checked in at 10:30, got admitted, etc. Vaguely disgruntled b/c A) my sinuses hurt and b) I had had no coffee. Other than that, it was uneventuful untill the pre-op nurse tried to start my IV.

She tried my left wrist. Then the back of my left hand (no lidocaine, either). Then same two spots on my right hand and wrist. Three of these stabs were punctuated with "oops. That's going to leave a bruise." The third was... "DAMNIT the valve keeps collapsing." She finally called for another nurse, and apologized b/c she said she almost NEVER has to stick someone twice--let alone 4 times and fail. I thought she was going to cry...I could tell she was really embarrassed, and kept trying to tell her it really was okay. I mean, what's a needle stick when they are sawing your leg in half, right? :p

The second nurse got it in in only two tries... she said I just "had tiny wrist and hand veins". I was like, great. Small feet, small boobs, and now small veins. WHY NOT SMALL THIGHS??? SMALL BUTT??? Throw me a BONE here, people :p

Anyway...I DID bruise--I have four big green bruises that kind if look like reverse stigmatas. No biggie though.

Met the anesthesiologist, and decided to go with a spinal and a sedative (I originally wanted to be awake, but he said that 3+ hours was a bit long). I also got a femoral nerve block.

Wheeled me into the OR, which was quite full... two surgeons, surgeon's assistants, several nurses, nurse anesthetist, two residents/interns, etc. I was like "wheeeeeeeee! I have a TEAM!" I told my nurse I felt like Brett Favre. Then I reconsidered and said maybe more like EJ Henderson :p

I also noticed the wall of XRays at the end of the room--had all my films, including the standing ones...blown way up. Now, I'm no prude, but let's just say, on those xrays, you can see all of the...ah, fleshy bits (were I a dude, they'd be my dangly bits). And now, here they are blown up like lifesized and tacked on the wall. I admit, I had a giggle fit. In fact, many things were funny right about then.

Then I must have fallen asleep, b/c the next thing I knew I was awake and in recovery. (Whole procedure was about 4 hours) Then I went to my room, where Pat and I hung out until he left at about 9 PM.

On the whole, I was feeling okay...except I had terrible abdominal cramps--like really bad menstrual cramps. I couldn't get what was up. Eventually, the nurse said I should try going pee. So, the loaded me onto the rolling commode bare axx to the wind, and wheeled me to the toilet (I had a private room, which was kind of nice) and left me there.

And here is where we discover the wonder that is Trying To Pee While Under a Nerve Block. As it turns out, I had a stomach ache b/c I had to pee something fierce...but I couldn't FEEL it. I just kind of sat there, like "Hmm. Now, how do I actually DO this...?" Eventually the waters flowed, in fits and spurts on their own. Unfortunately, being a girl, I didn't have any plumbing I could aim manually...and since I couldn't FEEL anything, it was difficult to be neat and tidy about stuff (esp since I was essentially hovering 10 inches above the actual toilet bowl while on the commode).

The pee stopped--but I knew I didn't go that much so I basically forced it out. I have never worked so hard in my life to go pee.  It was like a ten  minute workout. I honestly was sweaty when I was done.

Got wheeled back to bed and told Pat my story. More giggling.

He left, and then I was on my own. I didn't sleep, really, partly b/c I got behind on my meds (I was on the 12 hour oxycontin, but didn't take a percoset or anything), and partly b/c someone came in every 2 hours to check my vitals, and partky b/c it was a strange place. At any rate, I discovered the fascinating world of 3 AM paid programming.

Post-Op Day 1...

Relatively uneventful. Talked to my surgeon in the AM. He was really excited about it--said it went super well, cut was very clean, etc. He went with a standard locking fracture plate, instead of a puddu plate or a blade plate. I also had an allograft, which was really nice, as it spares me the hip pain (which is good, since my hip is REALLY aggrivated right now lugging this brace around).

Plate:


My incision is about nine inches long; the plate is eight inches, and I have eight screws. He used stitches, not staples or glue.

By late afternoon, I had been cleared to crutch to the potty (and could feel my junk again, so I got much better at it)...and then passed PT with flying colors. They were originally going to have me spend the night, but since i was ahead of schedule, I was cleared to go. Pat came and got me that evening.

Which brings us to:

Post-Op Day 2...
I slept downstairs on the futon that we brought up from the basement. At first I was annoyed at Pat's insistence that I sleep here (since he woudl be gone at work, he didn't want me navigating the stairs alone). But I have to admit...it was nice. I had a whole bed to myself, and that helped with being comfy. Plus, getting to the bathroom was easy, and then, during the day, I just had to sort of prop myself up to watch TV.

Convalesence area (Note one of the many animals who usurp my space):


I took my 12 hour oxycontin this AM, but have not had to use a percoset. And, really, unless I am up, I don't hurt much at all. Moving does hurt, and standing for more than a few minutes or so makes me kind of woodgy, but otherwise, as long as I am sedentary, I'm not hurting much. Thanks to Tailwind's advice, I picked up some Sennakot today, but as of yet, there has been no developments on that front. (or rear, I suppose... :p VERY bad pun  )

I am in a hunormous brace; I get up to 90 degrees of flexion…although I can only get to about 30 max right now. 
          

I’ll be in the brace at least six weeks. Crutches/NWB for about 10…although it could be as long as 12-16. Please god, no. 

Tomorrow I am supposed to change my dressings, so I should get some nice pics then. And will try and shower. Which should an adventure.

[and4400]

Sounds like you doing great considering the surgery. I laughed reading about the whole peeing thing. I've been through that more than once and it is the worst feeling trying so hard to push and have nothing. I'm glad your doing good and hope the time flies by for you. Andy

[Tailwind]

Hey you! You are on your way!

I remember seeing my giant long leg x-rays on the OR wall. But they gave me one of those lead bikini strips to cover my junk when they took the pics, so no free show! Except I was, of course, lying there naked and unconscious on the operating table so...

Great job your first couple of days. Tip: drink a ton of water or the laxatives wont be effective. Your are prob dehydrated. Drink drink drink.

I am surprised your brace is unlocked. Mine was locked for the first 2 weeks.  Hang in there. I predict you will be way ahead of schedule.

God that brace sucks!

[mmrocker13]

It's only unlocked to 90...and I can barely get it to 30, and that's using my hand to help. But that wee bit of bend helps at night. Sounds like I will probably be in mine longer than you were though, so maybe it's a tradeoff.

Yeah, when I first saw the giant flesh pics tacked on the wall, I was like...er... but then I was just amused, b/c really, they had me pretty much nekkid to do the nerve block in the prep area, and then thy had the gown pulled back to do the surgery anyway. And of course, everyone and their brother can see all my bits on the way to the bathroom. I am glad I have no problems with exhibitionism, b/c the procedure and follow ups are not really for the modest :p

I'm suprised at how much pain is coming from my hammie in addistion to the IT band/quad area--but then, I guess they were diggigng around in there, so it's not a huge shock. My bad hip is really bugging me though, and my PT stuff like leg lifts and stuff aggrivates it.

I'm def. trying to stay hydrated... which, of course, makes me pee all the time. And while I've gotten much better at it, it's still a process. I REALLY wish I had, ah, moveable plumbing, since my brace comes RIGHT up to my business, basically. Three days in, and already I year from the glorious days of yesteryear when peeing was a thoughtless, do in the dark, automatic process. 

Here's a question: Did you have to do your initial dressing change? How did that go? Did you have an ace wrap over the dressings and under the brace? And did you put that back on?

ETA: Did you have a cryocuff? I have one, but am not sure how to manage it. Did you just take yoru brace off, leave the cuff on for awhile, then put the brace back on?

I'm suppised to change mine tomorrow and can shower if I want...obviously I'll wait until Pat can help me, but if you have any technique tips...

[sarbah77]

Holy cow! NWB for 10 weeks?! You have my DEEPEST sympathies!

For my surgery - albeit an HTO: my doctor's office did the initial dressing change.  They wanted me using the Ace wrap for most of the two weeks, to help keep the swelling down (but between that and the reaction to the bandages AND then the annoying staples, I didn't wear it that much) but I mostly kept my leg down. (by down I meant "elevated")

As for the cryocuff, I usually just unlatched my brace, wrapped that sucker around my leg, and let it go.  I figured I wasn't going anywhere and since the bone was actually PINNED in to place that it wouldn't fall apart if I was lying on the couch doing nothing.  I have a friend who called it my "electric boyfriend" and she was so right.

Good luck with recovery!!

[mmrocker13]

Well, my husband has already said he's "going to be replaced by the detachable showerhead"...so one more artificial BF shouldn't matter

I am certainly hoping for 8, but am emotionally prepared for 10 or more.

I am kind of excited to take off the bandages, and not just so i can bathe a bit...scars are fun :-)