Hey Ciera,

I had a fulkerson almost 2 years ago now...time flies!  I had the surgery over winter break and went back to school a week after surgery.  It wasn't easy cause I had the surgery in January and where I live there is snow.  I was on crutches for about 6 weeks and in a knee immobilizer for 4 weeks, then at the 4 week mark got switched to a hinged knee brace for about 3 months.  At school I would always just have my leg on another chair and my friends would be super helpful.  I believe I only missed 1 day of school because it just hurt that bad only because I slammed my leg down...  Just follow what your OS tells you to do.  You will become extremely close with your OS...mine made me come in almost weekly or every other week.  I went into the fulkerson after having a surgery 4 months prior, so I was going in with little ROM and weak which then caused more problems.  So my biggest advice is go into the surgery with a strong knee!  After surgery I did have a cooling unit...amazing.  I also had to use a CPM machine.... I hated that.  Also physical therapy is huge and is important to start right away. 

Let me know if you have any other questions!   

It did hurt, but wasn't horrible.  I had to stay in the hospital overnight... and the next day I was allowed to go home and just slept because of course I got no sleep there and then got woken up at 5 am by my PA.  Then 2 days after surgery I was going nuts doing nothing so went grocery shopping with my mom...then my leg hurt more because I did too much.  Also be where of the blood rushes when you have your leg elevated and then put it down to walk...it takes a minute to get used too!  So pain isn't horrible, but yes you bone pain which sucks but is manageable. 

I ended up having my screws taken out at 6months post op, so weather wise I didn't feel the affect of the screws over time.  My OS thought I was allergic to the screws so he took em out.  Just don't try kneeling with the screws in! 

For my last surgery I had (which was my 4th in 1 year and a half) I had my friend go with me when he decided to do another surgery.  She told me to just get it over with and that we would have a hospital sleepover party cause he was making me stay over night again.  So having a friend go with is a good idea!

Also with the OS thing...I had the same situation.  My one who did the first one after the dislocation essentially gave up cause he wasn't happy so he sent me to my current OS who has been with me since....   

I fought to not have to stay over night, but I lost that fight 2 times now.  I think it's best to go home...   

I do not like taking any meds so I was prescribed stuff, but just took Tylenol.  After my last surgery, I ended up crying and they didn't give me an option and gave me meds through my IV because I still refused but they would not send me home otherwise.  Yes I did have have a cuff/ice machine.  It helps with the bone pain a lot.