Situation IS getting better:)

[emergRN]

Love the kitty picture Robin!!!  Happy Belated Easter to you all!!!

Tez.....LOVE the new wheels!  You are going to look so posh driving around the Scottish countryside!  You HAVE to get a Hermes scarf to wrap around your hair..and some Jackie O sunglasses!!

Lottie and Brams...glad you had a nice day together!  I wish I had some KG's closer to me!  You are lucky gals...Snowy, I don't know if I can wait until the fall to come to Vancouver again!

Nick..I hope you had a nice day with the family!

Rk4..I guess it is left overs today with ice packs on the twins

Superrat...You da bomb girl!

Well, I get to make a positive post today!  On the advice of a very good PT on the other side of the country, I was instructed to strap/tape my knee in the fashion that I had been shown when I was out west.  So, I went and bought the tape, and did it how I thought it was done before.  It off loaded my patellar tendon, BUT it also gives medial support to my knee.....MAGIC!!! 

My pain is reduced by at least half.  It gave much needed support to my medial knee...and it really helped with the pain/loose feeling that I have been having when rolling over in bed.  I am freaking amazed!   I did email him a picture of what I had done, and he said I had done it right!

I would really like to know what the diagnostic implications of this working are.  My pain level is the lowest it has been since I was in Vancouver in February!  Crazy!

W

[iamsuperrat]

I tape myself all the time. I got the beige ones, otherwise neon pink will cause so many stares!

[Rknees4]

Well W it is now coming up on stupid o'clock and still paying big time for making Easter supper for everyone.  It was a leftover ice on twins kind of day.
Hope everyone is OK.
Take Care all.
Rk4 and the torture twins.

[seerobinbike]

Hi Everyone,

Hope everyone is doing fine. 

Lottie...Glad to hear that you had such a nice get together with your buddy Brams and the family on Easter.  It sounds like it was fun!  Black eggs as in licorice eggs?  If not, though wonder you felt a bit under the weather!  Yeah, Rudy and Lucas do look a lot alike.  I don't think Rudy would be so good at hunting wabbits as Lucas is though.  Hope all body parts are behaving.

W...Happy to hear that taping has helped your poor knee!  I'm guessing your stability has improved as well?  I've been kinseotaping my knee regularly to help with lymph drainage and reduce swelling after a hard day.  (Thanks for the information Linda M.!)  I just ordered two more rolls of the stuff; it works.  Where are you with PT these days?  Hope that you had a good visit with the family this weekend!

Tez...Woo Hoo, Tez! You bought yourself a good looking car.  Congrats to you!  Hope the sun has been shining and it's warm enough to put the top down.  I love convertibles. If I was ever to buy a car car, it would most certainly be a convertible!!  How is everything else going with you?  Is Tezknee behaving?  Hopefully your workload will decrease a bit with Easter being over.  Do you have Mother's Day in May across the pond?  Ours is in May and my hairdresser is always super busy.

Nick...Hope you had a good Easter.  You even went to church, huh?!  What a good boy. I just can't do the church thing anymore. 

Brams...Haven't heard from you in a bit but glad that you enjoyed Easter with Lottie.  Hope things are good with you and that the stupid CRIPS isn't being too much of a pain.

Rk...Sorry you had an extra crappy knee day!  You must be counting down the days until your MRI and consult.  I truly hope that the good doctor finds something and is able to do something to get you out of so much pain.

Super and Snowy...Hope that you guys are enjoying the powder and some nice spring skiing. 

A...Think of you often and hope that you are doing o.k. 

Argggg.  What a stressful morning it has been.   Thank God I never had kids for I'd be popping Valiums left and right!  Had a vet consult this morning for Baker, our semi feral guy because his gums started bleeding.  We had someone come to the house this morning and we were told that he would need to have most of his teeth out due to a severe case of gingivitis.  God, the put one of those stupid things over his face to calm him down and I wanted to tell them to just leave!  I honestly couldn't watch as they gave him a dozen shots of this and that and took blood.  We both needed a good nap after that!  It's funny, I'm a whole lot better when it comes to medical issues with people than I am with animals.  Especially animals like Baker.  He's such a skittish guy and it's taken us so long to build up trust with him.  Anyway, after a half can of albacore tuna, he seems none the worst for wear.  Kneewise, nothing much new. I'm still having problems on the stairs and sleeping at night.  I do notice that my knee can take more these days without me even thinking about it.  It's still early.  A coworker of mine from the bakeshop contacted me last night about doing some work for him.  I told him I'd think about it.  I'm not sure if my knee will appreciate the hours spent on it.  M. says absolutely not.  That's why I'm thinking about it.  

Be well all!

Hugs, Robin  xx

[Brambledog]

Hi all!

Sorry I've been AWOL lately, it's the Easter holidays and my two kids are off school with a vengeance... We seem to have had little time to just sit....

Have nipped on here a couple of times, but not time to post properly so just been skimming! Will catch up properly once I can breathe in peace....my youngest has a friend here for a sleepover tonight, so sleep is the last thing any of us will get! 

Had a bad few days recently when stupid GP (another one down...) told me I had to reduce my lyrica dose to 200mg a day in two doses (from 300mg at 3x duh). This was just printed on my repeat prescription, no phone call even. I queried it with a different GP (ha! just another locum) the next day when happened to be there with my daughter. He said yes, there was a note on my notes (lol) about it, he said my doc wanted me to do it because she didn't want me taking it 3x a day, just two. Hmmm. I expressed my concern for the plan, having only recently got it slightly more under control, and he said it was something to do with guidelines. I said i hadnt upped it to the 300mg lightly and expressed further concern  and he said if I felt it wasn't going well I could contact them and they could up it again, but to 150mg 2x a day. Ha!! I despair.

Luckily had a physio appt that day, told her about it. She was very concerned, felt whole plan was flawed (lol, really?) and it could destabilize things again. She said (unofficially) not to do it, and she would contact my GP and express her feelings...bless her. She said I should ring her as well. When I'd been to my daughters appt, my GP wasn't in (hols in Maldives?) so didn't bother that day. That was Thursday. So of course next day was Good Friday, then Easter weekend and Monday...great timing.

Stupid thing was that over Thursday night, it started screwing with my brain. I managed to talk myself into trying it on the basis that she was a respected GP and thus knew what she was talking about, and that she might have a damn good reason for me reducing the dose - maybe my specific medical cocktail of woes (lol) meant that 3x a day WAS BAD FOR ME... So on Friday and Saturday I did it.

Friday, I felt ok (lol Lottie...) so started thinking she was right, and that I didn't need the 300mg. Sorted!

Saturday, I came down to earth with a bump. Pain levels, swelling and colours increased through the day. By evening, left knee was burning up and bright scaly red, right knee less hot with a few red bits it shouldn't have, I had a horrible night of pain and burning and the attendant horror and despair. Great. Husband looked at knees Saturday night and said it was no coincidence, hadn't been that bad for a long time, mad NOT to up dose again on Sunday.

Sunday morning in shower, I thought I'd contracted the plague overnight. Left leg from below knee to two-thirds up my thigh was purply-blue with scaly red patches. It looked like it had fallen off a corpse. Husband duly horrified, face was a picture. Reassured him was upping dose again, doc could go swing.

So well done doc. All that exercise has accomplished is to make me realise how dependent I am on the bloody drug, and what horrors might follow if I ever didn't (or couldn't) take the Lyrica.  Cheers.

All is improving again now, still worse than before this episode, but not far off what it was before now, so hope I only have a few more days of iffiness to go!

So, lesson learnt. GPs know nowt. Trust them at your peril.

..........

Said I didn't have time, eh? This was therapy tho, thanks guys....will post properly soon. Got to go and tell the little darlings off again - its 11.30 pm now and they're still awake up there...

Hugs knee friends xxx

Brams 

[Brambledog]

 

Nearly forgot!

Had a fab day with Lottie on Monday! Took the family too and despite the good old British holiday weather chucking its worst at us, we had a great time. Mr Lottie was fab too (obviously, lol), and my youngest enjoyed the best organised Easter Egg Hunt I've encountered. Ever.

Brams 

[Lottiefox]

Hey!!

I have missed a lot of stuff on here - well, I have read it but not replied if you get the drift...I shall begin with Tez and the new wheels! Very smart! My Rocco is black and I like dark cars but they are a pain to keep clean. I tend to just let it get filthy through the winter as there isn't much point making it pristine! I hope you get a lovely lot of sun up there so you can cruise with the wind in your hair. You need some uber big shades on! Does it have heated seats? If so, you can even put that roof down on freezing cold sunny mornings and a big hat and just enjoy the experience! Oh and gloves too!! One other thing- does the 207 have a wind deflector as standard or can you buy them to fix in? They sit behind the front seats and they REALLY make a difference to the experience from recall especially if you're going a bit rapidly....stops the buffeting effect of air crashing about in the car.

Right, then Robin - I hope Baker has calmed down now! I think tuna is the cure for all kittie ills. If only it worked on humans. I guess we have wine and chocolate....and peanut butter on toast and coffee as I am now chowing down on....I think the bakehouse work could be rough on the knee. You are doing so well, I know it feels like forever but it isn't long at all for such a major thing to be done. Keep up the good work!

W, I don't know much about why the taping seems to help but to my brain it is a bit of a positive as it identifies there is a mechanical issue if you get what I mean. I know it doesn't solve it....but it is a big pointer to what is going on...what is next for the knee? I wish things would calm down for you, its a neverending circle of **** at the moment or so it seems.....

Rat, I have been snow shoeing once in Poland and it was great fun but boy my ankles and calf muscles screamed at me for about a week afterwards! Hope your ankle has calmed down now....any more adventures planned??

Rk4 - hope the easter feast was worth the knee stress and that things have calmed down for you too. Is you daughter OK after the kittie trauma? What is next with your study and course work?

A, I am thinking of you too, hope you are OK.

Snowy - I saw your medal for the cycle, what exactly was it you did? What is the next challenge?!

Brams - ah yes indeed there was a joint Fox and Bramble meeting on Monday. It was lovely! Mr Fox and Mr Bramble appeared to hit it off and get on well, and the mini Brambles enjoyed the visit I think. The egg hunt was curtailed by the weather so R and I had to write clues and hide eggs in various places around the house instead of the fields and barns we had in mind. Mini Brams would have needed waterproofs to head outside! Midi Brams is doing me a drawing of Lottie from a photo I sent her. Midi-Brams is an extremely talented young lady and has a great eye. I said that Bram's daughters make me broody! Midi is going to grow up to be a fine, capable young lady in no time. Brams, boo on the messing with the Lyrica. I know they have confirmed the two times a day thing now to you (I need to check with my GP as she is still saying 3 is fine for me...) but they shouldn't have dropped the dose like that. It is wrong. CRPS is such a flamable beast and this is the critical time for the Lyrica to be rebooting the system and helping the symptoms abate. Hope things have settled down now....I was impressed again on Monday with the walking and the look of the knee....and the way you shifted them out of the way when Lucas decided he was playing foot attack!!

Nick hope you haven't been flooded at the golf course. I watched the Masters over the weekend and I reckon you wouldn't mind working the course there in the gorgeous weather of Augusta! I bet you'd have a better boss too!

Well, me...I am doing good. Reggie is calm although his skin looks a little like a papyrus scroll over the scar line, it is very strange. Kind of wrinkly! I have been training well at the gym, my elbow comes and goes in terms of when it bothers me. I think its a gripping action that annoys it so I shall avoid such a move at the gym and see what happens....I have my interview tomorrow and have a smart new black trouser suit (I know, predictable but smart) and a cerise and black top to go under it. Reggie is going to attempt his shoes with heels...nothing major but a little boost to his confidence and I won't have to walk far! Wish me luck! Its still for a self employed role but with work being given to me by a pretty large and very reputable company so I need to impress. Cats are all fine, have I posted since Lucas brought the 5 rabbits in within 24 hours? I found tails and bowels around the hallway. And last night we had a wet mouse dumped in the kitchen and when R picked it up the head fell off!!! Yuck!!! All else quiet - my Mum is getting ready for Fit Fred to come home tomorrow. He has been in Atlanta visiting one of his daughters who lives there. She will be feeding him up no doubt and very pleased to see him!

Oh and a strange question - does morphine make your hair fall out?? taken over periods of time for a collapsing spine plus numerous other problems. Not me, I have all my hair so far and no morphine! My Aunt. 86 bless her and not in a good way. :-(

Right then folks, I have spag bol to cook...yummy yummy yummy.....

Hugs to all bodily parts xxxxx

[emergRN]

Lottie,

Is she on anything else besides morphine?  Is she on any steroids like prednisone??

W

[Lottiefox]

W,

Not 100% sure, she is in hospital as everything is just failing on her....could well be on something steroid based as well, I can check. Would it be those on their own or in combo with the morphine?

Cheers chicken, xxx

[emergRN]

I have nothing to back this up, but I have seen quite a few people who have been on long term steroids, and their hair seems to get thin!  They get hairy in other places...lol!  I have never heard of people's hair falling out from morphine!

I have noticed that a lot of our patients that we have had in ICU for long periods of time seem to lose a lot of hair.  I suppose it could just be from the fact that they are so sick, or that they are in bed all day with their heads on a pillow, and you notice it more.  I am not really sure Lottie!

I hope your aunt feels better soon...poor lady!

W

[tez27]

Hey folks I hope all is well with you crowd tonight/this morning.....

To jump in to the hair loss thing from my experience most medication can affect your hair, loads of BP meds are really bad for thinning hair, and all sorts of other meds can affect how the hair reacts to chemicals [perms, colour's etc] I have also noticed when someone has been really ill their hair can become very thin and brittle, a friend of mine had been feeling a bit under the weather for a while and when I was doing her hair I noticed it didn't feel right,it was very dry and getting thinner so sent her off to the Dr and she was diagnosed with an under active thyroid, since then I have noticed the same thing in a couple of clients and each time they have come back and told me I had been right, and that is what the Dr had found after doing the tests, I have always found that your hair tells you a lot about your health, maybe we should do away with Dr's altogether and just go see your hairdresser when your feeling bad 

The new car is a dream to drive unfortunately it has been pretty wet since I picked it up, I did manage to get the roof down one day for a while and it felt great, the car has excellent heaters so even though it was chilly I didn't feel cold at all, Lottie you mentioned a wind deflector I dont really know what that is exactly, I don't think it has one but I didn't feel it too windy as long as I kept the windows up, even at speed I just hope we get loads of sunshine so that I can make the most of it, though the fact it is a hard top it still looks good with the top up.....
Oh and my lovely Husband will keep it nice and shiny for me just as long as the rain stays off long enough to give it a good wax.
Also tezknee is loving the automatic side of it, I really felt the difference coming down the motorway yesterday after spending the day clothes shopping with Steph, usually walking all day around shops would make the knee really grumpy and the drive home would be horrid, so just getting into the car and letting the left leg sit and do nothing felt fantastic, why did it take me so long to realise how good an automatic would be for the dodgy knee

Right folks I wont go through the roll call tonight, I just really hope everyone is doing well and all the grumpy body parts are behaving
Take care all Tez XXX
   

[Rknees4]

Hey Gang,
Lottie my daughter is perking up. Thanks for asking.  The mother of her beloved Kitty just had a batch of new little ones and she is eyeing a grey and peach one as a new one. It has thumbs like her Kitty had and is bigger than all her litter mates so I expect she will be in the house in 6 weeks time, and we will get all the needles and get her fixed.
Don't need any more babies in the house... No courses until fall unless I go under the knife in late summer and then I will put it off until winter.   Just can't study and do PT and Pain just to much for me, with kids, sick parents and farm issues.
At least Reggie isn't boring,, he keeps life interesting,, maybe not in a good way but interesting none the less.  Sorry to hear about your Auntie that is not good.
Hey to everyone else.
Take Care,
Rk4 and the torture twins.

[iamsuperrat]

Eagle

[iamsuperrat]

Huff and Puff to the top.

[Lottiefox]

Nice pics Rat! Lots of snow though, looks chilly!!

Well, interview is done......seemed to go OK.....two people interviewing one of whom was someone I worked with/for about 9 years ago......she and I had a very drunken trip to Germany to a conference which was fun but we also had our "moments" shall I say!! She seemed genuinely pleased to see me. Time will tell!! I guess if she'd hated me she wouldn't have shortlisted me! let us see how things go.....

Coffee now needed then I need to hit the gym for some cardio intervals. Yuck. I hate cardio sessions. Give me weights and hanging off things any day. I try and mix up weights as cardio circuits but sometimes you just have to slog out some intervals on the spinner or rower......agh!!

Hope all the bodily parts are behaving. Rk4 I like the sound of the little kitten with the thumbs.....I was trying to convince R we could have another one (4? Not much more than 3...) but he is adamant!!

xxx

PS Tez, the wind deflector is this kind of thing:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Peugeot-207-cc-207CC-wind-deflector-BRAND-NEW-/200739632860?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item2ebd03b6dc#ht_1163wt_1270

You may well find a second hand one for a good price. I was never bothered about one when I had an A4 convertible until I drove one with a wind deflector in place!!! x