PAIN! Patella fracture & repair 9 years later!!! No better!

[Mrs.W]

No problem  .... Driving shouldn't be a problem. Like I said, I was driving shortly after & the clutch requires a lot more involvement than the gas and brakes! And I was in excruciating pain for the firs week 1/2. But the surgery was aggressive as the screws didn't want to come out :/

I think you'll be fine!

& congrats to you both!!!!!!!!

[Sara Z]

Wow-thanks, Deb!  It does!  You seem very brave......not sure I could do that, but I will try!

Keep me updated if you don't mind on when u do stairs and driving!

Take care and good luck!  Oh-one other question, if you don't mind.  For my initial injury and surgery, I was in
The hospital for 4 days.  Fully immobilized for months afterwards.  I've since switched OS and this one says it will
be outpatient with no brace afterwards.  However, I don't get the feeling he's done a break like this before.  Were you outpatient and did you have brace or crutches/walker after?  I think you might have mentioned this in a previous message, but it's a little hard to tell who sent what at this point.

Thanks again,
Sara

[Mrs.W]

Sara, they sent me out of the hospital 2 hours after the surgery with a pat on the butt. I freaked out & went to an ER at another hospital 2 days later & they gave me an immobilizer. When I went in for my first post op visit OS said "use crutches if you feel uneasy... But you can put weight on it"

Seriously, I'm not exaggerating- the recovery is much less traumatic than the original surgery. Keep in mind.... The bone isnt broken anymore!!

Oh... One STRANGE thing... OS said it would take TEN YEARS for the bone to fill the holes back in?!!!! That seemed odd to me.

Please keep me posted what your doctors say! Thanks!!

[debjoe74]

Hi Sara, I broke my knee on my kitchen floor on a Friday, and at Er, after xrays and immobizer, sent home. I saw OS on Mon, had surgery on Tues. I had wire and 2 pins, no screws. After 6 weeks, started pt. 3 moths, 3x a week. Took a long time to regain rom to 125. The os wanted to do a MUA at one point, but I said no. I used a crutch for most of the 6 mos., especially when going out. My knee buckled a lot with the hw in. Now 2 weeks after hw removal, I am slowly walking w/out a crutch, the steristrips are slowly coming off (big scab underneath), and I feel I could drive now. I probably will this weekend. My knee is still pretty stiff at times and at night, the bending is slowly coming back, but the heaviness and pain associated w/ the hw is gone of course. My knee buckles just a little because I have a long way to go to build up my quad. The os says there should be no pt now. I see him in a week and will let you know how it goes. What a long pause in my life this has been. Deb

[Sara Z]

Well guys, I go in for surgery in the am.  Cannot say I am looking forward to it!  However, want to thank you both very much for your advice!  Would love to hear more updates on how you are doing, and as soon as I can, I will update you as well. 

Talk soon,

Sara

PS-I agree, this has been a life altering experience and a very long journey!!!  (not 9 years, so I shouldn't complain....).

[Mrs.W]

Thinking of you Sara.... Please give us an update as soon as you're up to it!!!!! BTW I'm about 10 weeks post op & other than rainy days I feel great! The constant agonizing pain is officially GONE!

[Sara Z]

Hi!
4 days post op.......still very sore and swollen.  Wish I could post a pic to show you, and you could tell me if it looks similar.  Pain was very bad first couple of days, better yesterday but raining today so but worse.  Bandages all still wrapped up tightly.  Haven't gotten a good look at knee-won't till tomorrow.  First 3 days looked like a cantaloupe, now down to more of a grapefruit.  (rest of my legs very thin, so swollen knee really protrudes).  
Still laying around and using ice practically round the clock, and using crutches when walking to bathroom, etc.

Let me get your opinion......I am really surprised by this, but maybe you will think its no big deal and I will just relax about this.  We saw the OS after surgery for about 30 seconds, and he said all went well, and it wasn't necessary to put in new HW.  That was great to hear.  Then he said to see him in about 2 weeks and to start rehab next week.  We called his office 2 days post op with some questions (no one from his office ever called to see how I was after the surgery), and we were told the Dr had left for vacation for a week-without checking on his surgical patients??  I am concerned that he wants me to start rehab without anyone checking the wound, etc first.  Does that sound odd to you?  Also had to fight for pain meds, as the Dr. doesn't seem to think this would be a painful recovery?  No, it's not as bad as original trauma and surgery, but it's also more than a scraped knee.  

Trust me, I'm happy it's done, but I'm a bit concerned that I don't have a medical partner who will listen to me.  I am trying to do a straight leg raise, and can barely do it.  Frustrating after 6 months of rehab getting my quad back in shape.  Not surprising I guess.  I know I have a bunch of rehab in front of me, and maybe it's because it's a rainy day that is making me down......  Please feel free to tell me to "snap out of it!".   I'm probably just worrying too much.  

Glad to hear you are doing so well!!

[webster1661]

I had my first hardware removed exactly 6 months after the IFPR (internal fixation, patellar reduction). The whole time the h/w was in, my knee gave off some heat and felt really stiff and I could only advance to about 90 ROM.  Almost right away when the h/w was removed my knee felt much more "natural" and I gained more ROM at Physio.  Unfortunately, and I don't want to scare anyone, but I do wonder now if it was too soon.... I had another fall and refractured my patella in the same place! Either it didn't heal completely, or wasn't a very strong union (only 2 pieces but Dr had said bone regrowth was slower than he expected; I was NWB for 9 wks from June - August 2011).  Had second surgery; now have screws (instead of pins) and cerclage of wire but this time Dr. has said ok to 50% weight-bearing (same Dr.)   Perhaps he thinks this time that WB might help it heal stronger? However, I am saddened to be told that the scews will prob stay in! (wire might still be removed at some point).

My point is that maybe removal of H/W at 6 months may be too soon? Depends on how well you like / trust your OS, how much it is interfering with your recovery / pain level, etc.  Hope this helps.  (Cathy)