Grey's LPFLr, MPFLr, TTT

[smartdriver]

Sorry to hear about the pain and swelling.  Unfortunately, there's really nothing good about travelling after a surgery. Even if you had to fly somewhere, your leg wouldn't be happy.  The only thing you can do is keep your leg up, and try to do the cannonballs the best that you can.  At least you have family around to help...    I was on my own once I returned home, and trying to do the cooking, cleaning, laundry, etc. on crutches is the absolute pits, so "take advantage" of any assistance you can!

One thing that I learned after the second surgery (and in hindsight wish I would have done it after the first one too) is to get acupuncture.  After flying home, my leg was really swollen (as yours is from riding).  Prior to leaving for surgery, I made an acupuncture appointment with my TCM practitioner for when I arrived home.  For me, acupuncture made a HUGE difference in terms of swelling/pain/bruising.  I went twice a week for about 4 weeks.  The wonderful "blood rush" feeling that I had after the first surgery was almost non-existent for the next 3 surgeries.  The swelling and bruising  wasn't nearly as bad either.  After she would put in the acupuncture needles in my leg, she would also put a heat lamp over my knee as well.  Then she would put some needles in my head as well, for relaxation (aka NAP!).   It was the best hour I could have asked for! She also gave me a liquid pain reliever to put on my leg (but NOT on the incision).  After the TCM appointment, I could do the cannonballs better than I could prior....(and there's NOTHING good to say about the cannonballs). And, after the second surgery, I ditched the pain pills once I got home too since they didn't provide any relief whereas acupuncture did.  Hmmm....

In the end, you have to follow what doctor's instructions you have been given.  What worked for me, may or may not work for someone else. 

Good luck with your recovery - it does get better!  Just wait until you can get on the bike-then things will progress pretty quickly..

[greyliston]

smart driver: thanks for the encouragement. You are right. I am very lucky to have assistance from my family. My traveling is not done though. I have to fly back to Portland on Sunday. I may have to try the acupuncture thing.

My cryo-cuff machine broke! Has anyone else had this happen to them?

[lisa424]

Mine broke a day after my last surgery. A donjoy one. Luckily the company I ordered from was awesome and overnighted me one. Usually they're guaranteed for a year. Those things do tend to break easily.

[greyliston]

Ok so today is post op day 5. Pain has calmed down, probably due to the meds I continue to take - tramadol, hydrocodone (spelling?), Tylenol, mobic. Cannonballs are getting easier but everything feels so tight in my knee. I start to worry that my knee has been over-tightened by the lateral and medial reconstruction but I think it is probably still just swollen and that is what is causing the stiffness. I am supposed to start biking in 2 days but that seems unrealistic at this time due to stiffness.

Also it is hard to mentally accept the new position that my knee cap is in. Your whole life you are used to it looking like X and now it's in position Y. It is freaky but I keep reminding myself that when everything feels great I wont even think about it. I need to get a new cryocuff machine since it broke at the worst time and I have to fly back to PDX tomorrow.

[drmark]

A few things that I am sure of:

1. Your knees hasn't been "overtightened".  Fixing the tension at 30 degrees flexion makes that impossible. After a few years of pathological laxity, it normal for it too feel tight.

2. Pain medications are given for a good reason. Use them

3. If you couldn't ride the bike at one week, then you would be the first  PF or ACLR patient I have had that couldn't. And that includes more than a few wierdos.

4.  Tomorrow will be a bad day if you are traveling. You will just have to accept that. Wear the TED hose.

5.  Work that knee!  It has evolved to bend, but that won't happen unless you make it.   

 That's it.

[greyliston]

Thanks for the info Dr. Mark. Thats what I needed to hear.

[Driden]

Have you figured out how to deal with the cyro cuff?  If not, email Michelle, and her DJ rep will send a new one immediately. It has a 90 day warranty. Mine broke at week 6 or so, and Michelle took care of it. Unless you got a used one, in which case you may need to get a new one.

I found assisted cannonballs to be helpful.  In fact, I could not sleep worth a flip the first 2 weeks, so had my loving wife cannonball me many times through the night during that period. She has to be mean and bend it beyond your comfort level. And yell profanities at you when you start to wimp out.  I got an extra torque as punishment for taking her to gainesville,Texas, for our 10th anniversary.

Mine still feels a bit tight at 13 weeks post op. Until the swelling is gone entirely, a sensation of pressure and tightness will remain. Mine gets a tad better every week.

I hope you can rest when you get home. I was mostly pain free, but was on my back for 3 weeks with cryo cuff running 24/7.  Only exceptions were breaks for cannonballs, bike, SLRs, meals, and showers.

[smartdriver]

I am supposed to start biking in 2 days but that seems unrealistic at this time due to stiffness.

I have to fly back to PDX tomorrow.

Even though I "only" had an HTO, getting on the bike actually felt good.  Yes, your leg will be swollen like a sausage (esp. after flying), but just the movement from pedaling will actually feel good - in a weird way, but it does.  Just don't say "I'll get on the bike tomorrow" - with you flying home on Sunday, even if it is Monday night, you've got to make yourself sit on the bike and pedal!  Over the course of 4 surgeries, I've managed to break 3 of the stationary bikes at the gym.  The last one "caught fire" - the transformer on the circuit board blew up and there was smoke coming out of the pedals in addition to the "electrical fire" smell   So, I've now been "accused" by the guys at the gym that I'm riding the bikes into the dirt....I'm thinking that they mean that in the nicest way of course!!  By the time I got off crutches, I was biking well over 100 miles a week.

As far as flying, were you able to book first class going home?  Obviously that will give you alot more leg room.  At the least, hope you have an aisle seat?  If you aren't flying first class, were you able to book the bulkhead row?  That row is reserved for people who need "extra assistance" and that's why it is normally blocked out - you generally have to call the airline to book the bulkhead row.  Are you getting any assistance at the airport (wheelchair)  If so, those individuals are really good about getting ice.  Even the flight attendants on Delta made me bags of ice to put on my leg in addition to keeping ice in my cryocuff.  Just don't be afraid to ask.  If you have a connection, and depending on how long between flights, try to get your leg up as much as possible during that time as well - it will really help.

Good luck!

[greyliston]

I am going to get Michelle to get me a new cryo-cuff machine on Monday even though I can just use ice packs. It will just be nice to have that thing around for future use (as long as this one lasts longer than the other). The cuff fits all sorts of body parts.

As of this evening the cannonballs are getting better and I will definitely make myself get on the bike Monday. Ive also been feeling better all around today. I got a flu shot right as I was leaving the hospital and I think that made me feel ill for a bit as well.

As for flying, I will definitely milk the system and get an aisle seat and wheel chair assitance in Houston for the connection.

Thanks for the replies and caring!

[greyliston]

Post-op day 8.

I had a horrible time travelling back to Oregon. Continental airlines is truly a terrible airline. Going to surgery - flight IAH-DFW was delayed 2 hours due to the pilot being over his flight hours and being sent home. Flight home was delayed 6 hours due to mechanical - missed my connection and had to stay in a hotel in Houston - flight in the morning was delayed another 1.5 hours due mechanical. I arrived home 18 hours late. My leg HATED me. I was away from ICE and pain meds the whole time.

So i think the travel was a set back in my recovery. I am still in pain and my leg is still swollen. I forced myself to get on the bike last night for 1/2 hour. It sucked but I did it anyways. Walking is sketchy and I have a severe limp but I am trying to walk as best as I can. I got back to working today from home (remote desktop) so that was nice.

I am gonna ride the bike again tonite for 40 minutes - trying to build up to 1 hour but it is difficult with all the swelling.

So for now its still RICE, pain meds, and as much PT as I can handle.

[Dave258]

At least you are home now, and the worst is behind you!  Good luck with the rest of your recovery.

[lisa424]

I'm not looking forward to traveling for surgery either. But it sounds like you're doing alright. At least you get to work from home!

[meemers]

just curious - I've heard canonball exercises mentioned in several postings. What are they?

[greyliston]

you pull your knee up to your chin as if you were doing a cannonball off the diving board. Its done to keep ROM immediately after surgery.

[greyliston]

Post-op Day 12:

I still have significant swelling and am still layed up on the couch (for the most part) with ice on and leg elevated. I am encouraged by the way my knee feels though. It feels very different than it did prior to surgery and in a good way. My knee cap, which was once completely lose and floating around is locked in solid now. I have been rigorous with my PT. Everyday I ride the bike for one hour (broken into 2*30 min sets). It feels great to get exercise. I do straight leg raises and cannonballs as well (at least every 2 hours). Even with all this, the atrophy is still noticeable (scary!). My incision is at least 10 inches long and is being held together by 35 staples.

I have been getting around ok though. I never use crutches now. Walking is sketchy. I just have to be very cautious and take it slow. I have to get out of the house every once in awhile so I walk to the grocery store around the corner and drive to meet with friends for dinner and whatnot. After a couple of hours I feel the need to get back on the couch, elevate and ice.

I go to sleep with the cryo-cuff machine running but wake up in the middle of the night because of pain. So I get up, pop some pain meds, re-fill the ice machine and go back to sleep. I feel kind of yuck all the time due to all the medications I am taking. I also live alone so I have to do everything myself which has been hard but manageable.

I am currently taking: Hydrocodone, Tramadol, Mobic, Tylenol, Aspirin, vit D, vit C, calcium, multi-vit, and glucosamine. They gave my Phenergan for nausea which I have yet to need and they gave me Ambien for sleep which I have taken several times hoping it would keep me asleep despite the pain but it doesn't seem to have much affect on me.

I also have increased my protein intake per Doc's orders. I use whey protein to get the extra boost.

Overall I would say things are going smoothly. It was a big surgery so it is going to take time to recover. I just need to be patient.