Kristin's TTT with LR, 11/21/11

[bassetlover]

Ok, well here we go.  I have been browsing around this website for about two months.  I sadly admit I have never responded to any of the blogs I have read.  With that said I must say this website has been informative, motivating and scary all in one.  I do feel obligated to share my story now.  I am a 38 year old (as of today) stay at home mom.  Let me clarify stay at home... I'm a retired RN with two children 7 and 11 but I own my own in home daycare and watch 4 children ages 1-4.  Last March I fell on ice and dislocated my left patella.  My husband is a PA that works for an OS, so long story short I had my first surgery less than two weeks after I injured my knee, by my husbands boss.  At that time he removed a piece of broken cartilage through the scope then opened my knee and repaired my medial retinaculum.  My knee was never right from that point on.  Two months ago I was at a dog park with our new puppy basset hound when a large dog ran into me from behind.  My left knee subluxed with minimal pain.  Back to OS with swelling.  Fluid drawn off knee was yellow not bloody, MRI not conclusive.  I was told to rehab like crazy.  Second, third and forth OS all said I should have a TTT with a LR.  So that brings me to 11/21/11 Surgery Day!!  I had a left femoral block, which was amazing.  They gave me fentanyl and versed prior to the block so I would not remember it.  Then back to the OR.  I had general anesthesia and woke up with a wicked head ache but no knee pain.  So more IV fentanyl and a snack.  One percocet and home I went.  I felt surprisingly good.  I only took one percocet that night.  I have an ice machine from my first surgery that is wonderful.  I bought a cheap bean bag to elevate my leg so I don't have to stack pillows.  I also bought a leg strap to help me move my leg when getting up and down.  I put arm rails on my upstair and downstair toilets.  And I bought a cheap little tripod chair that I put my leg on when I use the restroom.  Day 2 went good too.  Femoral block was still good, I only took 2 percocets all day.  4:00 in the morning of day 3, femoral block wore off... crackers at bedside came in handy with early morning percocet.  The evening of day 3 OS, called to see how I was doing.  I got permission to take off locked straight leg brace and walk without it as long as my quads were firing. (I was WBAT with straight leg brace and I could remove brace while sitting and bend my knee as tolerated).  Well I'm not sure my quads are firing but I hated my brace, so I'm really careful when walking.  He said I can wean crutches when I want, again as long as my quads are firing.  I have hobbled around the kitchen without my crutches but I'm not safe so I try to use them.  I stopped my narcotics the evening of PO day 4, I'm not in alot of pain so I switched over to tylenol.  Now don't get me wrong, it hurts but it feels the same whether I take the good drugs or not, so I stopped.  My main complaint is the "blood rush" I get when I stand up.  I feels like my entire blood supply goes straight to where they moved my bone. (Oh they moved it 13mm and anteriorly).  The "blood rush" lasts about 30 seconds then I'm good to go.  Weird but I have read about it in others blogs.  I have been showering since PO day 2, ok per orders.  Today was my birthday.  I cleaned the house a little to get ready for work on Monday (I will have 2 toddlers coming to day care).  We also went out to dinner and walked around the mall a little.  Ugh I'm tired and swollen a little extra, I over did it today.  My husband is mad at me because of the extra swelling.  Oh well I learned my lesson... I guess.  Sorry to ramble but that's it in a nutshell, I'm not even sure if I'm writing this in the right place.

[lisa424]

The blood rushes are the worst. They go away after a week or 2.
Happy Birthday!

[bassetlover]

Thank you Lisa. Today is post-op week 1. I feel pretty good. I now have some bruising down the front of my leg and some swelling around my knee from the LR and down the front of my leg. I switched over from Ted hose to compression socks (I think that's helping the swelling in my shin).  The "blood rush" feeling when I first stand up is rough. I have to wait until that feeling in my leg goes away before I start walking. I'm still using crutches and the way I feel I think I will be for awhile. My first PO appointment is this Wednesday. I'm excited to see my exrays, it seems that exrays are fairly routine for the 1st PO visit based on other blogs.  Today my kids went to school and I went back to work.  I'm watching 2 of my 4 daycare kids, both three year olds. So far so good, cartoons and ice.  Tonight I'm going to drive for the first time, my son has his football banquet.  I should be ok because I have an automatic and it's my left knee. We shall see.

[Dave258]

WOW!  You sound like you are coming along great!  Already at the mall, watching kids on your own and driving.  My TTT surgery is scheduled for next Thursday, December 8th, and my OS already told me I will be in the brace for 6-8 weeks, and no driving for the same amount of time. 
Good luck with the rest of your recovery!
Dave

[bassetlover]

Hey Dave, good luck with your surgery. Are you having a lateral release too? Everyone seems to have a different opinion on weather or not to do a LR with a TTT. I was hoping not to have it but my OS must have thought I needed it.  Let me know if I can help answer questions.  Today has been long, the blood rushes drive me nuts. I took a nap when the kids napped. Boy was I tired.  I took 2 extra strength Tylenol for my discomfort, I'm just waiting for that to kick in.  My husband works at the same clinic as my OS and he asked him about my "blood rushes".  He said the following -"Common complaint after LE surgery. Probably due to diffuse LE subQ bleeding. Goes away. No biggie." lol, I can't wait until it goes away.

[bassetlover]

Post op day 8. Morning everyone, I'm a little emotionally drained today. Yesterday our dishwasher died. I guess when it rains it pours. I also struggle with asking people for help. If I don't ask for help I overdo it, swelling becomes unbearable and I'm miserable. So I try having my husband help more then usual and I get a text from him this morning saying he's overwhelmed. Ugh I can't win. On the up side I was able to drive last night. I don't plan on driving much but it nice to know if I need to get out I can. Tomorrow is my first Post op appointment. I'm excited to see how I'm doing according to my OS. So as I write this I already feel better, maybe its because my leg is elevated and I have ice all over my leg.  Have a great day. Thank you everyone.

[Dave258]

Hey Dave, good luck with your surgery. Are you having a lateral release too? Everyone seems to have a different opinion on weather or not to do a LR with a TTT. I was hoping not to have it but my OS must have thought I needed it.  Let me know if I can help answer questions.

Hey Kristin, I am not sure about getting the LR.  I know my OS asked if I had one already, and said it is too late to try just that.  So, I think he is waiting until he is in to see if it will help. 
I just had my pre-op physical this morning, and just can't wait till this is over!
Good luck at your first follow up!

[bassetlover]

Dave, that is exactly what my OS said about my LR. The "waiting" for surgery is the hardest. Just keep your head high and plan ahead to what you think you will need. Being prepared helps the days go by quicker and it will help post-op.

[bassetlover]

Day 9, first post op appointment today. Great news, OS said I'm ahead of schedule. I can now go to one crutch. I'm going to start PT next week- 2 times per week for 6 weeks. I have a 2nd post op appointment with my OS in six weeks. All steri strips are off and the front on my leg is a wonderful color combination of purples and greens. I have a moderate amount of swelling today, slightly pitting edema on my shin. I'm to start doing SLR's- as many as I can all day long... yeah for me!! Not. All in all a great day, blood rushes are getting better. Have a fantastic day my knee friends.

[bassetlover]

Morning knee friends. It's a beautiful day in Colorado, it's a winter wonderland here. So today is post op day 10, wow time is flying by. Im moving around great with one crutch (tip for one crutch- use the crutch on your good knee side, and when you step forward with bad knee the crutch goes forward with it). Tip for crutches on stairs- up with the good knee and down with the bad knee). Crutches always move with bad knee. So most days I get up take a shower, shower my kids, get them dressed, fed and ready for school. That routine takes about an hour, which is an hour of no ice and running around. Needless to say I feel like my leg is going to explode by the time I can put ice on it.  Today was different, I made it three hours before I felt the need to ice. I think this means I am weaning my desire for ice 24/7. I also noticed last night that enough swelling has gone down around my knee that I can see/feel the faint outline of my kneecap. Have a great day!!! Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!!

[LisaDX]

I've been following your progress with great interest. I'm scheduled for TTO on Dec 16 and am really apprehensive. My OS says absolutely no WB for 6 weeks! I hope I can use you as an example to convince him otherwise!  How have you been managing snow? I'm in WI and ours isn't all that bad yet. Probably have a blizzard on the day I come home! Keep up the good work. You're an inspiration!

[bassetlover]

Hello Lisa, so good to hear from you. Thank you very much. It's interesting to me to hear about all the different philosophy's regarding post-op weight bearing. My husbands boss is just like your OS, conservative in regards to allowing ample amount of time for the bone to heal. His partner in the same practice is my OS, his thought is my surgical site is "bomb proof" and if my quads are firing to protect my knee, that there is no reason not to walk on the leg to help stimulate bone growth.  I must tell you my OS is very confident and I trust him. Today is post-op day 11. I am feeling great!! I used one crutch 75% of today and 25% with no crutches. Today we had our new dishwasher and refrigerator delivered so I only iced for about one hour. Leg is swollen a lot but my "blood rushes" are 90% gone. Thank God!!!  I was also red down the front of my shine and very sore, the redness is improving but it's still pretty sore. I still have pitting edema below my knee and down my shin.  My calf muscle is soft with no edema. Let me know if I can help in anyway. 

[LisaDX]

If you had fractured your tibia the "normal" way, I'm pretty sure your shin would be discolored. Only difference is it would have been covered by a cast and you wouldn't have the opportunity to see the artwork on your leg. Lucky you! Feeling more confident by the minute. Thanks! Have you read the Fulkerson interview? The master insists on an 8 week course of NWB. Hard to argue with that, glad your OS did!

Lisa

[bassetlover]

Lisa, no I have not read his interview, but I certainly will look it up.Thank you, who knows I'm sure there are bennefits to both aggressive and conservative post-op periods.  I will also ask my OS what he thinks of the "masters" interview. I will tell you I feel great, no leg pain. I have been doing SLR's in sets of 10, I must say they are not fun, boarderline torture lol. My quad muscle was severely compromised prior to surgery... from first surgery, so I have a long road of PT ahead of me. As for snow and ice, hmmmm great question. So far I have avoided going outside since we got one foot of snow yesterday. With that said when the time arises I have boots that I bought a sole for that have screws on the sole to prevent slips on ice. I also have an extra pair of crutches that we are contemplating putting a screw in the bottom of it to grab on the ice too. I don't know... My husband teaches at a ski resort for fun so I must go out in the snow soon. Oh, this Sunday, we are taking our kids and basset hound to cut down our Christmas tree, so I will keep you informed on how my boots work. 

[Dave258]

Hey guys, Kristin, glad your recovery is coming along well!
Fulkerson is doing my TTT or "Fulkerson" this coming Thursday, December 8th.  He already told me that I will be in a brace for up to 6 or 8 weeks, I thought he said PWB but I could be wrong.  He told me no driving, even though it is my left leg, and PT to start at 6 weeks.  I do have to bend my leg everyday only once a day by sliding my heel towards my butt, and that's it, brace back on.  That is what the "masters" told me.  He did say I could shower though, thank god, as long as I wear a full leg cast cover.  Showering is so important for my mind!  I just need to figure out how to shave also!  I don't think I will be able to stand at the mirror.