Scar tissue strikes again?

[Jaci]

Hello everyone.

Well, I made it to Vail on Saturday, July 24th. Surgery is scheduled for 9am on the 26th.

I'm really restless tonight. I think it's a combination of pre-surgery jitters and high altitude. I'm looking forward to the oxygen in surgery.

I'll post an update as soon as I can.

Take care.

Jaci

[stgiles16]

Good luck Jaci, I will be thinking of you.

Missy

[Heather M.]

You're probably just waking up in recovery as I write this, so know that I'm thinking good thoughts and sending you my best.  

Good luck!

Heather

[jennifer123]

Hi Jaci,

Glad to hear you made it safely.  You're probably itching to get out of the recover room about now.  Anyways, good luck with your first evening post-surgery.  I have an appointment with Dr. S. tomorrow, as well as a PT appointment -- so I might see you there.

Take care,

Jennifer

[Janet]

Jaci:

Hope your surgery went well and you are on the way to a better knee. I know it won't be fast or easy, but remember that you are now on an uphill battle!

Janet

[SarahSmile]

Jaci,

I hope your surgery went well today and that you are recovering nicely. You are in my thoughts.

Please keep us posted when you are able to get online!

Hopefully, everything is going well and that the OS fixed you all up

Take care,
Sarah

[Jaci]

Hello everyone.

Your well wishes really mean a lot to me. Thank you.

I'm 12 days post-op. I started to post an update at least a dozen times. The problem is that I don't know  what to say because I'm not sure how I'm doing. There are  things about my knee that are better-- like being able to go from standing to sitting without having to bend my knee with my hands. But, there are things that I'm really concerned about. My first post-op appt with the OS is on the 12th. Hopefully, he can address my concerns.

I'm pretty discouraged at this point.

Take care everyone.

Jaci

[jennifer123]

Hi Jaci,

Sorry to hear that things are not going well.  Maybe we should form a support group.  (I'm kind of serious).

I've not made much progress since I last saw you.

Jennifer

[jennifer123]

Hey Jaci,

Didn't you say that it might take 2-3 surgeries?  If so, do you think that your progress from the first surgery is not sufficient?  

Dr. S. keeps telling me that the reason my knee isn't healing "on schedule" is because I have had no knee function for so long of a time that to expect things to just "come back" after surgery is unreasonable.  Of course, I'm just falling more and more behind schedule and not making any new ground...  so I'm not happy with my progress.  (For example, I should have been off crutches 4 weeks ago and every week Dr. S says "a couple more weeks of crutches"...).  But, I need to believe Dr. S otherwise I'm mental toast.   Anyways, maybe this might apply in your case too?  (ie, Little knee function for a long time = very slow recovery?)  And, my other thought is what I mentioned above: maybe the doctor wasn't shooting for normalcy in just one surgery.  

Just some thoughts... not sure if they help.  Hey, on the weekend there are free gondola rides which leave from Lionshead.  It takes you to the top of the mountain where you can eat or get something to drink.  But, the best one is the one that leaves from Vail Village (it costs like $17).  But, it's a real ski lift and you get to feel the fresh mountain breeze as you journey up the hill.  It cheered me up once... I keep finding that since I was there for only pt and Dr S that that's all I can think about: knee, Dr S, pt.  I found it helpful to get out a little and get my mind off things.  Of course, I have a really hard time doing this because I'm having a hard time with this whole thing... but I just thought I'd say it in case it would be helpful for you.

Hang in there.

Jennifer

[Janet]

Jaci (and Jennifer):

Sorry things seem so dismal now. I know how discouraging it can be. I never had any idea it would be so hard....even after three previous surgeries. After all, this last one was really just the same as the last two, right? Well, the surgery itself may have been basically the same, but the rehab was different. And since it was so much better managed and I actually improved this time, it was longer and harder and more painful than I ever expected. It's been over a year and I am still regaining quad strength. But after the first four months of so, the progress has been amazing (those first four months were awful!!). So really do hang in there. It's not an easy thing to get through. More surgeries may be necessary. But you are on the right road now. Good luck!

Janet

[Ron22]

hi jaci...hang in there....things will get better i know how srustrating this can be..but just give yourself time and remember recovery and healing takes time and does tend to go in fits and starts both positive and negative....

try to stay postive and i will be sending some good sunny vibes and strong pt success vibes your way

hope yu have a great wkend w/ as  lil pain as possible.....

cheers

ron

[Jaci]

 Hello everyone,

Sorry for taking so long to give you an update. Before I get into the details I will say that as bad as my knee  feels at this point, it's far better than it was before coming here to Vail.

Here's what's been going on with me:

I was sick for a few weeks--headache, dizzy, short of breath, tight chest, upper back pain, nausea..., I felt really awful!! I finally went to the medical clinic at Vail hospital. My normally low blood pressure (90/60) had climbed to 142/101; blood oxygen level was 98%. Had an emergency CT scan to rule out pulmonary embolism and pneumonia. CT scan was clear. The best the doctor could figure it was a combination of altitude sickness and a flare up of ankylosing spondilitis. He explained that it can take as long as two months for someone who normally lives at sea level to adjust to high altitude. Plus, the AS is causing inflammation in my upper back and ribcage making it difficult to breathe normally. I took Bextra, which seems to have done the trick with the inflammation. I'm feeling better in general. My blood pressure has gone down (131/89), but has not returned to normal.

One of my biggest non-knee challenges is that I feel mentally foggy a lot of the time. Not sure if it's from lack of sleep, pain meds, or a combination of the two. Sometimes it takes all my effort just to get through the skinny little local newspaper. Afterwards, I can't remember a thing I read. Ackkk!!! Whatever it's from, it's driving me crazy!!!

Knee news:

Surgery was 7/26. The good news was that Dr. F found exactly what he expected, so there were no surprises. There were masses of scar tissue including a  thick cord growing from the ACL (it looked like an extra ligament) and a 1 cm thick sheet growing over the fat pad. In addition to lysis of adhesions and scar tissue resection, Dr. F performed a selective lateral release, medial plication, chondroplasty (back of patella was shredded), and bone spur removal (lateral femoral condyle). I think Dr. F did a great job having my surgery be as 'atraumatic' as possible. I had very little post-op bruising, only one nickle-sized spot where the bone spur was removed. My entire knee was purple after my previous LOA/ MUA-- so much for 'atraumatic surgery.'

Swelling and inflammation have been minimal, but pain level has been high. It's most likely due to infrapatellar contracture syndrome. My knee cap feels raw, like it's gone through a cheese grater. Patella tendon is tight. Quads tend to stay contracted most of the time. Knee capsule is very stiff and tight. Dr. F says that my body has a 'really impressive response to pain and trauma' and is trying to create a splint to protect my knee. Lovely...  :-/

Starting week 4 post-op Dr. F did 3 Synvisc injections a week apart to try to normalize the fluid in the knee and stop the scar tissue growth. My knee felt a little looser after the first injection. Unfortunately, he had a difficult time getting the needle in for the third injection.  

Had an insufflation last Monday (seven weeks post-op). Dr. F mentioned that he heard adhesions snapping as he filled my knee with saline. There were three or four loud pops which led him to believe that some cord adhesions had formed.

I better post this before it gets any longer.  Sorry to stop in the middle, but I'm a bit tired right now and need to ice my knee. I'll add some more later.

Take care everyone. I think about all of you often and hope there is an end to arthrofibrosis in sight for all of us.

Regards,

Jaci

[Janet]

Jaci:

So sorry for all your problems. Your non-knee worries are scary. No wonder you feel foggy....you've been through an awful lot!

It sounds like you're in good hands with your knee. We all wish things would go quicker than we expected with no complications, but that's not our knees (or else we wouldn't be here). Keep your chin up and things will continue to improve.

Janet

[azgirl]

hi there Jaci,
i am going to be in vail at the end of oct. to see dr. S.  He seems to be very good at what he does.  thanx to you, jennifer and heather, i decided to jump on the wagon and get this *&%@ knee fixed.  It seems that the road to a better knee is definitly a very painful one, but as long as there is a light at the end of the tunnel i guess that it is worth it.  Right?
Is there any info you can give me about places to stay or how cold it really is there?  any thing that you can tell me would be great.
I am constantly watching the postings and reading all that is happening with you and jennifer, and everyone else.  You both are going through soooo much, you are always in my thoughts and prayers.
nothing but the best for you.  maybe i will see you in oct.
stay strong girl.
chemaine

[Heather M.]

Chemaine,

I still owe you a callback.   Sorry, I'm on a deadline that I already know I won't reach!

Anyway, when I went to Vail the first time I stayed at the Lodge at Vail, because they have a special rate for SH Clinic patients.  They give you a first floor room (near the laundry area, but no stairs!).  And they have wonderful room service, valet parking, a concierge, and will bring you bags of ice with your meals!  The off-season rate for patients was $90/night when I was there.  They were so nice to me, and even have a shuttle that can take you to the clinic for PT.  

When I had my surgery, though, I rented an apartment in Edwards.  There were three of us, and it was getting to be high season.  Rates go up over Thanksgiving weekend (usually around the time of the first snow) and it got too pricey to stay in two bedrooms.  I got the condo at an off-season rate for my stay from Dec. 2 - 23.  However, I got sick and had to bump out my surgery by three weeks (thanks to my little nephew, the human vector, who gave us all strep throat at Thanksgiving!).  So I started staying in Vail on 12/23, which is mid-season rates.  They can be as high as $800/night during the high season!!!  I was able to swing $150/night for a two bedroom condo with elevators and covered parking (no snow--very important on crutches).

I guess it would depend on how long you were staying.  I stayed about one month, and frankly feel that I went home too soon.  If I could do it again, I'd stay longer.  But I'm a genetic scar tissue former, so we were fighting it from day one post op.  So be sure to ask Dr. S. how long he wants you to stay.  Make sure you have DAILY PT set up with a very skilled therapist.  I know a good one in the Biltmore area, and a great one in Scottsdale that is a little $$ but very, very knowledgable about scar tissue.  In fact, he studied with the woman who was my PT in Vail!  They knew each other, were friends in the same class, and it was only when my PT in Vail told Dr. S. that I would have good therapy in AZ that he released me to go home.

So find out how long Dr. S. wants you to stay.  He told me it would be a waste of time to do the procedure if I didn't stay at least a month.  The therapy you will get in Vail will be top notch--none better.

Heather