Distal/Medial TTT, MPFL, and Distal Femoral Osteotomy 6/13/11

[JFVolleygirl27]

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[smartdriver]

Good luck with your surgery

I'm also a vegetarian and when I told them at the hospital, when asked if I had any dietary "restrictions", I said, yes, vegetarian. Needless to say, there was meat at every meal and instead of vegetarian they put me on some "heart healthy diet". Still not sure why. But thank goodness that I ALWAYS travel with my protein powder and protein bars! If you do eat any whey products, Wal-Mart used to sell what I call protein "bullets". It is liquid protein (think liquid Jell-O) that comes in a test tube looking container. If you mix that with a little 7-up or Sprite, it's actually not too bad - plus they have 26g of protein. I survived the trip on my protein powder shakes, bars and salads from Chilis and veggie plates from Cracker Barrel. You may also want to consider some of the Atkins products as well. They're not as much protein, but not bad in a pinch either. I really like the protein powders mixed with almond milk - gives a much creamier texture. My all time favorite is the Jay Robb brand - vanilla or strawberry egg white powder

Other than that, I can't give you much advice on the post-op "diet" since I never drank Gatorade (yuck-worst stuff on the planet), I prefer coconut water, and never followed the supplements either as I take alot more than what is recommended (I take 7000 iu Vitamin D a day just to keep me in the mid range of acceptable).

[KinnaMarie]

Best of luck with your surgery! I am 22 and I had a fulkerson osteotomy, lateral release, and ligament work in January after badly dislocating my knee playing volleyball in August and not improving. I had the surgery 3 weeks before starting the new semester and found it was not always easy...so you are smart for doing this in the summer! I just finished the semester about 2 weeks ago and I can honestly say i don't remember much about what I learned because I was so caught up in my leg hurting, being on crutches for 3 months, running to dr. appointments and pt.

But to be honest, after both the knee surgeries I had one in August and then January, I totally have changed how I eat and didn't really even want to eat much. For some reason the surgeries have made me super picky about what I eat. After the January surgery all I would eat in the hospital and when I got home was jello and apple juice... Being 5 months post-op I am still picky about what I eat!

[crankerchick]

Big day tomorrow! Best wishes to you for an uneventful surgery and recovery. You are in great hands and will have an awesome team managing your post-op care. No worries!

Looking forward to hearing from you when you feel up to it.

It's so awesome to see how you took the initiative to research things out and choose your path for surgery based on what was best for you and what made most sense to you. Your journey to date is one to be proud of. It's very refreshing to see someone taking charge of their care. You have done your part, now it's time to let your OS do his. Way to go!

Oh yeah, ask for snacks throughout the night if that's your thing. Ice cream = yumz!

[JFVolleygirl27]

6/14/11

Today is post op Day 2 and everything is going great. I have been under an epidural since the spinal block wore off to help with pain. I have one more day with it. Immediately after surgery, I began doing canon balls to keep full range of motion, and straight leg rises to keep the muscle in my quads up. Pain is probably at a 3 or 4 right now with the epidural....bit worse today than yesterday, but perfectly manageable. the canon balls really help with pain. I am not in any brace or anything - solely compression stockings to help prevent blood clots. I also have a device on my lower legs that keep pressure moving on my legs to help with blood clots. Other than that, I wear the cryo cuff nearly 24/7 to help with the swelling. I did have an episode yesterday while doing canon balls where blood started gushing out from under my dressings - the current nurses had taken the stockings off and told me to wait for the new nurse who just arrived during the shift change to come and put them back on. So I was left for an hour with the stockings off and no cryo cuff which allowed my knee to swell up a bit more. But having the cryo cuff on all night helped that swelling to go back down a bit.

I got up and walked with crutches for the first time this morning. I am allowed to put about 20 pounds of weight on my surgical leg - my doctor wants me to actually use that leg rather than hopping with crutches to prevent falling and keep me walking.

So, everything is going great! I went off my liquid diet today and had eggs, oatmeal, and toast for breakfast which was nice. Smartdriver, thanks for the food tips!

Thanks crankerchick - I trust I am in great hands! Truly blessed to have had your help through all this

[crankerchick]

Glad to see you feeling up to posting. Things sound as though they are going well and as to be expected. Way to go on doing the SLRs! I was wondering if you would be able to do them or not. It seems like once proximal or distal femoral osteotomy comes into the equation, SLRs are tough to do for a while.

Just remember heel-toe walking with crutches--no dragging that leg!

You are doing super, keep up the good work.

Rest up.

[JFVolleygirl27]

6/15/11

Post op Day 3

Everything is going about the same. Have been averaging about 135 to 140 degrees range of motion. I would post pictures here if I could get it to work. Just changed the dressings on my incision today. Not really any complications aside from the fact that my hemoglobin count has fallen from 14 directly after surgery to 7.7. Will be staying in the hospital longer, and in Texas longer. May need to end up getting a transfusion, although I hope this does not happen.

i will also be staying in Texas now at least until Monday to meet with Doc again before hitting the road.

I am still on the epidural. I feel light headed every time i stand up to walk on crutches bc of the low blood count. I can put about 20 pounds of weight so far on my knee. I have been doing straight leg raises and quad squeezes to keep the quad muscles strong. Therapist says i am doing good in terms of therapy. Been getting more pain and soreness, particularly when doing canon balls to keep range of motion.

I can't wait to shower again. I tried dry shampoo but it doesn't work that great.

I have been drinking 2 protein drinks each day.

I am really glad my friend came along with me - she has been a large support throughout surgery. We are planning on watching Boy Meets World season 2 tonight.

[crankerchick]

Haha I love Boy Meets World. One of my favoritest shows ever. (Did I just admit that online? Quick, hide my real name from all posts!)

Seriously, I'm happy to read about the SLRs and and the ROM. Keep up the great work on that front. As for the blood count, hopefully it will continue to rise as it now seems to be since we last spoke. That way they can spring you from the jail---err hospital.

Just keep with the cannonballs. THey are meant to help with ROM and decrease the pain, so bearing through them is worth it after all. These first few days are the worst and you are braving them like a champ, so props to you!

Enjoy Corey, Topanga, Shawn, Eric, Mincus, and Mr. Feeny!

[JFVolleygirl27]

Post op Day 4

I woke up feeling really weak and shaky - my blood count had dropped to 7 so I ended up getting 2 pints worth of a blood transfusion. The lack of blood was really affecting my ability to do my therapy because I was constantly shaking and just felt so tired. I felt great afterwards! Everything with my knee is going good - just the side stuff that seems to be causing problems.

Post op Day 5

Woke up today with a blood count of 10 so, although I still feel a bit weaker than usual, its a huge improvement from the past few days. I showered for the first time today since surgery which was really exciting! Therapy went good - we started a new exercise that involved standing on both feet bending my knee, attempting to lift my foot. I was released from the hospital today and went to the hotel with my friend and mom. After my mom dropped me and my friend off, she went to Wal-Mart to try and pick up my prescription which we waited too long to do. I did a horrible job at staying on top of the pain today. So important to stay in control of the pain!

Everything is going pretty good I think, although I feel like I am having trouble staying on top of swelling. Although I have been using the cryo cuff nearly 24/7, it is simply impossible to address the full area of incision that runs up and down my leg. I will try something new tomorrow. There is also a massive blood bubble under my dressing on my lower leg that i could feel - it looks pretty cool....I am shocked it hasn't popped yet. Nurse said I need to leave the current dressing on though until I meet with Doc again on Monday.

That is about it!

Thanks for all the support crankerchick - means a lot! You have been so encouraging and supportive throughout this entire year! And yes....Boy Meets World is one of my all time favorite shows! I wish there were more Feeny's in the world

[crankerchick]

I'm really glad to read that the blood stuff is turning around now. I was very happy to learn that you were released from the jail--errr hospital. Keep up the excellent work chica.

Definitely ice your whole leg. Get some extra ice packs or just use bags of ice or whatever. I just got 2 ice packs from WalMart to alternate using to cut down on trips to the ice machine for my mom, but anything will work really.

You are right, it is important to stay in front of the pain. I was really nervous about cutting back on meds because I just wasn't sure if the reason my pain was under control was because of the meds or because it just wasn't out of control. I just did the ween thing, cutting back on the pills on post-op day 2, but making sure to keep taking them regularly, just less quantity narcotics and more tylenol instead. Of course, you have to watch how much Tyleonol you take, but I'm sure Doc and Michelle have already told you this, or will tell you on Monday. It worked well for me, so you might want to consider it when you feel like you are ready to cut back on the meds.

The blood bubble sounds cool. Some people find that kind of stuff gross, but it's freakin cool to me. LOL!

As for the rest, thanks for the thanks, but really, the thanks goes to you for being your own advocate for your health this last year.

[JFVolleygirl27]

Post op day 9

Just got back to Illinois late last night. We started driving back on Monday afternoon and took numerous stops so that I could get out to walk and such. I did my canon balls in the back of the SUV. We also had an adapter for the car so that we could plug in the cryo cuff so it continued to run while I kept my left leg elevated in the back seat. We just stopped at gas stations to change the ice. So the drive home wasn't too bad. I cleaned my incision at a rest stop yesterday - this is probably my least favorite part of everything just because the incision area is still super tender, and its hard to get the stockings back over my leg.

I need to work on developing a schedule for both medications and my at home rehab - it will just make it easier to keep track of everything. So far my therapy is going good - I can do straight leg lifts easy enough. The therapist increased the number of those I do before I left Texas. Then I am doing belt stretches to keep my muscles/ligaments flexible, leg extensions, and quad squeezes. I am also doing standing leg curls - these I am still having a bit of trouble with but I can do it about half way. I also start the exercise bike today for one hour.

I am a huge fan of the aggressive rehab protocol that Dr. Sanders has. I started therapy at day 0. I am glad that I am actually doing stuff at home for my leg during the initial periods after surgery rather than just sit with a brace on and let it get stiff. I have found that keeping my leg mobile and flexible really helps with the pain. I am not required to wear a brace at all during the recovery period. I am also supposed to put about 30 lbs of pressure on my leg when walking on it with crutches. It doesn't really hurt normally either when I do this. I feel like this rehab protocol will prevent too much muscle atrophy. There are three more exercises that I will need to start once I hit the two week mark after surgery.

We have an old hospital bed at our house in the sun room that normally is never used - we just still have it from when my mom was recuperating from colon cancer. It will be very handy though with my recovery because I can comfortably elevate my leg with it - I haven't been elevating it as much as I should be....haha, the bed even has a massage button on it.

I am feeling very optimistic overall with my surgery and recovery. It wasn't nearly as bad as I would have thought - its very manageable. I just hate relying on others for help with simple tasks such as carrying things, showering, and making food. And I hate how much the crutches slow me down.

I have been trying to stay on top of vitamins and nutrients. I normally get an extra 50-70 grams of protein per day from this whey protein shake powder that I bought on top of my normal 40-50 grams in a day. And I have been getting about 2000 mg of calcium through food and supplements. I need to up my Vitamin C.

Pain level is okay. I am not that great with taking pain meds on a set schedule really. I sometimes wait to take pain meds until after the pain starts to hit....so I need to get better at this. But the pain isn't terrible. I just usually wait to do therapy until after I take the percocet, which I take every 6 hours, except at night.

I will see a physical therapist where I live on June 27 - I am not entirely sure what I will be doing there since I have a sheet with all my at home therapy stuff that I have to do.

So yeah, nothing new really! Everything is going fantastic! I am beyond happy that I got this procedure and am now on my way to recovery! I can feel how well my knee is now tracking - my doc said that the only thing that will knock it out of place this time is if I get hit by a truck Lol. My OS estimates that I can do sports again within 3 to 4 months, although because of the plate in my leg with the distal femoral osteotomy, it is likely that I will get some discomfort around my IT band (which I have noticed already). I am able to get hardware removal at one year post op!

[crankerchick]

Hooray! Super glad to hear you are home safe and sound.

Sounds like not the funnest car ride home, but you made it and it sounds like the leg is none the worse for wear.

The leg curl was honestly the worst feeling exercise to me. I wasn't able to SLR for a while, but when I finally got it, it hurt but not terribly. That leg curl though? The suck. It didn't hurt per se but it felt so utterly disgusting to do. My leg just did not feel like it bent properly to do it and felt like it was coming apart every time. I didn't know it then, but some tibial hardware was also making that exercise not fun. Nonetheless, it needs to be done and your leg will thank you for it.

I'm glad things are going so well. You sound like you are doing very well both mentally and physically--I'm so happy to read that.

Keep up the awesome work! Let us know how the bike went!

[JFVolleygirl27]

Post op Day 10

I started the bike yesterday! I did one hour last night which went pretty well - not too much pain really, just discomfort. Much of the discomfort is probably due to the bike itself. Its kind of an old one with a really awkward seat and layout....but it works. I did a half hour this afternoon, and plan to finish the hour tonight. Do you know if it is alright to do that? Or does doc prefer that you do the full hour all at once?

Another thing I am not too sure about is my incision - I am still getting a bit of drainage and I know if says on the 19 commandments that the drainage should continue through 5 to 7 days. But there is one area on my femur where doc used a stitch instead of the glue, and it keeps bleeding in that area....not too much, just leaking a bit - maybe an inch in diameter, but enough to see it through the telfa pad. This normally happens when I stretch the incision through canon balls and exercises. Also, still getting a tiny bit of drainage in a few other parts of the incision on the lower part of my leg. I am assuming this is kinda normal? But I know it should be stopping soon.

I contacted my local doctor with my order for a doppler test to check for blood clots - I am suppose to get this next week. When my nurse calls, I also plan to go ahead and make my appointment in 6 weeks for my follow up xray!

Exercises are going about the same - still having trouble with the standing leg curl.....can probably bend it about 45 degrees backwards, not too much further before I start getting a bit of a sharp pain on the medial side of my knee a bit below my knee cap. I will keep working on it though! its a hassle to do all the exercises 3 times a day and bike for an hour! Along with icing and elevation!

On Saturday I will be going to a party, so I am excited to leave the house for the first time since getting home!

My mom also went to Wal-Mart today to try and find a chair that will fit in the bath tub to make showering easier.

That's about it!! Pain level is about the same - not too bad.

[drmark]

that much drainage is entirely normal.

[crankerchick]

Sorry, I'm just seeing this post! I didn't get any email update notification.

Hooray for the bike! I still had drainage, more so on the femur than tibia after a week out. I had staples though, not the dissolveable stitches, but indeed I was still draining enough to slightly soil a telfa pad as well at the point you are at.

As for the biking, well, lol, you should always ask your doctor to be sure but for me, I did the full hour (or more) in sessions. At that time, Doc and Alan both told me that was fine. I'm a stubborn one so I basically, every few days, I would try for the full hour and then however long I made it for before my foot would be so numb that it felt like it was going to fall off, that became the new standard for how long to go. Then the second session finished the hour, but most times I just went a bit longer as well. It worked out roughly to 3x20-25 mins for the few days, then 2x30-40 minutes for another week or so, and then I was doing more like 2x45minutes and then finally the hour all in one sitting.

My foot would get so numb and tingly and the inside of my knee where the tibial plate screws exited the bone gave me fits. About 2 weeks in, I started having awful spasms in my thigh but I just kind of plowed through, usually applying pressure to try and work it out while I pedaled. Sometimes I would have to stop and really wait for them to settle down. Be sure to stretch pretty good before your biking sessions.

I guess it's different strokes for different folks. I kind of enjoyed doing the exercises. For one, I was bored to tears so it was just something to do. Doing them 3 times a day plus the bike meant every few hours there was something to do. Plus, the exercises helped me feel like I was being proactive in my recovery, rather than just sitting waiting for the bones to heal. In between exercise sessions were times to shower, eat, nap, etc so it just helped fill the days. I was at my in-laws, away from my friends and home, so staying busy was welcomed.

Hope you enjoy the party. I've got a birthday party to photograph today and it's for a little kid, so I will be running around a lot, and up and down kneeling and standing for shots. It's days like today that I'm especially grateful for better knee days.