MPFL Road to Recovery

Wow. A lot has happened since my last update a couple months ago...

I am going to catch up and back date these - at least I will have it for my record.

At my second follow up appointment on June 18 I was able to bend my knee to 90 degrees which was amazing. Still not released to be out of the brace or to drive yet but I was close.

Just taking things day by day was hard and not being able to get around on my own/drive was difficult, but it saved gas right? 

By the end of the work day my knee was quite swollen and I was ready to be home.

I would pop the brace off when I was on the couch just for some relief.

I would have to say sleeping was definitely the hardest, I slept on the couch just so I would not move so much or risk my husband kicking me.

My outfits had to be planned around this guy - thanks Old Navy and Target for providing functional dresses = )

Happies and Crappies

I am linking up this week for Happies and Crappies, three days in a row with a post - what?!?

Happies…

B has been amazing this week while I have been recovering. I am so thankful that I have had help during this process – he deserves major kudos

So thankful that my work is being so flexible with me while I recover, it is so great to work for such a great company - back at it on Monday though!

I finally slept through the night last night, this has not happened since last Thursday 

B is going to take me shopping tomorrow, let's see how long this lasts, it will be good to get out of the house!

Crappies…

Surgery. No fun AT. ALL.

My brace, it is just not comfortable at all, it is doing its job and I get that, but I still want to 

complain

 Not being able to drive, it flat out sucks. I have at least another week or so of this – YAY.

I am really missing not being able to work out or do anything. I am really looking forward to getting back to being more active. I will start PT in about a week and a half and I am ready to get that started.

Hope everyone has an amazing weekend!

MPFL Post Op

On Tuesday, June 4, I had my post op appointment to see how my pain level was, how far I could bend my knee and get the wrap removed.

My parents were amazing enough to drive up to my house and take me to my appointment so B did not have to take a half day off of work. Let me just say that B and my parents have been amazing through this whole thing. I am lucky that my parents do not work anymore and have the time to help me when needed and B has been waiting on me hand and foot without complaint (ok 1 complaint, but it was at 2:30 AM so he is forgiven).

Back to my appointment...

I saw my Orthopedic and his assistant - he removed my wrap and I was really surprised at how great everything looked. Yes there is still a lot of swelling but not as bad as I was thinking. I was shown how to change the brace and make it a little more comfortable - nothing about this brace is comfortable.

My doctor came in and explained how the surgery went and had me bend my knee - super nervous but I was able to bend it to 70 degrees which was really good. I proceeded to ask him if I could drive  since he told me I had to bend to 70 to get my privileges back - no shot. Which I knew, but hey a girl can try. I may get those back after another week or so. I still cannot lift my leg without physically doing it myself. 

It is really weird - my brain is telling my leg to lift up but nothing happens. My quad is still "asleep" and weak so it will be like this for a bit more. It is definitely a strange feeling. So I currently move my leg like this:

I go for another follow up next week, and then we will start to discuss physical therapy. 

A friend of mine came over yesterday to take me out to lunch and to Starbucks - that was about all I could handle, it is a lot of work with this thing on but being in the house all day is getting old, I have only left 3 times since surgery. Someone come visit!

MPFL Recovery

Sunday, April 7, 2013
Date of Injury

Friday, May 31, 2013.

I was surprisingly not very nervous at all, B and my parents came with me and I checked in to the surgery center - which I want their waiting area in my house, so swanky.

Did all of my post op stuff - IV, blood pressure and answered the same questions about 300 times.

The anesthesiologist came in to explain the nerve block and asked if I wanted it. The nerve block basically blocks the nerve to your brain that is in pain, so you don't feel the worst of the pain in the first 24 hours. This is comparable to a pregnant woman not wanting an epidural, she was crazy to think that I would say no. Block me please!

B came in and waited with me until the nurses and anesthesiologist came back to work their magic. I received my drugs - morphine etc.. and got my nerve block - which was inserted into my leg. They rolled me into the surgery room, gave me oxygen and I was out.

I woke up in recovery and the first thing I asked for was water.

Part of my procedure was done via arthroscopic so I had some photos of the inside of my knee 

The top right photo shows the cartilage that is under your patella, it is supposed to be smooth so you can see all of the damage that I have done with my dislocations through the years.

I was very shaky coming out of anesthesia and the nurse asked if I drank coffee regularly - apparently I was having a withdrawal - WTF! They gave me a coke and a zofran pill and I felt much better. My parents drove me home and B went to get food, we got home and settled and I actually felt really good.

 My work sent me some pretty flowers and my parents who can never sit still started picking things up around the house.

A couple friends stopped by and I was convinced that I could go to B's softball games, he thought I was nuts. Around 11:30 my knee started getting sore so I took 1 pain pill - totally should have taken 2, by midnight I was in the worst pain I have ever felt. Pretty sure I was crying until 3 AM, around 5 I took 2 more pain meds and after getting through the night I felt pretty ok. On Saturday. B and I spent the day on the couch watching bad TV eating and having snocones. Sunday was more of the same, and I was getting around a little easier on the crutches.

I had my 4 day post op appointment on June 4, so I will recap that tomorrow, from the couch.