Knee Surgery
I had my knee surgery last Wednesday. The first few days were a blur, but I'm finally weaning myself off the pain meds, and feeling like I'm gonna live. I had arthroscopic surgery to repair an injury to my articulate cartilage on my medial femoral chondral. Near the end of April I tore a dime sized chunk of cartilage all the way to the bone. Of course, being the Klutz that I am, I had to really do it good this time. After 6 weeks of anti-inflammatories, cortisone shot, and rest the doc ordered an MRI. I was then referred to an Orthopedic surgeon. He scheduled me for surgery to clean up the area and debris, and TruFit synthetic plugs installed.
Here's some pics he took during the surgery:
#1. This is what he saw when he first went in. He trimmed up all the fraying.
#2. After trimming.
#3. Here's the problem area.
#4. After the TruFit synthetic plug(s) were installed and smoothed.
#5. He performed Microfracture on the bone by drilling holes in the bone to stimulate bleeding and marrow release to promote healing and meshing with plugs. You can see the line of holes he drilled in a spot of exposed bone where I had no cartilage left. This was not the spot he put the plugs, but an additional problem area he found once he was inside the knee.
I am on crutches, non weight bearing for several weeks. I'll find out how long for sure when I go back for my followup appt next week. It has been a real challenge using crutches, but I'm getting the hang of them and getting around pretty good. They are literally the PITS. OUCH..the pits hurt.
I had terrible nausea the first 24 hours. Couldn't keep anything down, including the pain meds. After 20 hours of misery I called the doc. Got the nurse on call. She said she would pass on my message to the doc, and he would probably call in a prescription for nausea meds. I waited a couple hours, called again. Same response. I waited a couple more hours and called again. I believe I may have gotten her attention as she received very graphic sound effects over the phone as I was begging for help and sick at the same time. She told me she would get the doc right then. SHEESH! I felt totally abandoned by the medical world by then. I made sure the pre-op nurse and anesthesia doc noted that I have a nausea problem with anesthesia, and I told my surgical nurse, who gave me nausea meds before the procedure. I also told the recovery nurse that I would need nausea help, so she gave me one pill before sending me home. But.... no prescript to take home.
My good friend and rescuing Angel, Claudia picked up my prescription and brought it to me, along with some ginger ale and ginger cookies. Finally.... I was able to get some rest and let the pain meds do their magic.
That was Day #2. I don't remember much of it.....
Day#3... Shower time! YAY! It was a real challenge to get in the shower, as the one downstairs is not a walk-in. I was up to the challenge though, and did it feel good! Day#3 was also the day I was to start my exercises. I was feeling so good, and the ankle rolls, leg lifts, and working on the 90 degree bends seemded so easy. I was to manage a 90 degree bend by my first followup appt. I managed that on day3. I was so proud of myself... hey look everyone, watch this....This is easy stuff! WELL...... let me tell you what it felt like the next day! Serves my proud self right to go showing off how easy it was while on strong pain meds! Big mistake.
Day#4. Paying for the euphoria I had on day#3. I paced myself with my exercises and definitely did not overdo it. I managed to hobble out onto the patio twice for a little sunshine. Sure felt good. Tried weaning off the meds too fast later in the day. Had to make up for it with pain all night. (will I ever learn?)
Day#5..Claudia came by to visit and brought a Cafe Mocha. Just what I needed. Had a very nice visit. Then Mary Ellen came by bringing a casserole, cookies, and a pretty miniature rose. They sure perked me up with their visit.
Starting to wean off the meds a little more, but gradually. I desperately wanted to go down to the pond and my flowerbeds. Scott rigged up a thick cushion of poly batting for my leg to rest on, while I drove my ATV. Couldn't use the brake, as it's my right foot pedal, so I just puttered along real slow. Was so enjoying to watch Mitchell fish and look at the butterflies in my gardens. Scott was a real trooper letting me instruct him on what was a weed to pull, and what was a flower. lol!
Day#6. That's today. So far I haven't needed any pain meds. Leg is very tender, but not terribly painful. Still having muscle spasms in my sore calf, but better. Hmmm...what can I get myself into today?......
New Deck The new deck was finished just in time for our QOV sewing. Scott, Mitchell, and Mandy put in a lot of hours, and they did an outstanding job! It's going to be a nice place to take a break from longarming, and enjoy some sunshine. We will close off the underneath to make a garage for my ATV and Scott's mower, along with storage of garden tools, etc. Quilts of Valor Mary Ellen and Mary Jane came by Friday to work on QOVs. We finished 4 quilts, along with enough binding made to make many more. It was a very enjoyable day with lots of chatting and sewing. Since I will not be able to longarm for a few weeks, we still have several sandwiched quilts ready if anyone is interested in helping us out with the quilting. Email me: leann@persimmonquilts.com THANKS! Here's some pictures of some other QOV's that were shipped out this week: Sarah's Ribbons My customer, Sarah won ribbons on all three quilts she entered that were quilted by me. How exciting (for both of us!). She entered the quilts in the Central Oklahoma Quilter's Guild show this past weekend in Oklahoma City. Congrats Sarah! You go, girl!!! I don't have a picture of her 3rd quilt, but will soon. Here's the 2 ribbon winning quilts: Gardening It's a good thing my gardens are doing a good job of taking care of themselves. I have not been able to work in them, but am sure enjoying the pretties.
New Studio Steps & Deck
Those of you who have visited my studio may have found the stairs to my studio challenging. This weekend that is all changing! My guys demolished the old steps, and are building a 2 level deck with easier to navigate steps and landings. They've promised it will be completely finished in time for some of my QOV quilter friends coming by next Friday to work on quilting. This picture shows Mitchell working on ratcheting some bolts, while Scott is looking for the next board. I am taking this picture while sitting on the tractor. It was my job to use the bucket to lift the heavy beams. We had talked about putting new stairs in since moving into our house 4 years ago. Now seemed like the best time to do it, as I injured my knee in late April, and am having surgery in 2 weeks. After the surgery I won't be climbing stairs for awhile, but when I do I'm sure they'll be easier to manage than the old ones. Knee Injury Being the Klutz that I am, I stumbled on some rough sidewalk and tore a dime sized "divet" out of my articulate cartilage in my knee. This weight bearing cartilage is on the end of my femur. It is full thickness, to the bone. Needless to say, it has been painful! I never knew a knee could swell so much - and so fast! The swelling is better now, but still not able to tolerate much time on my feet. I'll have arthroscopic surgery. My surgeon has lined up 3 possible repairs, depending on what he finds when he goes in. (I had an MRI, but "having a look see" is the best way to determine the situation). He will either 1) just clean up the injury area and debris, and stop there if my arthritis is too advanced and not enough surrounding cartilage (& it may or may not help much), 2) do a microfracture procedure where he punches holes in the bone to release bone marrow that will help fill in the hole with a somewhat helpful "cartilage-like" substance, or 3) put plugs of cartilage from another area of my knee into the hole. The first option will ony have me on crutches a week or two. The 2nd and 3rd options will have me on crutches 6-8 weeks, non weight bearing. YIKES! What's on the Frame Although I haven't been able to do a lot of quilting the last 6 weeks, I have been able to get a few finished. I don't have pictures uploaded, but will soon. You can view some of the quilts I have longarmed in 2009 at: http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/slideshow/569726988nFtSCo Colonel Benson's Quilt of Valor I was asked to make another special presentation quilt by the folks at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany. This time it was for a Colonel who was being sent stateside to head up a training dept. I had help with piecing the Wagon Trail blocks by my good friend, Linda R. She made the blocks, and I assembled them along with the applique and photos. It was a real honor to have been asked to make this special quilt. Thank you, Colonel Benson, and best wishes. Memorial Day Weekend All the kids and grandkids were here for Memorial Day weekend. We spent a lot of time down at our pond fishing. It was so much fun watching the little girls fish (& the big ones, too). My Gardens It seemed like the April/May rain would never end, but my flower gardens are looking great. Over the holiday weekend and following week we installed an underground irrigation system in one of my big flowerbeds. Finally.... a summer without lugging garden hoses around.
