Hi fellow ACI'ers!!
I've decided that's our new name....ACI'ers......and only we can understand how difficult the journey is!!
AHHH.....it's been a whirlwind these last few months, I can't believe I haven't posted since November. So, I had the Sinvisc (sp) in November and it only lasted until Christmas...seriously......by the time Christmas hit I was back in pain and actually more depressed as I'd had a few weeks of NO pain.....I had forgotten what that felt like!! I'll walk you through the next steps!!
- After the surgery in Sept where we found out 1 of the implants didn't work my dr. suggested a partial replacement
- I chatted with my physical therapist after the new year and she gave me a couple names to get another opinion. I have to say, I've loved my doctor....to get another opinion felt very dis-loyal...but I did it anyway..
- I saw this new dr. the beginning of Jan 2013 and he said I need a total knee.....but said I needed to wait another 10 years until I was over 50. WHAT? This dude, I mean dr. thinks I should suffer with this crap for another 10 years.....he even said I should have it injected every few months and scoped once a year......honestly.......this is crap and needless to say I didn't go back to him!!
- I called my dr. and told him what the other opinion was, he suggested I see another dr. in his same practice who specializes in replacements on younger patients and keeps as much bone as possible for future revisions. Btw, he definitely doesn't think I need to wait another 10 crappy years! :)
- The beginning of Feb 2013 I saw a new dr. in the same practice. He was super nice, we did new x-rays.....and wait....we cannot discuss a knee replacement because the bone from the tibial tubercle osteotomy never healed. WAIT.....back up.....the bone never healed? At this point it had been like 14 months since the "big one" and the bone never healed. Basically, my knee cap is being held down by screws....it was the most devastating news I'd heard in a long time!!
- After I had time to drink/smoke/feel sorry for myself/ then get back to being healthy........I talked with my dr. and we scheduled a bone graft on my tibia. Lets be clear.....I can't have a knee replacement if that bone is not secure.
- I had ANOTHER surgery the beginning of March.....I have to say.....no where near the type of pain we're all used to because it wasn't in my joint but was right below it. It still hurt, don't get me wrong....but it was much more manageable than I had feared.
- TODAY.....it's been 4 weeks since that surgery and I've got an appt on Friday to take new x-rays and see if the bone graft is working. I'm just sick.....seriously sick........but keeping my fingers crossed.....I'm sure it worked!
To end my super cool 17 month post......I will sound like a broken record and say again....I CAN'T believe I've made it this far. The last couple months I've actually been thinking I can just get used to this pain because the thought of another surgery just makes me sick. However, I want good parts...and if it's a total knee......then that's the way it'll be!! :)
I'll also update on my exercise stuff.......I quit going to PT right before the surgery in March....she was afraid to keep working on me with the knee cap and tibia situation. However...you know I've been continuing to work it on my own!! I'm still going to spin class 2 or 3 times a week and have started lifting more weights about 2x a week. The last couple weeks it's been warm enough to start riding outside, so I've added that also. Honestly, the last couple weeks I've been in a funk......I seriously think it has something to do with all this anesthesia and pain killer crap.....but I'm back on it. Spin 2x a week, outside rides (16-20 miles) 2x a week, and weights (including many PT exercises) 2x a week.
Hope all my fellow ACI'ers are doing well and most importantly I hope my blog helps in some way!!!
OH...I was looking back at some older posts and forgot to post.....Elephant Rock is in about 8 weeks......last year it took me 4 1/2 hours..I bet I can do it in 3 this year......lol!! :)
ReplyDeleteIt is very upsetting to hear that the doctor said no TKR (with no other options) at a young age. This is the type of information I was getting until I went to my doc (Gillogly in Atlanta) who did the ACI, but who would have done a TKR if I had chosen that. By that time, I was 49 and doctors had repeatedly told me that I would have to wait for treatment-meanwhile my knee got worse and worse over a 10 year period. Having read your latest posts, I am glad you were able to work out getting the TKR surgery.
ReplyDeleteHi Kayla....this whole "wait until it's bad enough" business is pretty ridiculous. What are you supposed to do in the meantime? I'm pretty young for a TKR and I get why my dr thought ACI was a better approach....at the end of the day had it worked I would have been able to put off a knee replacement for many, many years. However, once things don't work out as planned....then we need to move on. The dr who did my TKR is in the same practice as my dr who did the ACI.....he was on board with NOT waiting the ten years. A lot can happen in 10 years, thinking I was going to suffer with this business is kind of ridiculous. I love both my dr's in different ways and am glad to finally have found a solution.....because I am now bionic! :)
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