Sigh. This has not been a good week with the knee replacement recovery. I had recovered (I thought) from straining the quad muscle a couple of weeks ago. Maybe not so much.
In physical therapy on Tuesday, while doing a balance exercise and having had the best day ever in PT ... it happened. My new knee actually bent backwards with a loud pop and I crumbled to the floor. The pain was the most intense pain I've ever had in my life. I was sure, at the least, that my leg was broken.
After getting caught in torrential thunderstorms on the way home, the knee swelled almost double. I could put weight on it, but it was very unstable. It kept feeling like it was going to go backwards again.
With both crutches (sigh), I went to my orthopedic surgeon on Wednesday. He did the tendon tests to make sure they were okay and put me through a series of x-rays. I was very scared that where the femur was drilled and the spike for the implant was might have broken as the pain is mostly above the knee and in the thigh. But the x-rays were negative, good!
He told me to ice, elevate, don't go to PT and to return on Monday. He also put the leg in an immobilizer for stability. He thinks that I had a patella subluxation -- which is roughly a partial dislocation of the kneecap. When I looked it up online, the first article scared me to death -- saying it was the most common cause for a failed knee replacement. GAH!
But, while my doctor seemed very concerned, he seemed to be just as sure that with time and rest, the knee will be back to normal. And, in reading more sites, it sounds like repeated subluxation is the failure cause. I guess I'll see. I walked to the local bodega with one crutch and no immobilizer yesterday. The knee is still acting unstable, but I was very slow and careful.
With the additional pain, I started taking more pain meds. So now my stomach is all whacky once again. It really hasn't been a good week. Yet I did get some decent photos! Clicking on an image will open it larger in a new window ...
When it pours
I no sooner left PT in agony on Tuesday and a tremendous thunderstorm hit with torrential street flooding rainfall. I took shelter in the gazebo for a while. Scotch Plains.
Bored in the rain
Rainy day cleaners
Park Avenue, Scotch Plains
Flying mice!
I swear these carpenter bees were the size of flying mice! Bound Brook.
HUGE mushroom
This was also on Maple Street in Bound Brook on Wednesday as I went to the doctor's office.
Huge mushroom next to my huge foot
Another bee on Maple Street
Maple Street moth
Excuse me, could you turn around?
Um. Okay. Stop looking at me!
Could you give me a hand?
Same moth?
Waiting on NJ Transit
Watchung Avenue, Plainfield.
Vincent is floored!
He's not quite sure what to make of the immobilizer. I told him it's NOT a cat scratching post!
16 comments:
Are you feeling better? Dr's Monday...correct?
Marvelous nature shots! I have mushrooms sprouting up in my yard and hope Starry ignores them!
You posted this early early!
Jackie, just thinking of your knee snapping backward made me cringe. That must have been terrible to endure. Just keep being careful.
i don't know how you had the will to take those 'rain' pictures on your way home, but they are beautiful.
Love the bees/mice one. And, of course, Vincent.
Ouch. Your poor knee. No more backwards wobbles. How's the old new knee doing under the strain? I hope it doesn't get too cranky.
And here's another rainy day for us. We're having the street flooding torrents as I type.
Hi Jackie,
Hope your doing better today.I love your off topic Sunday posts.One quick question for you,in the pic with your shoe beside the mushroom..are those TOMS shoes you are wearing?I love TOMS,it's a great company, and they look like them from the front.
Have a great day.
Cheryl
Jackie,
I am so sorry that you have had this set back in your recovery.
I am very glad you didn't have a broken leg or any major damage to your knee replacement.
I hope and pray that today you will see some improvement in the level pain and swelling.
I enjoyed all your pictures.
The mushroom pix reminded me of what my Dad used to tell me when I was a very little girl. He said that Pixies, Fairies, Brownies and all the wee folk hid under the big mushrooms during rain storms.
Thanks for bringing back that memory to me.
The description of the backward bend made MY knees go weak. Please please be careful. Don't stress it. Don't be tempted to "test" it.
Then my knees went weak again looking at the photos of the mushroom. I suspect you had to go low to get that angle? Gently, gently, lady.
(In the first photo, that spikey plant has an odd looking flower!)
You're def a tough nut, Jackie!
Hoping your knee is better today and continues to improve. Don't get crazy with it!!
I am with Lynn on the mushroom... reminds me the stories I would make up when seeing them in the yard. Stories of fairies and elves living under them!
Vincent is handsome as ever! I like the bus stop with black and white and the people in color.
Wow, Jackie, Rachel and Shelly's week were cake compared to yours! I hope you mend quickly.
I must say that your cat, Vincent, is a handsome devil!
Yikes! Reading about your knee bending backward sent shivers up my spine. Here's hoping that never happens again. I'm surprised the therapist let you head home on your own, instead of arranging an emergency trip to see a doctor.
And somehow you manage to find beauty in rain, flowers and insects, even though you're dealing with pain, a setback and uncertainty. Well done!
I hope you bee immobilizing this weekend!! No jokes, take it easy and follow your Doc's instructions. And stop looking up conditions on the internet. In my experience people with good results hardly ever post, so you really get the sense that nothing will go right!
Loved the pics as usual!!
SueGee on the left coast
Wishing you the best as you heal. Your photo, "bored in the Rain" is so beautiful in it's simplicity & attention to detail. I love photography also & so appreciate your work.
From sunny Ca
Jackie, your photo excursions must be very therapeutic for you. Even with all your knee issues, you still manage to get some great shots.
Hearing about what you're going thru is making me cringe. Please take care of yourself!! Don't overdo, and use that stabilizer more than you think you need it!! You have 42 days to get it in shape!
Jackie, so sorry for the set back. That hurt just to read it. Keep taking it easy and let yourself heal. Hugs!
BB probably late by one hour here! Eastern time!
Lousy 4 letter word! GOLF and 3 hole playoff!
Very nice and cute post.
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