So since it has been almost 2 months since my last update, I have been doing great!! All I can say is that this is the best my knee has felt in 2 years!! Got the stitches out a few months ago, finished physical therapy before Thanksgiving, and started a new job this past Monday. I can actually squat now without much pain, still doing stretching on my own. I go back to the doctors here soon, which I am changing until early next year because of the new job. I still have some spots where I do not have feeling in my right knee. I will actually be surprised if it has grown back because it does not hurt at all, the tendonitis has seemed to have gone away for the most part and the stitches look great!
No need for pictures because there is nothing to see except for a scar. I can't wait until it is not winter anymore so I can get back to mountain biking.
Hopefully I won't wait for 2 months to update again.
Picture
Me, my wife Kayla, I am holding Ellie, she is holding Hannah.
Showing posts with label Physical Therapy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Physical Therapy. Show all posts
Sunday, December 7, 2014
Saturday, October 4, 2014
2 Weeks after surgery
So it will be 2 weeks since my latest surgery on Monday. Just a quick update, I am still sore, I can feel the stitches pulling pretty good so I am sure they are ready to come out, which I will be getting that done on Wednesday. Some of them are already falling out on their own.
I am able to walk without crutches, I am still using an immobilizer when I walk up and down stairs and when I am outside. Mostly hurting in the front incision. In Physical Therapy they are moving the scar tissue around in my knee, I can tell that because when they are rubbing it, it is burning, they said that it is normal when the scar tissue is breaking up.
So here is a few pictures of the stitches of my knee from right after surgery.
I am able to walk without crutches, I am still using an immobilizer when I walk up and down stairs and when I am outside. Mostly hurting in the front incision. In Physical Therapy they are moving the scar tissue around in my knee, I can tell that because when they are rubbing it, it is burning, they said that it is normal when the scar tissue is breaking up.
So here is a few pictures of the stitches of my knee from right after surgery.
Thursday, September 25, 2014
Days after the 3rd surgery
So it has been 3 days since I have surgery on my right knee to try and remove the disease once again. Same old thing goes on before surgery, they prep you, mine was around 8 and surgery was at 10, then take you into the surgical room, ask you 20 questions, and knock you out then you wake up in the recovery room. As I woke up, I noticed some pain but not too much, was in recovery for a few hours until I got to go to my room at around 4:00pm. I spent 3 days and 2 nights in the hospital from Monday to Wednesday, I was taking some strong pain killers but mostly 500mg Acetaminophen (Tylenol) which I am still taking now.
So in the end, the doctors thinks that he has gotten it all out again. He opened me up in the front in a small spot, and all the way in the back. In the front, he said that he took out just a marble sized piece and that was about it there. In the back, he said that he took a piece out that was about a half of a pint.
There is a picture of how much a half a pint is, to get a reference of what was behind my leg. After I woke up, I could feel a major difference in my leg, it can almost fully extend straight right away. I am sure the physical therapy has helped to keep me stretched out as well. I said that I was gonna ask about getting a piece to take home, well I asked and he kinda laughed and said I am not legally allowed to give you a piece to take home.
Most of the pain is from soreness, I can sorta feel parts that they must have scraped to get the pieces off of, I know part of it was directly on my meniscus so I can feel that pretty good. But some Tylenol helps to keep the soreness away.
When he came in Tuesday to see me, he came in with a bunch of doctors and his boss, which did his surgery many years ago for his cancer, and he was just asking me questions about my family history to see if anyone else has had anything similar to this disease, which no one has not so he said that he is even still puzzled about it and he has been doing surgeries on it for almost 40 years.
Tomorrow I start physical therapy again, gonna try to get back to work here soon. I am walking around now without my crutches, still using them to get up and down steps just to make sure I don't fall. Here is some pitures of before the surgery and after the surgery.
Dr. Weiss's drawings on my legs before the surgery.
Front of my leg post surgery, didn't take a picture of it yet without the stuff over it.
Back of my leg post surgery, didn't take a picture of it yet without the stuff over it.
So they decided to give me this kind of stuff to put on my legs, not a wrap, but just tape and a gauze thing, and when it comes off it hurts like heck, just because it rips off all the hairs they didn't shave off before the surgery. So my next appointment for post-op is Wednesday October 8th, so I will know then anything else to post on here.
So in the end, the doctors thinks that he has gotten it all out again. He opened me up in the front in a small spot, and all the way in the back. In the front, he said that he took out just a marble sized piece and that was about it there. In the back, he said that he took a piece out that was about a half of a pint.
There is a picture of how much a half a pint is, to get a reference of what was behind my leg. After I woke up, I could feel a major difference in my leg, it can almost fully extend straight right away. I am sure the physical therapy has helped to keep me stretched out as well. I said that I was gonna ask about getting a piece to take home, well I asked and he kinda laughed and said I am not legally allowed to give you a piece to take home.
Most of the pain is from soreness, I can sorta feel parts that they must have scraped to get the pieces off of, I know part of it was directly on my meniscus so I can feel that pretty good. But some Tylenol helps to keep the soreness away.
When he came in Tuesday to see me, he came in with a bunch of doctors and his boss, which did his surgery many years ago for his cancer, and he was just asking me questions about my family history to see if anyone else has had anything similar to this disease, which no one has not so he said that he is even still puzzled about it and he has been doing surgeries on it for almost 40 years.
Tomorrow I start physical therapy again, gonna try to get back to work here soon. I am walking around now without my crutches, still using them to get up and down steps just to make sure I don't fall. Here is some pitures of before the surgery and after the surgery.
Dr. Weiss's drawings on my legs before the surgery.
Front of my leg post surgery, didn't take a picture of it yet without the stuff over it.
Back of my leg post surgery, didn't take a picture of it yet without the stuff over it.
So they decided to give me this kind of stuff to put on my legs, not a wrap, but just tape and a gauze thing, and when it comes off it hurts like heck, just because it rips off all the hairs they didn't shave off before the surgery. So my next appointment for post-op is Wednesday October 8th, so I will know then anything else to post on here.
Sunday, September 14, 2014
Third Times a Charm, I hope
So after visiting the Doctor this past Wednesday (9/10), I will be having surgery for the 3rd time on Monday 9/22. I just wanted to get it done ASAP because it is hurting pretty bad, even with taking 500 mg of ibuprofen, and it is constantly stiff. To get to the point, I will be having it removed in the back of my leg like my 2nd surgery, and he will have to cut open part of my leg in the front because a little piece grew back there. I just told him to do what he has to do.
He and the other doctors in his office are just puzzled at this because they have never seen it grow back this aggressively before, it has literally grown back the same size, if not bigger, than my last surgery back in March and that is only 6 months ago.
This is just crazy that this just keeps coming back. I asked about my other options that I have, in reality the only other option besides surgery to remove it is a knee replacement. He won't do that to me because I am way too young for that, I am only 25, and I would rather not have that done right now. He said another option is to just fire him and go to a different doctor, but in my opinion, I do not really see what another doctor could do besides what he has given to me as options. I asked about radiation, like treating it sorta like cancer and having radiation done on it. He said that he, and almost any other doctor won't even consider that because it isn't really cancer and it could actually cause more damage than good to my body. Like giving me the possibility of having cancer, weak bones, etc.
One thing I do have to agree with him on, is the fact that just be happy it isn't cancer, mine was the "good" news of the day because he has talked to others and bunches of people have cartilage cancer and I am thankful that is not what I have.
When I do have surgery, which I am not too worried about since I have been through it twice already, I am gonna ask if he can give me a piece of it in a jar to take home because I think that would be awesome!! I am just hoping that when I wake up I am not in much pain because I figure that I will be better off afterwards than I am now. I am still doing physical therapy right now because it is keeping my leg loosened up and stretched so it doesn't stiffen up on my like last time. But I will be doing some PT after the surgery as well because I need to get my leg back to normal.
I will update as I go, not sure if it will be before surgery or afterwards.
Wednesday, July 23, 2014
It has been a while
So it has been a while since I have last checked in a written a blog. In short I am still doing physical therapy, and since the disease is back my leg has been still sore and I still do have a limp when I walk. At PT they have also notice that I have tendinitis in my knee ligaments from me walking and standing on it for so long while it is bent and not straight. One thing the PT told me to do that is helping with that and is relieving lots of pain in my leg, is giving myself a friction massage where it is sore, so basically pushing down as hard as I can a rub it until I feel pain, rub it until the pain goes away and then do it again every few minutes. Since I have started doing that and having them do that at PT, my knee has been feeling great!
Well my next appointment in Pittsburgh is in September and I will need to get a MRI done to see what it looks like. I am going to request to see if it is possible that I could do radiation treatment, like they would do with cancer, to see if it would kill the disease without surgery.
Well my next appointment in Pittsburgh is in September and I will need to get a MRI done to see what it looks like. I am going to request to see if it is possible that I could do radiation treatment, like they would do with cancer, to see if it would kill the disease without surgery.
Sunday, March 30, 2014
3 weeks after 2nd surgery
So tomorrow marks 3 weeks from my 2nd surgery on my right knee.
I was at the doctors this past Wednesday (March 26th). He said everything looks good, on my scar anyways and they took out the stitches and put on the white tape. I guess I have no nerves back there or something because I didn't even feel the stitches coming out, and that is probably why I didn't feel anything after surgery. Anyways, the only problem that I have now is to get my leg to go straight and bend the whole way back. Currently it won't lock out to at least 180 degrees and is way less than that and it is only bending back to about 90 degrees and I need to get it back to 140 degrees like my left leg. So I am currently doing therapy and won't be able to go back to work until I go back and see him on April 23rd, so hopefully by then my knee will be less swollen (which it isn't really swollen) and I can straighten it and bend it back for he most part.
So here is the final results from my surgery and testing of the stuff they took out, understand what you can:
I was at the doctors this past Wednesday (March 26th). He said everything looks good, on my scar anyways and they took out the stitches and put on the white tape. I guess I have no nerves back there or something because I didn't even feel the stitches coming out, and that is probably why I didn't feel anything after surgery. Anyways, the only problem that I have now is to get my leg to go straight and bend the whole way back. Currently it won't lock out to at least 180 degrees and is way less than that and it is only bending back to about 90 degrees and I need to get it back to 140 degrees like my left leg. So I am currently doing therapy and won't be able to go back to work until I go back and see him on April 23rd, so hopefully by then my knee will be less swollen (which it isn't really swollen) and I can straighten it and bend it back for he most part.
So here is the final results from my surgery and testing of the stuff they took out, understand what you can:
Finally, here is some pictures of my knee:Narrative
FINAL DIAGNOSIS:
BONE AND SOFT TISSUE, RIGHT KNEE, EXCISION
SYNOVIAL CHONDROMATOSIS, CLINICALLY RECURRENT.
GG/acs
ACS/ACS
Pathologist: Karen Schoedel, M.D.
** Report Electronically Signed Out **
By Pathologist: Karen Schoedel, M.D.
3/13/2014 08:28
My signature is attestation that I have personally reviewed the submitted
material(s) and the final diagnosis reflects that evaluation.
_______________________________________________________________
GROSS DESCRIPTION:
The specimen is received fresh labeled with the patient's name, initials BMM,
medical record number and "1 synovial chondromatosis right knee". It consists
of an irregular piece of white-tan hard, smooth lobulated cartilaginous
tissue, measuring 3.2 x 2.8 x 2.3 cm. The cut surface reveals white-pink, firm
to soft tissue with diffuse bone. The specimen also consists of 2 detached
pieces of tan-pink, cauterized, firm fibromembranous tissue, measuring 1.9 x
1.8 x 0.6 cm and 2.0 x 0.9 x 0.8 cm. Representative sections are submitted as
follows:
ADC - bony/cartilaginous mass following complex decalcification
B - soft tissue.
Formalin Exposure Time: 7 hours 0 minutes
Decal Cassettes Formalin Exposure Time: 31 hours 0 minutes.
Grossed by: Leigha Watson, PA student
Reviewed by: Kara Balatincz, PA (ASCP)
LRW//LRW/LRW
MICROSCOPIC:
Microscopic examination substantiates the above diagnosis.
The following statement applies to all immunohistochemistry, insitu
hybridization (ISH & FISH), molecular anatomic pathology, and
immunofluorescence testing:
The testing was developed and its performance characteristics determined by
the University of Pittsburgh, Department of Pathology, as required by the CLIA
'88 regulations. The testing has not been cleared or approved for the
specific use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, but the FDA has
determined such approval is not necessary for clinical use. Tissue fixation
ranges from a minimum of 6 to a maximum of 96 hours. Immunohistochemical
stains (where applicable) are performed with appropriate positive and negative
control reactions. Immunohistochemistry assays have not been validated on
decalcified tissues. Results should be interpreted with caution given the
raised possibility of false negativity on decalcified specimens.
ESTROGEN/PROGESTERONE RECEPTORS (ER/PR) TEST DETAILS: Although the use of
ER/PR is primarily for differential diagnostic purposes rather than
therapeutic ones, we utilize the therapeutic criteria for positive and
negative immunohistochemical results below: The test for the presence of
hormone receptor protein is performed by the immunoperoxidase method according
to the ASCO-CAP Guidelines. A positive Estrogen or Progesterone receptor
tumor shows nuclear immunostaining in greater than or equal to 1% of the tumor
cells (i.e. and H-score of 1 or higher). The ER and PR Histologic Score
(H-Score, or HS) is calculated as the sum of intensity of staining times the
proportion of cells staining and has a dynamic range of 0 to 300. The
semiquantitation immunostaining raw data used to calculate the H-score is also
shown above in the report. Generally, the H-score correlates to percentage of
positive cells.
Estrogen receptor antibody SP1, an IVD, is performed using the IVIEW detection
on the Benchmark XT (Ventana, Tucson, AZ). Progesterone receptor antibody 1E2,
an IVD, is performed using the IVIEW detection on the Benchmark XT, (Ventana,
Tucson, AZ).
HER2 IMMUNOHISTOCHEMISTRY TEST DETAILS: 4B5 antibody clone is used as part of
FDA approved Pathway on the Benchmark XT (Ventana, Tucson, AZ) and interpreted
as follows: Score 0 (negative) = No staining is observed or membrane staining
is observed in less than 10% of the tumor cells. Score 1+ (negative) = A
faint/barely perceptible membrane staining is detected in more than 10% of the
tumor cells. The cells are only stained in part of their membrane. Score 2+
(equivocal) = A weak to moderate complete membrane staining is observed in
more than 10% of the tumor cells. This score requires reflex testing by FISH.
Score 3+ (positive) = A strong complete membrane staining is observed in more
than 30% of the tumor cells.
This laboratory is certified under the Clinical Laboratory Improvement
Amendments of 1988 ("CLIA") as qualified to perform high-complexity clinical
testing. Pursuant to the requirements of CLIA, ASR's used in this laboratory
have been established and verified for accuracy and precision. Additional
information about this type of test is available upon request.
PATIENT HISTORY:
Chief Complaint/Surgery Pre-op Diagnosis: RECURRENT SYNOVIAL CHONDROMATOSIS
RIGHT KNEE
Surgery Post-op Diagnosis: RECURRENT SYNOVIAL CHONDROMATOSIS RIGHT KNEE
Surgical Procedure: ARTHROTOMY KNEE
Reason previous hospitalization/surgery = right knee scope
HISTO TISSUE SUMMARY/SLIDES REVIEWED:
Part 1: SYNOVIAL CHONDROMATOSIS RIGHT KNEE
Taken: 3/10/2014 08:52 Received: 3/10/2014 11:43
Stain/cnt Block
H&E x 1 B
DC x 1 ADC
H&E x 1 ADC
TC1Component Results
There is no component information for this result.General Information
Collected:03/10/2014 8:52 AM
Resulted:03/13/2014 8:28 AM
Ordered By:Kurt R Weiss, MD
Result Status:Final result
This test result has been released by an automatic process.
Thursday, March 13, 2014
Days after the surgery
So I had surgery on Monday March 10th, 2014. I had to be there by 5:00 am and surgery started at about 7:30. Got there, went back to my pre-surgery room, got IV's and whatnot, they also gave me a patch behind the ear to help with nausea after the surgery with the anesthesia. So it was a little after 7:00, my parents and my wife, Kayla, were there, they came to get me and drugged me up with some relaxing stuff, and that stuff was awesome, I have never been high before but I am sure that is about what it feels like haha. We got back to the freezing cold room, I was still laying on the bed, and they still had time before the surgery started so they started showing me stuff around the room which was kinda amusing and kept me calm. Then they gave me the oxygen mask and I was out until I woke up in the recovery room.
When I woke up I had no pain, no IV injected pain meds or anything. Got wheeled up to my room, they gave me 2 pain killers, and my parents and Kayla got up to my room. Then I took one more pain killer around 8:00pm and then only have taken tylonell extra strength since then with some aspirin for blood thinners but that is it. I then got released on that Tuesday (a day before I was supposed to be released), went back to Johnstown for the night, then headed back to York on Wednesday where I am now at.
So the Doctor said that everything looks good now. They cut me open like they did before, right over the old scar (which I think is why I didn't really feel any pain except for an ache every here and there). He took everything out that involves the synovial chondromatosis, he said that the one piece was about the size of a ping pong ball behind my knee and he has no idea how I was even walking on it because my knee couldn't even bend or extend. He also got the rest of the little pieces. He took an X-ray before they took me out of surgery to make sure that he got everything which it looks like he did from what he says. Right from I woke up in recovery, I could see that my knee was a lot straighter than it was before I had surgery.
So I had the nurse and the physical therapist come today, nurse said everything looks good, she showed Kayla how to do the dressing and the ace bandage on my leg. The physical therapist showed me some exercises, she is gonna call the doctor to see what else I can do. The nurse is done and doesn't need to come back anymore unless I call, and the physical therapist will be back on Saturday.
My next knee appointment with Dr. Weiss in Pittsburgh is on Wednesday March 26th.
From now to then, Kayla and the pups (Ellie and Hannah) will be taking care of me!
Here is some pictures, I will get some pictures up of my scars and surgery marks when I get a chance to take pictures of them.
Pre-surgery:
After surgery:
Patch behind the ear for my nausea:
On my way home from the hospital:
When I woke up I had no pain, no IV injected pain meds or anything. Got wheeled up to my room, they gave me 2 pain killers, and my parents and Kayla got up to my room. Then I took one more pain killer around 8:00pm and then only have taken tylonell extra strength since then with some aspirin for blood thinners but that is it. I then got released on that Tuesday (a day before I was supposed to be released), went back to Johnstown for the night, then headed back to York on Wednesday where I am now at.
So the Doctor said that everything looks good now. They cut me open like they did before, right over the old scar (which I think is why I didn't really feel any pain except for an ache every here and there). He took everything out that involves the synovial chondromatosis, he said that the one piece was about the size of a ping pong ball behind my knee and he has no idea how I was even walking on it because my knee couldn't even bend or extend. He also got the rest of the little pieces. He took an X-ray before they took me out of surgery to make sure that he got everything which it looks like he did from what he says. Right from I woke up in recovery, I could see that my knee was a lot straighter than it was before I had surgery.
So I had the nurse and the physical therapist come today, nurse said everything looks good, she showed Kayla how to do the dressing and the ace bandage on my leg. The physical therapist showed me some exercises, she is gonna call the doctor to see what else I can do. The nurse is done and doesn't need to come back anymore unless I call, and the physical therapist will be back on Saturday.
My next knee appointment with Dr. Weiss in Pittsburgh is on Wednesday March 26th.
From now to then, Kayla and the pups (Ellie and Hannah) will be taking care of me!
Here is some pictures, I will get some pictures up of my scars and surgery marks when I get a chance to take pictures of them.
Pre-surgery:
After surgery:
Patch behind the ear for my nausea:
On my way home from the hospital:
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
10 Weeks Later
So I missed the update for the 9 weeks later, but nothing has really changed that much from 8 weeks until now. I have my 12 week after surgery appointment in Pittsburgh, PA on Friday March 8th, next week.
For the most part, the soreness is less and less each day, I am getting more movement in it each day, I am still doing the Nike+ Fitness Kinect Game, (which works my butt pretty well!!), and the physical therapy exercies. My knee is getting stronger, I attempted to run over the weekend, nothing far just like 20 yards and I am still a little slow and need to get my knee better for that.
The two baloons I got are still the same, one has floated down and the other is still a float.
Below is pictures of my knee, still swelled up a bit, I need to remember to ice my knee more often... Still no feeling on my incisions, both front and back, and on the right side of my knee in the front and parts of the back of my leg.
My fiance made me the equation in the bottom picture. Isn't she amazing? :-)
For the most part, the soreness is less and less each day, I am getting more movement in it each day, I am still doing the Nike+ Fitness Kinect Game, (which works my butt pretty well!!), and the physical therapy exercies. My knee is getting stronger, I attempted to run over the weekend, nothing far just like 20 yards and I am still a little slow and need to get my knee better for that.
The two baloons I got are still the same, one has floated down and the other is still a float.
Below is pictures of my knee, still swelled up a bit, I need to remember to ice my knee more often... Still no feeling on my incisions, both front and back, and on the right side of my knee in the front and parts of the back of my leg.
My fiance made me the equation in the bottom picture. Isn't she amazing? :-)
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
7 Weeks Later
So this past Monday (yesterday), marks 7 weeks since I had surgery on my right knee.
Since my last doctors visit, I have been working out a little bit since I have been cleared to do anything I want to do. I have been doing some physical therapy stuff (same stuff as before but with weights), doing an exercise video, and doing some resistance band workouts.
With physical therapy, I am using an ankle weight. It can go up to 20 pounds, but I am only using 4 pounds right now. My knee is starting to get better with it so I am going to try to bump it up to 8 pounds either tomorrow or Thursday when I do it again.
The exercise video I have been doing is the Nike+ Fitness Game on the Xbox 360 with the Kinect. It seems to be pretty good, works all aspects of your body. There is some things in the game that I still can't, or not do that well. There is stuff to do on my knees, and since I don't got complete feeling in my right knee yet, it is kinda hard to balance on it, but I am getting better and more used to it. There is also some 1 legged things to do, I can do a few of them then I kinda have to cheat and use both legs. I can do the balance on my right leg fine, it is the hopping around on one leg that kinda gets to my knee and starts hurting. I am also doing some squats among other things that are working good for my knee.
The band workout I do is mostly for my upper body, I am trying to get my muscle tone back up there. I am doing these when the Nike+ Training is not on the strength parts. I am going to add in some leg workouts next time I do the bands. I figure I can add in squats, calf raises, dead lifts, among other things.
Overall, my knee has been sore this past week and a half. Just from being back at work and exercising. I guess that is good because it shows that I am working it more than I was doing and hopefully I can be back to normal in no time. Every once in a while I need to take some sort of pain reliever because of the pain. The back of my leg incisions hurt every once in a while, just feels like they are pulling. But as you can see in the picture below, there is a scab at the top of the incisions so I think that is what is grabbing onto my pants and bothering me. My knee is still swollen a little bit, I am trying to ice it every night after I am done working out to try and help the swelling to reduce.
Well another week down, and another week closer to being fully healed. Also, another week closer until I get married to the greatest lady ever (besides my mom haha). My next appointment is on March 8th, which I am sure that I will be in and out of there for the most part.
Below is pictures of my knee from about an hour ago. I took pictures of the sides of my knee as well, not sure if you can see the swelling. I also took pictures of my baloons, just because one is still afloat.
Since my last doctors visit, I have been working out a little bit since I have been cleared to do anything I want to do. I have been doing some physical therapy stuff (same stuff as before but with weights), doing an exercise video, and doing some resistance band workouts.
With physical therapy, I am using an ankle weight. It can go up to 20 pounds, but I am only using 4 pounds right now. My knee is starting to get better with it so I am going to try to bump it up to 8 pounds either tomorrow or Thursday when I do it again.
The exercise video I have been doing is the Nike+ Fitness Game on the Xbox 360 with the Kinect. It seems to be pretty good, works all aspects of your body. There is some things in the game that I still can't, or not do that well. There is stuff to do on my knees, and since I don't got complete feeling in my right knee yet, it is kinda hard to balance on it, but I am getting better and more used to it. There is also some 1 legged things to do, I can do a few of them then I kinda have to cheat and use both legs. I can do the balance on my right leg fine, it is the hopping around on one leg that kinda gets to my knee and starts hurting. I am also doing some squats among other things that are working good for my knee.
The band workout I do is mostly for my upper body, I am trying to get my muscle tone back up there. I am doing these when the Nike+ Training is not on the strength parts. I am going to add in some leg workouts next time I do the bands. I figure I can add in squats, calf raises, dead lifts, among other things.
Overall, my knee has been sore this past week and a half. Just from being back at work and exercising. I guess that is good because it shows that I am working it more than I was doing and hopefully I can be back to normal in no time. Every once in a while I need to take some sort of pain reliever because of the pain. The back of my leg incisions hurt every once in a while, just feels like they are pulling. But as you can see in the picture below, there is a scab at the top of the incisions so I think that is what is grabbing onto my pants and bothering me. My knee is still swollen a little bit, I am trying to ice it every night after I am done working out to try and help the swelling to reduce.
Well another week down, and another week closer to being fully healed. Also, another week closer until I get married to the greatest lady ever (besides my mom haha). My next appointment is on March 8th, which I am sure that I will be in and out of there for the most part.
Below is pictures of my knee from about an hour ago. I took pictures of the sides of my knee as well, not sure if you can see the swelling. I also took pictures of my baloons, just because one is still afloat.
Monday, January 28, 2013
6 Weeks Later
So I went to the doctors on Friday, he said that everything looks good, I am walking good and everything. I am allowed to do anything I want on with my knee, as long as it is not bugging me. I can now go swimming and all that as well. I am putting lotion on it to help with the dryness.
I started work again today, I am glad because I would rather be going to work than just staying at home and doing nothing.
My physical therapy is over, but I am going to be doing it on my own in my apartment. I am allowed to start using weights so I am going to be doing the same exercises as before just with weights. I am just adding in squats and one leg stands.
I did get some news that did upset me a little, I got there, me and my Mom got to go in early because everyone was canceling because of the weather, I went and got X-rays on my knee. When I got back to my room and the doctor pulled up my X-rays, he noticed that he missed a piece behind my knee. He said that it could bother me in 5 years, or never. He said that if the disease would come back in the front of my leg and would need removed, he would just remove the stuff in the back as well while he is at it.
I have another visit in 6 weeks, then I will have to have another visit 6 months from my surgery, which is in June. Then another a year after my surgery. I will have to visit him every year for the rest of my life to make sure that the disease does not come back or get worse.
I was hoping to go to the doctors right after my honeymoon is done in July, but he only has office hours on Wednesdays and Fridays, so I guess I got to do what I got to do.
So that is about it, below I have pictures of what my incisions look like 6 weeks later and some pictures of baloons that my grandma got 6 weeks ago and they are still afloat. I will try to take pictures every week for a little bit to see the progress of my incisions. The pictures are side ways for some reason...
I started work again today, I am glad because I would rather be going to work than just staying at home and doing nothing.
My physical therapy is over, but I am going to be doing it on my own in my apartment. I am allowed to start using weights so I am going to be doing the same exercises as before just with weights. I am just adding in squats and one leg stands.
I did get some news that did upset me a little, I got there, me and my Mom got to go in early because everyone was canceling because of the weather, I went and got X-rays on my knee. When I got back to my room and the doctor pulled up my X-rays, he noticed that he missed a piece behind my knee. He said that it could bother me in 5 years, or never. He said that if the disease would come back in the front of my leg and would need removed, he would just remove the stuff in the back as well while he is at it.
I have another visit in 6 weeks, then I will have to have another visit 6 months from my surgery, which is in June. Then another a year after my surgery. I will have to visit him every year for the rest of my life to make sure that the disease does not come back or get worse.
I was hoping to go to the doctors right after my honeymoon is done in July, but he only has office hours on Wednesdays and Fridays, so I guess I got to do what I got to do.
So that is about it, below I have pictures of what my incisions look like 6 weeks later and some pictures of baloons that my grandma got 6 weeks ago and they are still afloat. I will try to take pictures every week for a little bit to see the progress of my incisions. The pictures are side ways for some reason...
Sunday, January 20, 2013
5 Weeks Later
So five weeks ago I was a in Pittsburgh waiting for morning to have surgery and now it is 5 weeks later. Time kinda flew by and I am ready to work, just because being at home all day gets boring after a while.
I go to the doctors this Friday (25th), I will know then if I am able to drive and go back to work or not. I am walking pretty normally and doing well at therapy. At the beginning of each workout I have an electric current, or something like that, tape onto my quad to help me get it moving before I start my workout for about 10 minutes. I am doing just some typical movement exercises: Stiff leg lifts (front, side, back), kicking my leg out (while dropped down over a ledge and with a coffee can sized thing underneath my knee), and doing leg curls while on my stomach. I am also riding a bike two times at 5 minutes for a total of 10 minutes of riding a bike, I find it humorous that I am on a bike because when I noticed the disease I was riding my bike and I wrecked it. I am also doing some calf raises to strength back up my right calf and then doing calf stretching. Then they put a sleeve over my knee and some maching pumps in cold water starting at around 51 degrees Fahrenheit and it goes down to about 41 degrees over 10-15 minutes and I am done.
I will update this again on the weekend when I find out what I am allowed to do in the future and when and all that. Some questions I am going to ask is these: When do you think I can have my knee submerged in water (for swimming and such), running, strengthing (like lifting weights), stretching, when I might get the feeling back in the right side of my knee, and anything else I can think of like those.
So I got all the taped strips off of my leg, below is the final pictures of what they look like, pictures were taken on January 17th. The mark above my incision on the front of my leg was where they drainage hole was at, I believe it is filled in and almost healed for the most part. I also still don't have feeling on the right side of my knee.
I go to the doctors this Friday (25th), I will know then if I am able to drive and go back to work or not. I am walking pretty normally and doing well at therapy. At the beginning of each workout I have an electric current, or something like that, tape onto my quad to help me get it moving before I start my workout for about 10 minutes. I am doing just some typical movement exercises: Stiff leg lifts (front, side, back), kicking my leg out (while dropped down over a ledge and with a coffee can sized thing underneath my knee), and doing leg curls while on my stomach. I am also riding a bike two times at 5 minutes for a total of 10 minutes of riding a bike, I find it humorous that I am on a bike because when I noticed the disease I was riding my bike and I wrecked it. I am also doing some calf raises to strength back up my right calf and then doing calf stretching. Then they put a sleeve over my knee and some maching pumps in cold water starting at around 51 degrees Fahrenheit and it goes down to about 41 degrees over 10-15 minutes and I am done.
I will update this again on the weekend when I find out what I am allowed to do in the future and when and all that. Some questions I am going to ask is these: When do you think I can have my knee submerged in water (for swimming and such), running, strengthing (like lifting weights), stretching, when I might get the feeling back in the right side of my knee, and anything else I can think of like those.
So I got all the taped strips off of my leg, below is the final pictures of what they look like, pictures were taken on January 17th. The mark above my incision on the front of my leg was where they drainage hole was at, I believe it is filled in and almost healed for the most part. I also still don't have feeling on the right side of my knee.
Thursday, January 10, 2013
Started outpatient Physical Therapy
So this past Tuesday, 1/8, I started outpatient physical therapy at Western PA Sports Medicine & Rehab Clinic in Johnstown, PA. Today was my 2nd time going. My knee actually feels a lot better after doing all that. Today I did everything from Tuesday plus some.
I started out today's workout with some electrodes, or something like that, being injected into my quad muscle and loosening it up and I had to flex the quad muscle when it was tightening it up. I then did some typical motions exercises, then I got to get on a bike to do some more motion exercises. At first the bike was bothersome to my knee, but once I got going it felt good, I just had to keep on pulling up my shorts because they kept on rubbing the incision on the back of my leg. I then did some calf stretches, then some more motion exercises, then back on the bike for the second time. After that, I iced my knee and then I was done and came home.
I am able to start walking without crutches fairly well, starting to get up and down steps without my crutches, but I keep my crutches on hand just encase I would need them. I can't walk down steps yet normally, I can only go one step at a time with both feet on both steps, but I can go up steps with one foot on each step.
The people up at Western PA want me to get pictures of my surgery so they can see what it looks like, because I am one of the first cases up there with synovial chondromatosis, and now there have been a few more people with cases like mine in different joints, but no where near as severe as mine was.
Below is some pictures of my incisions with most of the strips off of my leg. I also might have said in the last blog post that I am taking Advil, I am taking Aleeve instead because I miss heard what the doctor said, and they said that all the strips coming off already is good.
On Saturday, January 12th, will be 175 days that I get to marry my best friend Kayla. :-)
Here is a picture of me and my Fiance's dog Ellie, she is 3/4 Black Lab and 1/4 German Shepard. She lives with my fiance currently, but once we get married she will then be living with me as well. Just thought that I would share because I don't think I showed any pictures of her yet.
I started out today's workout with some electrodes, or something like that, being injected into my quad muscle and loosening it up and I had to flex the quad muscle when it was tightening it up. I then did some typical motions exercises, then I got to get on a bike to do some more motion exercises. At first the bike was bothersome to my knee, but once I got going it felt good, I just had to keep on pulling up my shorts because they kept on rubbing the incision on the back of my leg. I then did some calf stretches, then some more motion exercises, then back on the bike for the second time. After that, I iced my knee and then I was done and came home.
I am able to start walking without crutches fairly well, starting to get up and down steps without my crutches, but I keep my crutches on hand just encase I would need them. I can't walk down steps yet normally, I can only go one step at a time with both feet on both steps, but I can go up steps with one foot on each step.
The people up at Western PA want me to get pictures of my surgery so they can see what it looks like, because I am one of the first cases up there with synovial chondromatosis, and now there have been a few more people with cases like mine in different joints, but no where near as severe as mine was.
Below is some pictures of my incisions with most of the strips off of my leg. I also might have said in the last blog post that I am taking Advil, I am taking Aleeve instead because I miss heard what the doctor said, and they said that all the strips coming off already is good.
On Saturday, January 12th, will be 175 days that I get to marry my best friend Kayla. :-)
Here is a picture of me and my Fiance's dog Ellie, she is 3/4 Black Lab and 1/4 German Shepard. She lives with my fiance currently, but once we get married she will then be living with me as well. Just thought that I would share because I don't think I showed any pictures of her yet.
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