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.

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:

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





TC1

Component 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.

Finally, here is some pictures of my knee:

2 Weeks after 2nd Surgery

So today is 2 weeks after having my surgery for the 2nd time, I haven't posted up any pictures of my newest scar with stitches so I will put those up with this post.

I still got no pain back there, just mainly soreness, hard to sometimes fall asleep because of the soreness but its way better than it was last year.  I go to the doctors again on Wednesday so we will see what he all says.

These are pictures for a few days after the surgery.

6 Months Later

Well, it is now over 6 months since I have had surgery on my right knee.  This will be pretty short, the knee is feeling good, still gets sore on days when I am on it a lot and all that.

I was at the doctors on the 21st, we took x-rays, nothing has changed and the disease is still there.  He said that it is up to me if and when I want to have surgery.  Since it is my call, I will be waiting until it starts bugging me, if it doesn't bother me, there is no need really to have surgery.  That was about it with the appointment.

I am also getting married on Saturday!!  After the wedding we are off to Aruba!!

That is about it for this one.

4 Months Later

So it has been roughly 4 months since I had surgery on my right knee.  The past few weeks have been up and down for my knee, it has been sore and then like today, it feels great!!  I am still doing my knee exercises and doing the Nike+ Fitness program.

Last week, I was up in Canada for a few days for work.  We left on Monday, flew out of the Harrisburg airport to Toronto, then to Montreal.  The same on the way back home.  The flight there was a good one, the flight home is a different story.  Had turbulence the whole way home, the worst part was from Toronto to Harrisburg because I was on a 18 passenger plane.  It felt like an hour long roller coaster, I still have a headache today from the plane ride.

So I am hoping to get out on my mountain bike soon, not sure if I am ready to hit up trails yet, but at least to ride and get my knee back into it and to get me back into shape a little bite and to lose some weight that I picked up from this surgery.

In 82 days I will be marrying my best friend Kayla!!

Well that is about it, my balloons are dead and lasted about 16 weeks, which is actually pretty good.  Also there is a picture below of my knee, little bit of swelling still there, but still icing and the back of my leg is still hurting the worst.  The bottom picture of my leg from behind is up-side-down.

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? :-)

8 Weeks later

So 8 weeks ago today I was under the knife.

This blog post will be short and sweet.

My knee is continuing to gain strength.  Through the Nike+ Fitness stuff, I am noticing that I can hop around more and longer on my right leg.  So everything is going good with it.  It has been normally sore, and every once in a while is hurting, but I can normally just take some sort of pain reliever and the pain goes away.

Here is my Nike+ account if anyone wants to add me: http://nikeplus.nike.com/plus/profile/BMY777/

The balloons I have been posting are still the same, the smilie face one is still afloat the other one is not.

Below is some pictures of my knee from today.  The front is still looking about the same, as well as the back.  Last night a scab came off of my back incision, and it was pretty big.  As you can see in the picture, there is a hole right now at the top of the incision where the scab was at.  I felt it pulling for a while now when wearing pants, today it was better from that so I guess that is good.

Anyway hope everyone has a good week!!

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.