my greatest fear happened to me

**nancie2k** · 03-22-2006, 11:20 PM

well, it only took 2

tries before they got it up and running again.now it is up to at least 32 sticks, between i/v's and labwork, there may have been a few more, i was not counting at first.
i really have no more veins left for i/v's at this point, lots of black and blue spots ,most sites cannot be stuck again til it heals.plus i don't want them in an area that would impede my moving around, like near my elbow.
the other one should have been changed after 3-4 days anyway, but i was guarding that site because i am sick of getting stuck

**nancie2k** · 03-24-2006, 10:58 AM

yay!!!
the drainage is lessening-doc said i might go home tomorrow or the next day

my flex got to 80 yesterday and extension to 5

i am striving for 90, hope to reach that today on the machine, at least. harder to do under my own muscle power.
i have been in this hospital for 3 weeks today (1 in rutland regional0

still getting the vancomycin iv-that stuff sure is irritating to the veins. i hope mine can hold up for the rest of the doses i have to get

**nancie2k** · 03-25-2006, 07:42 AM

today is the 4 week anniversary of my accident.

today is the day i can finally leave the hospital

have to get another dose of the vancomycin first, tho.
that stuff is so bad on the veins they had to restart it in another arm again yesterday because it got so inflamed after 2 doses.

i go to their clinic on monday, guess the stitches will come out then, and then i start out patient PT.

**nancie2k** · 03-28-2006, 03:30 PM

i had a 1pm appointment with the doctor yesterday (monday) had to drive back into new york from new jersey and park in the garage. over 3 HOURS LATER i finally hear my name called. so i get to see the doctor.it is still so inflammed they cannot take the stitches out yet. there is a huge area, say, at least 4" by 10" that is red and sore. there still is a bit of drainage. they put me on vancomycin by mouth when i left, apparently that is not doing the job so i get a Rx for linezolid (zyvox) the pharmacy said the insurance company had to okay this medication because it costs $2400 for 28 pills

unbelievable!!!!!!
we get the okay, and this stuff is related somehow to mao inhibitors, so now i have to watch my diet because it can raise my blood pressure to dangerous levels--no cheese, red or white wine, coffee, proccessed meat and fish-bacon, corned beef,soy sauce, yogurt, chocolate, peanuts, tomatoes, spinach, egg plant,bananas, snow pea pods, raisins, beer, a whole list of stuff that of course i want to eat. and i would guess a low salt diet.
well, this new medication better do the trick, i am tired of being in pain most of the time. i want this to heal up so i can get on with my physical therapy and recovery!!!!!
over 3 hours wait cost us $30 for the parking.
i am supposed to go back on friday and get the stitches out-hopefully it will be much improved by then

it is good to be home, i slept for 12 hours the first night here.(not a straight 12, tho), and 10 the second. i have to sleep in the living room which feels kind of strange-can't make it up all those stairs on crutches!

**Skibumtress** · 03-28-2006, 10:09 PM

First off.... WELCOME HOME!!!!!
Hope things work out with the new meds and you're able to get the stitches out on Friday. I can't even imagine how you're feeling right now. I'm sure frustration is an understatement!
But you'll be fine in no time...... you're a trooper, have spirit and spunk!!! Keep hangin' in there girl!

And since we live so close to each other when you're betterer and able to get around some, we must meet in person for cocktails....... deal?

**nancie2k** · 03-29-2006, 12:49 PM

Originally Posted by Skibumtress

First off.... WELCOME HOME!!!!!
Hope things work out with the new meds and you're able to get the stitches out on Friday. I can't even imagine how you're feeling right now. I'm sure frustration is an understatement!
But you'll be fine in no time...... you're a trooper, have spirit and spunk!!! Keep hangin' in there girl!

And since we live so close to each other when you're betterer and able to get around some, we must meet in person for cocktails....... deal?

when we are able we can ride bicycles on the bike path by me and get our legs back in shape

**Skibumtress** · 03-29-2006, 03:13 PM

Originally Posted by nancie2k

when we are able we can ride bicycles on the bike path by me and get our legs back in shape

You got it!!! And I know the bike path you're talking about too!!!!

**jenscats5** · 03-29-2006, 08:17 PM

Glad to hear you got to go home Nancie!! Recover well and soon!!

**nancie2k** · 03-31-2006, 05:52 PM

got my stitches out today!!!!!
now i can finally take a shower

haven't had one since feb 24

a physical therapist will be coming to my house tuesday for evaluation and therapy 3xweek.
i can sleep without my brace on, but that seems scarey to me.
have to wear it for all ambulating.
thank goodness those zyvox pills seem to be working. have to continue taking them for the whole 2 weeks.

**Skibumtress** · 03-31-2006, 10:30 PM

Originally Posted by nancie2k

got my stitches out today!!!!!
now i can finally take a shower

WooHoo WooHooHoo!!!!!!

**OldSchool1080s** · 04-02-2006, 09:58 PM

Reminds me of when my dumbass wrecked throwin a 360 and i snapped the fib in half and had a spiral fracture around the tib from top to bottom. For some reason they didn't knock me out before setting it. The Doc looked at me and said you can take an Advil or something. Worst pain I've ever been in. We took an x-ray and he was off by a few degrees so we had to do it again. Had a cast from my toes to my nuts for 12 weeks, toes to my knee for 4 weeks, and then 4 weeks in a moonboot. so 5 months of my life because of a dumbass accident...

**nancie2k** · 04-17-2006, 02:03 PM

saw my doc on the 10th. he said everything seems to be coming along ok. still no weight bearing on the leg for another 4 weeks which is when i have my next app't. saw my x-ray- i have 10 huge screws along with the plate alined with the bone. everything looks so much bigger than i imagined!!!!!he said i can leave the brace off now. my knee area seems more stressed out now that i have gone without. i started taking measurements of both legs on sat and i was expecting the bad one to be smaller, but it is bigger!!!!
now it seems the right leg is getting swollen again

what the heck is going on. i started to think i am allergic to the hardware and am picturing all sorts of bad scenarios like i am rejecting it all and will need surgery to remove it all. then i started thinking that maybe i am on my foot too much! so i am icing it more and elevating it on pillows again. i think it looks better than yesterday

ps--the cpm machine went back

**nancie2k** · 04-25-2006, 02:31 PM

started pt out of the house on friday-only able to bend my leg back to 95. after the weekend of aggressive stretching and along with her bending it back so far i yelled enough! on monday, i got it to 115!!!!
now if i can only get my leg to staighten out entirely the other way. i understand that is hardest.
she also put the e-stim above my knee away from the metal screws,i wasn't sure if i should put any electric currents near all that metal!!
i have one of those little battery powered muscle massagers that i bought about 6 years ago from the home shopping network on the advice of one of my sisters-she got it for her husband's back problems at the time. it is called dr. ho's muscle massage. it was about $100 at the time and i have used it many times for myself- tennis elbow and acl injuries. i showed it to my doctor first when i last injured my acl and he said i could use it as often as i liked.
looks like i will be using it again!!!
it sure does feel good

stil have huge pieces of scab on the suture line 3 of them an inch long, and deep dimples by the tibia where the pins went into the bone. w onder if they will stay that way or fill in eventually.
been measuring the leg and it seems the the swelling has one down a bit so all that icing and elevating did some good.
feels like i have been on crutches forever

at least i feel progress is being made.

**jenscats5** · 04-25-2006, 10:25 PM

Yayyyy on the progress Nancie....you seem to be doing VERY well!! Happy to see it.....those massagers do work wonders - I've been having hip issues since my ACL surgery and it's helped me a lot.....

**Blatant** · 04-26-2006, 07:31 AM

holy mackeral.....in my thoughts, pulling for ya!!!

**nancie2k** · 05-06-2006, 02:44 PM

well, i painfully bent my knee back to 123 on friday!
i guess i am progressing as expected- my md visit is for monday and the rx for pt was to get to at least 120.
still on these crutches, it is almost 8 weeks since the surgery.
i have not been able to walk since feb 25

knee is still very swollen, but i had started keeping measurements at different places on the leg and the swelling is getting less.

trying to keep optimistic- we even went to check up on our place in vermont last weekend and bought season passes for next year

**nancie2k** · 05-11-2006, 12:34 PM

doc said i am doing great!!!
i can start putting weight on my leg, start treadmill and elliptical as tolerated and i should be crutch free in 4 weeks

hard to believe the way the knee feels right now- still swollen, altho it is getting smaller, i have been keeping measurements. still very warm to the touch.
still have to take percocets, pain wakes me up at night and it hurts during the day. he just gave me another rx for them.
told him about the pain i get on the bottom of my foot where it still feels numb. he said that was a good thing, the pain usualy starts a few months from now while the nerves are getting back.
will see him again in 6 weeks.

**nancie2k** · 05-11-2006, 12:43 PM

wednesday my physical therapy is going well, bent my knee back to 128. my other leg can go to 148. she said she would be happy if i got to 140 but i want to be even!!!!!
hurts like hell when she pushes and pulls- still not straight yet either. thank goodness for pain meds
did the bike 15 min as usual and added the treadmill to the mix.feels weird. i started going around with one crutch at home on tuesday, but she told me i was using it on the wrong side, but there was too much weight using it the right way. oh well.at any rate, progress

**jenscats5** · 05-15-2006, 05:18 PM

Glad to hear/read you are doing well Nancie & making progress!!

**watersnowdirt** · 05-17-2006, 09:42 AM

nancie - you're amazing! I can't get over those photos. That's so scary. But you have such a great attitude!! So glad to hear things are progressing.

And how horrible that you had to limit your diet so severely. It's like adding insult to injury!! I hope you can get back to normal eating soon, as well as walking.

Best to you.

**yentna** · 05-18-2006, 02:54 PM

Wow, just saw this thread for the first time, and what can I say but that you're a trooper? Keep up the good work, get that leg back into shape, and here's to a great season this fall......

.....ps, and biking is awesome PT.

**nancie2k** · 05-28-2006, 01:20 PM

my husband finally said i could drive myself around carefully since my pt said she thought i could. YIPPEE!!!
down to one crutch, but still have weird pains behind my knee when i bend it. i wish my md was closer- have to drive into manhattan and then pay premium parking. takes over 1/2 hour if lucky with traffic. my next appt is 6/19,that seems so far away. i know he is on a 2 week vacation.
doing 2 lb weights on my ankles now, and on opposite days have 4 lbs on my thighs. knee still is not straight. bent it back to 131, not much progress there this week.
it was great to get out of the house by myself

**nancie2k** · 06-10-2006, 04:09 PM

doc just put me celebrex once a day for my swelling of the knee and just started lyrica- 2 caps 3xday for 3 days then 3 caps for 3 days then 4 caps 3xday for24 days. was nervous starting them b/c of all the weird side effects- blurred vision being one of them. after the first day i took them, i slept the whole night without waking up once for the first time since the accident!!!!!!that was wonderful

don't seem to be getting any of the side effects, thank goodness, but this is only the second day of taking them.
knee still sore, still taking percocets for the pain. can't wait til i can walk normally again. would like to get off the stationary bike and get outside on a real one!!!!

**edg** · 06-10-2006, 04:32 PM

bumpbump

**Dexter Rutecki** · 06-11-2006, 08:19 AM

HOly freakin shiznit.

I intentionally avoid gimp central because injuries scare me, and those pics sort of make me not want to ski again. i'll sure be careful standing around at Kmart thanks to those....
Nancie, who was your doc?
What's the timetable look like for a full recovery?
Good luck, I'm impressed with you for handling all this.

And what about the guy who hit you? Got an address for him? I know a few guys who could have been extras on the Sopranos...

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