My Colorful Knee [8: Graphic Warning] (Update #22)

[sandragonfly]

THANK YOU candace. I was about to lose all of my hairs here. I'll want to check that out, might have one here... at least there's a hope. doc attatchments, am stuck here without a computer until tomorrow.

looks like the second link would help a lot until so if I could do the exercises - it's hard to find a good site on this little pager. however, second big problem? refills. sometimes either I couldn't move my knee or even leg at all without pain killers (more than before now). I was told from my last physical therapist that I am suppose to take some before I start new exercises. see the figure of supine exercise in that link? that was the last techique I learned and if I made that one move - I'd be in tears. I haven't made to that point yet, and it's only 10 ups!

again, I don't know if it is healing (good) or damaging (bad) to continue, pushing doing painful exercises (due to damages?) until my knee can't take it anymore; when to stop? so far I never am able to finish a set (of few exercises out of two or three time a day). with killers, I move through... I called my original doctor weeks ago, explained all of this and he won't write me another refill prescription unless I come in and see him.

honestly it's all about money and I'm sick of it.

[rg_girlca]

Gina, seeing those pictures of your leg, I can only imagine the pain you are in right now.

I pray that you will be able to get some kind of help to finally get your knee on the road to healing.

Continued prayers being sent out to you that everything will turn out well for you in the near future. Please do not give up hope. Take one day at a time and keep the faith.

[sandragonfly]

thanks lorraine.

no luck today, I was in bed sick, slept all day away, having excruciating pain in right abdomen but am feeling ok now. and my knee seems is good today, bothered me only a little especially being stuck in the bed.

I'll try again tomorrow.

[jennielynn1970]

oh my lord.... your knee looks really bad. I'm so not a good patient. I'm a wimp, and hate just going to the dentist, lol.

Hope there is some way for the doctors to treat you where you are now. I'd be really concerned about that. You shouldn't have to go back to CA to get it taken care of, but insurance companies can be a pain in the butt when it comes to all that kind of thing.

Take care, and be careful with the pain killers too. Do you think maybe the meds are upsetting your stomach as well??

Big hugs to you... take care!

[NoahsMommy]

Hey Gina...

I've been away from PT and found this thread as I was wondering how your surgeries went. I work for an Orthopedic Surgeon and he specializes in knee and hip surgery. I don't think a day goes by (even weekends) that he doesn't do a total hip, total knee and/or MANY arthroscopies. I've been there about 2 months and as his Medical Assistant and scheduler, I've learned a TON about this field, especially the above procedures I mentioned.

I have a question, why was your arthroscopy done in a hospital? I know in the area you were in are just as 'high-tech' as we are down in Southern California, we do ALL of our arthroscopies in Out/Patient Surgical Centers. Even with insurance restrictions (I get to do that as well), because its a Surgical Center its covered and preferrable to do such typically (if not always) out-patient surgeries. These procedures are quick if you have the right surgeon - I think my doc can do the actual procedure in less than 15 minutes - depending on WHAT the diagnosis is.

Did you have a meniscus tear that required the arthroscopy? Did your fall (I think you had a fall, right? Owie, poor thing, that's all you need, right?) cause that blood clot because you fell so early after surgery? Sorry if you've already answered these questions a million times, I just forgot.

You do really need P/T. I know you told Catty1 that you don't qualify for the Medicaid, but don't you qualify for some sort of Federal or State funded insurance program because of your deafness? (Or is it hearing impared? I'm sorry if I used the wrong term.) I know that in all states if you're born with one arm, you get assistance medically, I would imagine not being able to hear would be a greater disability and would warrant a governmentally funded health insurance program.

If your current insurance plan is not allowing treatment outside its area, like if you have an HMO or a EPO and can only use certain docs and hospitals, you can tell them that while traveling you've injured yourself further and have no way to safely transport you back to the HMO/EPO region. I'm positive people get sick in places other than their homes and their insurance is set up for those issues.

Anyway, back to your arthroscopy. I know you had that, those are fairly simple, quick proceedures. With P/T, you can be 100% pain free in 2 weeks! I'd say about 50% of our patients didn't even need the P/T, just some anti-inflamatories after the day after surgery narcotic pain meds (only taken for 1-2 days) and they come back in for suture removal/wound check and for the doc to check weight bearing, range of motion, etc. And I can't tell you how easy they make it look.

So I was really puzzled when I saw you had so much trouble. Did you have a abnormal diagnosis where it was more involved? Why did you have to stay in the hospital? (Like you, I HATE hospitals, I'd MUCH rather be home! )

Anyway, like I said before, I was just checking in and was curious sinse I now work in the field.

I hope you're feeling better each day and can figure out a way to get to P/T if that's what your Doc wants you to do.

Hugs, Kelly & Kits