Last night was rough..Kait did really well during the day, napping at times but then evening was a bit rough. She slept decent till about 3:00 and then woke up to her foot tingling and hurting. We were up for about an hour and a half till she was able to relax and fall back to sleep. We used some of the oils on it and I massaged it the best I could. I couldn't fall back to sleep right away because I knew I had to get up at 4:45 to give her the pain meds. After that she slept till after 8:00, then napped again later in the morning. Today went much better. We used the oils throughout the day and also decreased her meds to one pill instead of two for two of her times. She is still taking them every 4 hours. She's continuing to ice and elevate, using both the ice machine and just a soft ice pack. Pain management is a huge key to recovery. So is getting good sleep. It's hard to get an active teen to rest. She's also working on her range of motion and getting her leg flat and also flexing. I'll try to take some pictures and video tomorrow. She seems a little more clear in her thinking and going to attempt a shower tomorrow.
Because she's cooped up, it's important to try to get her out here and there (chiropractor, Starbucks drive through, even a friends house for an hour or so...as long as her leg was up and she was icing). She's also had a few friends come over and visit.
One thing that I wish I would have thought of sooner, was to have some meals pre-made for at least the first 3-5 days or have friends help out and bring a meal. Even though as a "mom" or parent you aren't the one having surgery, your time is consumed taking care of your child. You will be tired, you will NOT feel like making dinner, doing dishes, etc. A friend did bring a meal the first night which was great. I made an easy soup that didn't take much effort on Sunday and we had leftovers today. Trying to keep it simple.
Here's to a great nights sleep................
Monday, November 19, 2012
Sunday, November 18, 2012
Surgery and Recovery Begins
In the days leading up to surgery it was so strange to think "here is this girls who is walking, doing normal things like nothing is wrong and in a few days she is going to experience something that is going to take months to recover from". That is not easy as a parent.
The morning of surgery came and we headed to the Surgery Center. It was an outpatient procedure. She could not have anything to eat or drink after midnight and we had to be at the Center at 9:00...she was hungry. I packed a banana and some crackers in case she needed them. We signed in and they took us back to wait for the doctor. The nurses asked questions, made sure they had all the right information and then we waited a bit more for the doctor. I hate waiting! The doctor finally arrived and went over what would take place, asked if we had decided which method to use and said that it was still totally acceptable to completely change our minds at the last minute if we wanted to wait for a different date, etc. He made sure his paperwork was filled out, marked her leg with a "T" and then we waited for the anesthesiologist. He came in, talked to Kaitlynn about what he would do and then a nurse came in a prepped and put in her IV needle. I will say they are all amazing. They addressed Kaitlynn directly, were kind and gentle and her entire experience was so great and positive. They then wheeled her away...the second hardest part of this whole process....seeing your child wheeled away and not being able to go with them.
Then came the waiting....it seemed like forever, but two hours later the doctor came out and said they were done. He had taken pictures during the procedure and went over them with us...If I think it's okay to post those, I will...very interesting. Just not sure on legalities of those things. We waited a bit longer and then went back to recovery to see her. She came out of it great. No nausea at all, though she wasn't as loopy as her little sister was hoping for...actually very mellow. We were in recovery for about an hour and she was ready to go. Kevin left ahead of us and had the pain meds at home waiting.
The first day wasn't too bad because she was still numb (they numb the inside of the leg) and still had the pain meds in her system. She has spent much of the time in the recliner with her leg elevated but has also spent some time on the floor trying to stretch her leg out. Getting range of motion going as soon as possible is important. Sleeping that night was rough...Not so much pain, but strong aching and tightness in her muscles above the knee. She slept in bed and just couldn't get comfortable or sleep well. Not to mention being woken up every 4 hours for pain meds. Patience and a lot of compassion are huge keys from family members. You can't take anything personally. They're tired, hurting, cranky and emotional. It's okay.
The second day was a bit rougher...more aching, tired and exhausted and just downright miserable. Keeping the ice going and the pain meds the first 48-72 hours is important. As much as we hate pain meds/drugs, her body needs to rest and she needs to sleep. Using the natural supplements I think will help immensely She hasn't been overly hungry, but finally last night and today she is eating more. Thankfully the pain meds have not made her nauseas at all.
Today I guess would be the third day. I don't know. She slept much better last night and napped off and on this morning. She was not much in the mood for talking so it was a quiet morning/day. Thankfully it was just her and I and we just sat and watched cartoons and Hallmark movies. She is still having pain, discomfort. She doesn't really show her pain on the outside so it's hard to read her unless she tells us. We finally took the bandage off today. Some doctors like to wait longer, but we won't be seeing ours until the week after Thanksgiving and they said we could take it off. It looks pretty good. I'll begin to use the oils more around the areas of the sutures and also where it is swollen.
I've decided I'm the compassionate one and Kevin is the motivator to get her moving...she needs that. They can have it in their heads that they are going to push through and work hard, but then they realize how hard that is and it can be hard to push through and do what needs to be done. It's crazy how one day they are moving their leg with ease and the next they can't really lift it on their own.
As a family member...always ask how you can help, what you can do. You may need to help lift their legs, put a recliner up and down, get blankets, water, pain pills, etc. Be patient and be gentle. It's not fun for them. Because she's not nauseas, that's really all I've needed to do for her.
She's had a few friends come visit and that has been great for her...being cooped up is not her cup of tea.
So ends Day Three. I'll let Kevin share the exercises she's doing, etc. Kaitlynn will chime in as she feels better. At this point her feeling is...this sucks! And, well, it does.
Then came the waiting....it seemed like forever, but two hours later the doctor came out and said they were done. He had taken pictures during the procedure and went over them with us...If I think it's okay to post those, I will...very interesting. Just not sure on legalities of those things. We waited a bit longer and then went back to recovery to see her. She came out of it great. No nausea at all, though she wasn't as loopy as her little sister was hoping for...actually very mellow. We were in recovery for about an hour and she was ready to go. Kevin left ahead of us and had the pain meds at home waiting.
The first day wasn't too bad because she was still numb (they numb the inside of the leg) and still had the pain meds in her system. She has spent much of the time in the recliner with her leg elevated but has also spent some time on the floor trying to stretch her leg out. Getting range of motion going as soon as possible is important. Sleeping that night was rough...Not so much pain, but strong aching and tightness in her muscles above the knee. She slept in bed and just couldn't get comfortable or sleep well. Not to mention being woken up every 4 hours for pain meds. Patience and a lot of compassion are huge keys from family members. You can't take anything personally. They're tired, hurting, cranky and emotional. It's okay.
The second day was a bit rougher...more aching, tired and exhausted and just downright miserable. Keeping the ice going and the pain meds the first 48-72 hours is important. As much as we hate pain meds/drugs, her body needs to rest and she needs to sleep. Using the natural supplements I think will help immensely She hasn't been overly hungry, but finally last night and today she is eating more. Thankfully the pain meds have not made her nauseas at all.
Today I guess would be the third day. I don't know. She slept much better last night and napped off and on this morning. She was not much in the mood for talking so it was a quiet morning/day. Thankfully it was just her and I and we just sat and watched cartoons and Hallmark movies. She is still having pain, discomfort. She doesn't really show her pain on the outside so it's hard to read her unless she tells us. We finally took the bandage off today. Some doctors like to wait longer, but we won't be seeing ours until the week after Thanksgiving and they said we could take it off. It looks pretty good. I'll begin to use the oils more around the areas of the sutures and also where it is swollen.
As a family member...always ask how you can help, what you can do. You may need to help lift their legs, put a recliner up and down, get blankets, water, pain pills, etc. Be patient and be gentle. It's not fun for them. Because she's not nauseas, that's really all I've needed to do for her.
She's had a few friends come visit and that has been great for her...being cooped up is not her cup of tea.
So ends Day Three. I'll let Kevin share the exercises she's doing, etc. Kaitlynn will chime in as she feels better. At this point her feeling is...this sucks! And, well, it does.
More basic Information
I've been meaning to write a post since Friday but haven't really had a chance to sit and think about what I want to say. Today is day 3 and Kaitlynn is sitting with her dad and a friend watching a movie so I thought now would be a good time.
Kevin gave a very brief explanation of what happened. I'm going to make up for that and probably be more wordy, but for those out there who are like me...you like information and stories...so you'll get both with this blog. If you'd like more information please feel free to contact us.
One thing I can say is be very pro-active and insistent at getting results you want. To insurance companies and many doctors you are just one of many and you have to fight for your rights and what you want. I'm thankful Kevin is so good at that. It is not one of my strengths, but he excels at it and it got us the results we wanted. Don't be afraid to ask they why's and why nots. Had we had an MRI 3 years ago, maybe we would have caught something sooner. I'm thankful for doctors who did what they could to get the insurance to approve it.
After Kaitlynn's two injuries this year, with the second resulting in the finding of the torn ACL she didn't exhibit typical symptoms with ACL tears...if you did not know she had torn it you would think nothing was wrong except for the fact that she wasn't playing in the remaining games and she wasn't as active as before.
Up until the day of surgery Kaitlynn was doing physical therapy exercises and things to keep her body moving and her muscles as strong as possible. We had her going to the PT two to three times a week right after the second injury and then stopped so as not to use up all our allotted visits before surgery. She did continue the exercises they gave her to do. We had her doing them 2 times a day.
We did (mainly my hubby) an extraordinary amount of research and asking around (it's amazing how many people you find you know who have had this surgery). When it all comes down to it you need to make the decision you feel is best for your child or yourself.
After much going back and forth on which method (and as our doctor put it, if there was one way that was far better, everyone would do that one...or the opposite, one that had so many failures, no one would use it). We were waffling between using an allograft (cadaver...donated tendon) or from the Patella (which was the preference of our surgeon). The morning of the surgery we decided on the Patella. Actually Kaitlynn sealed that decision. She had done a bit of her own research and felt that was the way to go. You will find pros and cons for every method. So many that it can be frustrating. I'm sure there will be people who will question our decision, but that's okay. It was our decision and we feel good with it. Our doctor chatted with us before the surgery and said that actually in an area in PA it is more common for allografts to be used because that area is so well known for it's transplants. Preferred choices can be very territorial.
We finally had a date penciled in for surgery...you have to keep in mind this is a 6-9 month recovery and it's important to look ahead. Our daughter is a Jr. in HS taking college classes and plays golf and soccer. Our goal was to get it done when it would have the least impact on classes and still get her recovered for upcoming sports seasons. The 16th of November was the perfect time. Realize you will have to adjust some things. It requires flexibility. We didn't receive actual insurance approval until the day before surgery. I'm glad our Orthopedist office was willing to pencil in a date so we didn't have to prolong the procedure.
It is important to be proactive before surgery occurs. We purchased some things to help with the affects of pain killers, stress from surgery etc..One was Priority One Proto-Zyme (helpful for Sports injuries Symptoms: swelling; joint pain; torn cartilage; internal scar tissue buildup. Pre- and Post-operative care for promoting healing and providing pain relief). Another Dr. Schuleze's Intestinal Formula #1 (for constipation). We also purchased some great DoTerra Oils. We purchased Basil, Lemongrass, Deep Blue and Aroma Touch. We began using these right away. This website was great for information on what oils to use. We wanted to use things that were as natural as possible. Now that the bandages are off, we'll use them around the incision areas, etc..
We also had to think ahead for the first few days after surgery...when you have never had surgery, your children have never had broken bones, surgeries, etc...you have no clue what to expect. I'm thankful for friends who helped us with thinking of simple things. We have stairs to our bedrooms, no recliners and our couch isn't long enough to lay on. We arranged for Kaitlynn and I to stay at Kevin's parents for the first week since they have a single story and were out of town. They also live only a few minutes from our house. We borrowed a motorized ice cooler to use. These circulate cold water continuously. An ice pack works just as well, but many friends said they liked this at night to ease pain. I made sure all my ducks were in order ahead of time since I knew the first several days would be dedicated to taking care of my girl.
Well, I think that's all the basic information I can think of...yes, Kevin and Kaitlynn....I wrote a book. I like books and as a blogger I know others do too...they can get the condensed version from you two if they want...
Kevin gave a very brief explanation of what happened. I'm going to make up for that and probably be more wordy, but for those out there who are like me...you like information and stories...so you'll get both with this blog. If you'd like more information please feel free to contact us.
One thing I can say is be very pro-active and insistent at getting results you want. To insurance companies and many doctors you are just one of many and you have to fight for your rights and what you want. I'm thankful Kevin is so good at that. It is not one of my strengths, but he excels at it and it got us the results we wanted. Don't be afraid to ask they why's and why nots. Had we had an MRI 3 years ago, maybe we would have caught something sooner. I'm thankful for doctors who did what they could to get the insurance to approve it.
After Kaitlynn's two injuries this year, with the second resulting in the finding of the torn ACL she didn't exhibit typical symptoms with ACL tears...if you did not know she had torn it you would think nothing was wrong except for the fact that she wasn't playing in the remaining games and she wasn't as active as before.
Up until the day of surgery Kaitlynn was doing physical therapy exercises and things to keep her body moving and her muscles as strong as possible. We had her going to the PT two to three times a week right after the second injury and then stopped so as not to use up all our allotted visits before surgery. She did continue the exercises they gave her to do. We had her doing them 2 times a day.
We did (mainly my hubby) an extraordinary amount of research and asking around (it's amazing how many people you find you know who have had this surgery). When it all comes down to it you need to make the decision you feel is best for your child or yourself.
After much going back and forth on which method (and as our doctor put it, if there was one way that was far better, everyone would do that one...or the opposite, one that had so many failures, no one would use it). We were waffling between using an allograft (cadaver...donated tendon) or from the Patella (which was the preference of our surgeon). The morning of the surgery we decided on the Patella. Actually Kaitlynn sealed that decision. She had done a bit of her own research and felt that was the way to go. You will find pros and cons for every method. So many that it can be frustrating. I'm sure there will be people who will question our decision, but that's okay. It was our decision and we feel good with it. Our doctor chatted with us before the surgery and said that actually in an area in PA it is more common for allografts to be used because that area is so well known for it's transplants. Preferred choices can be very territorial.
We finally had a date penciled in for surgery...you have to keep in mind this is a 6-9 month recovery and it's important to look ahead. Our daughter is a Jr. in HS taking college classes and plays golf and soccer. Our goal was to get it done when it would have the least impact on classes and still get her recovered for upcoming sports seasons. The 16th of November was the perfect time. Realize you will have to adjust some things. It requires flexibility. We didn't receive actual insurance approval until the day before surgery. I'm glad our Orthopedist office was willing to pencil in a date so we didn't have to prolong the procedure.
It is important to be proactive before surgery occurs. We purchased some things to help with the affects of pain killers, stress from surgery etc..One was Priority One Proto-Zyme (helpful for Sports injuries Symptoms: swelling; joint pain; torn cartilage; internal scar tissue buildup. Pre- and Post-operative care for promoting healing and providing pain relief). Another Dr. Schuleze's Intestinal Formula #1 (for constipation). We also purchased some great DoTerra Oils. We purchased Basil, Lemongrass, Deep Blue and Aroma Touch. We began using these right away. This website was great for information on what oils to use. We wanted to use things that were as natural as possible. Now that the bandages are off, we'll use them around the incision areas, etc..
We also had to think ahead for the first few days after surgery...when you have never had surgery, your children have never had broken bones, surgeries, etc...you have no clue what to expect. I'm thankful for friends who helped us with thinking of simple things. We have stairs to our bedrooms, no recliners and our couch isn't long enough to lay on. We arranged for Kaitlynn and I to stay at Kevin's parents for the first week since they have a single story and were out of town. They also live only a few minutes from our house. We borrowed a motorized ice cooler to use. These circulate cold water continuously. An ice pack works just as well, but many friends said they liked this at night to ease pain. I made sure all my ducks were in order ahead of time since I knew the first several days would be dedicated to taking care of my girl.
Well, I think that's all the basic information I can think of...yes, Kevin and Kaitlynn....I wrote a book. I like books and as a blogger I know others do too...they can get the condensed version from you two if they want...
Saturday, November 17, 2012
Day 2
Well.. Day 2 after surgery pretty much sucks.. haha. There isn't really pain just strong hard aches and tight muscles. The numbing in my knee is wearing off so I can feel the pain a lot more. I'm constantly moving around, my leg can just never get comfortable. It feels the best when it's bent, yet it also needs to be straight too! Pain Meds are life savers! Tomorrow I get to take the wrap and bandage off and that will make it a lot easier to bend my knee more.
Friday, November 16, 2012
When it all began...
I remember the day... my baby girl Kaitlynn (she was 14 yrs. old) was playing defender on the soccer field. She went in hard to stop an attack on goal and was hit by another player. Pretty much a 50/50 ball, so nothing done with the intent to hurt her but definitely a collision. To keep the story short... she was out for the rest of the game, knee swelled up real big, couldn't really put a whole lot of weight on the leg.
Went to the doctor -- doctor said - it's just a sore knee, possible bone bruise and maybe a sprain -- give it some time and see what happens (Important note: we asked for an MRI - they said, let's just wait and see if she recovers). The Swelling went down, pain subsided and she was back out practicing and playing about 4 weeks later. Fast forward 2 years later she is playing in her Jr. year of Hi-School soccer. Plays starting center defender - about 4 weeks into the season she again has a "collision" with another player - hard hit to the knee is out again. We go to doctor - doctor again says looks like a sprained knee - let's give it a couple of weeks and see what happens (Note again: we tell the doctor we would really like to have an MRI - he says let's wait and see what happens). Again, swelling goes down, she can begin to use it and practice and goes back out and plays. Kaitlynn plays for about 6 weeks - is having a great season and her team is doing well. In a game at the end of October she goes in hard again for a 50/50 ball - collides with a player - she hits her knee again - goes down and has a lot of pain. Goes out - spends about 20 minutes trying to walk it off. Really wants to play so she goes in for about 15 minutes - her team ends up getting a strong lead so the coach pulls her out, so not to take any chances. Her knee swells up good again so we take her in and ask... what's going on here, it seems like her knee is getting weaker and weaker... we are insisting that you please do an MRI. The doctor refers us to an Orthopedic Specialist who agrees that we need an MRI cause he thinks there is probably damage done to her Meniscus. And thus the journey begins....
It's hard to keep this story simple, cause it's just that - a story. And it's Kaitlynn's story; about the discovery of her tore ACL, her surgery and her journey of recovery. We want to share it with you in the hope that maybe something we have gone through will help you in your journey.
This is a journey that our whole family is a part of: Kaitlynn (17 yrs. old), Kristianna (Kaitlynn's sister) and mom & dad (Kirstin & Kevin) and we are going to journal it here.
Went to the doctor -- doctor said - it's just a sore knee, possible bone bruise and maybe a sprain -- give it some time and see what happens (Important note: we asked for an MRI - they said, let's just wait and see if she recovers). The Swelling went down, pain subsided and she was back out practicing and playing about 4 weeks later. Fast forward 2 years later she is playing in her Jr. year of Hi-School soccer. Plays starting center defender - about 4 weeks into the season she again has a "collision" with another player - hard hit to the knee is out again. We go to doctor - doctor again says looks like a sprained knee - let's give it a couple of weeks and see what happens (Note again: we tell the doctor we would really like to have an MRI - he says let's wait and see what happens). Again, swelling goes down, she can begin to use it and practice and goes back out and plays. Kaitlynn plays for about 6 weeks - is having a great season and her team is doing well. In a game at the end of October she goes in hard again for a 50/50 ball - collides with a player - she hits her knee again - goes down and has a lot of pain. Goes out - spends about 20 minutes trying to walk it off. Really wants to play so she goes in for about 15 minutes - her team ends up getting a strong lead so the coach pulls her out, so not to take any chances. Her knee swells up good again so we take her in and ask... what's going on here, it seems like her knee is getting weaker and weaker... we are insisting that you please do an MRI. The doctor refers us to an Orthopedic Specialist who agrees that we need an MRI cause he thinks there is probably damage done to her Meniscus. And thus the journey begins....
It's hard to keep this story simple, cause it's just that - a story. And it's Kaitlynn's story; about the discovery of her tore ACL, her surgery and her journey of recovery. We want to share it with you in the hope that maybe something we have gone through will help you in your journey.
This is a journey that our whole family is a part of: Kaitlynn (17 yrs. old), Kristianna (Kaitlynn's sister) and mom & dad (Kirstin & Kevin) and we are going to journal it here.
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