Bad, Bad Me

Well, I did it again. I failed to keep updated on this lovely blog here! Though I'm not convinced anyone has read it so I don't feel too bad. Now, had someone left a comment saying "hey, where's some updates, I probably would have updated it sooner. I still haven't finished working on videos to upload, but I will do that....I hope.

Recovery is going awesome. We are now 6 months in to it. It seems like an eternity ago that she had the surgery. She pretty much has followed the same routine with PT, going once a week and working out diligently on her own the other days of the week. Every few weeks they would add a new and harder exercise to do. The first time they had her jump on a box she said it really was a battle of the mind to get her body to do it. Her quad gradually became stronger and muscle returned to it.

 In March she began jogging. Slowly at first and in intervals of jogging and walking, gradually increasing. She is now running 1-2 miles at a time. So far her best time for the mile post surgery I believe has been 8:27. Not too shabby. A few weeks ago she was fitted for her ACL brace, which she will wear when she begins soccer again. In March she was cleared to play golf for her HS team and has done well. Initially her leg would ache and be sore but she overcame it and actually qualified for state. We did have one moment of time when her knee swelled up quite noticeably. We took her in and the doctor reassured her it was nothing but just continued scar tissue breaking up. She is looking forward to summer and starting up training for soccer. We'll take it slow and as the doctor and PT advise her.

Hopefully it's not another 3 months before I post again. One thing I would encourage anyone with is to NOT slack off on your recovery and PT but stay diligent and after it. It really makes all the difference in the world.

Post surgery exercise Video

I am attempting to figure out how to create and post videos here on the blog. This first one...should it work, is days 3 and 4 post surgery. These were exercises that the surgery center and her PT's advised her to do. It is important to get movement back in her leg and knee. Her goals by the time she went back to see the doctor were to get her leg straight and also to get her knee at a 90 degree angle. Keeping in mind she didn't see her doctor for a week and a half after surgery.

oh, look I did it!!! Yay me! I will be working on more videos of her PT sessions. At least the first few. I'm not sure how many Kevin recorded. She used the sock on one foot so it made it easier for her to slide her foot.

Below is a scanned photo of the actual surgery if anyone is interested and not squeamish. I tried to include the notations...I'm hoping this is okay to do...if not someone let me know so I can take it off.

The Journey Continues....

Well, we have all three done terrible at keeping this blog updated. It seems I'm the one who really loves blogging so I will keep this going to the best of my ability. I'll try to backtrack and get caught up on the recovery so that if anyone happens upon this blog you will have an idea of how things have gone. I am also going to attempt to upload some videos of her PT appointments. I'm about 2 1/2 months behind in posting...yikes. That was NOT the plan! We just got so busy with healing and getting things going, that it just slipped my mind. I'll try to remember!


NOVEMBER: Lots of compassion and patience are needed. The pain killers will definitely affect their emotions as well as taking away the pain. I noticed that the pain meds (generic vicadin) caused Kaitlynn's emotions to pretty much flat line, but then at times she would be overly emotional. She had a hard time focusing and just couldn't quite articulate or think through what she needed or how she was feeling. I really felt for her. Let's see...she went back to her college classes 11 days after surgery. We scheduled it so she was only missing 2 classes and she was able to make them up. Obviously having surgery wasn't in the plans when we signed up for college classes. We had to drive her to classes 3 days a week until she could drive again. For the first several weeks she had her crutches so we would park and help her up to class. They gave her a temporary handicap permit since trying to find parking could prove for a long walk. She saw the doctor the week after thanksgiving and he was pleased with how things were looking. She saw the PT the following week. Most ACL patients will see their doctor shortly after surgery and will start PT right away but because of the holidays we weren't able to do that. However we did have her working on some things that they suggested she do and that the doctors office said to do. There was to be no full weight bearing for a few weeks. She did very well with her PT though we had to remind her to do her exercises. I believe within 2-3 weeks she was walking without crutches at home and only used them in places where it wasn't as "safe". We were staying at Kevin's parents for the first week because they don't have stairs and we do. Once we came home, she slept downstairs for another week on a recliner until she felt like making the trek up our stairs. The ice machine has been great. I highly recommend it. We do some outings but nothing too long since she gets tired with the crutches and can't quite walk completely on it.

After we took the bandages off. The T was the initial of the Dr. also, our last initial.

I read this article title to Kaitlynn a few days after surgery. I said we needed to try that trick.

DECEMBER: We keep using the essential oils and she stops using the pain meds after the first week of surgery. We keep using the ice machine a few times a day. She seems to be healing very well. One thing we have noticed is the right side of her knee hasn't quite gained feeling back (as of Feb. 5). She tell someone is touching it but it doesn't feel the same. Apparently this can be normal when using the Patella tendon. She continues to go to therapy 3 times a week, but towards the end they cut it down to only one day to try and reserve the number of visits she gets. Also because she is doing well with being motivated to do her exercises at home. She is having trouble getting her quad to activate though so we borrow a device (I believe it's called a TENS machine) that she hooks up to her leg to stimulate the nerves so that she can then activate the muscle in order to lift her leg. We continue with the supplements and oils which I think have helped alot. Also making sure she is eating foods that are high in nutrients to keep her inactive (more so than usual) body healthy. She is now without crutches completely and doing very well. She starts driving by Christmas. She is also making great strides with the PT and doctor feels like she is doing well and probably will even be able to golf come end of February. The other thing that had to be worked out a lot was the scar tissue. That was uncomfortable but necessary. The PT worked on that each visit and she worked on it at home as well.

JANUARY: Continuing to do well. We laugh though at how much smaller her right quad has become compared to her left. She has begun to go to the gym to use the treadmill, bike and do her other exercises. She is only seeing PT once a week because she is doing so well on her own. They have her increasing her walking distance and speed. The doctor and PT are pleased with her recovery. Her gait is almost back to normal, but not quite 100%.

Okay, I think I'm caught up...I will try to stay up to date as well. As always, please feel free to ask questions. Below are some pictures that were taken shortly after surgery, once we removed the bandages. I am working on putting together a few videos from her PT sessions.

 Christmas morning...this is the TENS machine she used to help stimulate her nerves.

We discovered these crazy bruises a few weeks about a week after surgery. She thought it was stains from the surgery. Nope, bruises.

Day....Whatever day it is...3?

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................

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.

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...

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.