So, it's been a while, huh? Where to start? Things have been freaking crazy... a roller coaster.. and it seems like more downs than ups.
I'm having one of those moments right now, so this will be short, sweet, and to the point. Pics and more ramblings to come when I'm not PMSing.
* I got my knee brace. It's going to be a long process, but I have hope that it will work. I got it on Monday, and when it's on, it feels great! My Physical Therapist is happy with the "progress" I've made since Monday. He's also letting me wear it throughout the day, and then I'll take it off after I do my night exercises. Except for today, when I just pushed too hard, it's been great!
* David and I are going through a few things.. We decided to stop the foster care classes. Yeah, I'm sad, but our marriage and our sanity is more important to me. There must be a reason that it just wasn't right...
* No news in the baby-making field....
* Maintaining my weight loss is not going all that great. I'm a stress eater - always have been, and I always will be. I wish I could tell you that Weight Watchers taught me how to be perfect all the time. But, guess what? I'm not perfect. It's pointless to try to fool you - or myself - that I'm perfect and can do no wrong. Sunday is a new week, and I will be back on track. I'm going to go back into weight loss mode - I need to lose the 10 lbs I've gained through stress and not being able to work out. I'll get there. I know I can do it. And then it won't come back on until I'm pregnant.
Friday, October 30, 2009
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Foster Care Class and The Knee
Foster Care Class
Wow! Talk about alot of information in one night! David and I are excited. Our marriage is going to strengthen so much. 3 hours of dedicated "us time."
We will have alot of "roadwork" (homework) over the next 10 weeks on top of the 3 home visits. Our "coordinator" is pregnant, so our home visits won't be until Novemember and December. Her report isn't due until January 23, so we won't have kids in our home until the beginning of February at the earliest.
This gives us time to deal with.....
The Knee!
I called my ortho, Dr. Brown, to get a follow up appointment. So, my thought: try the Prednisone and get the CT scan done before my appointment next week on Tuesday. That way, we're one step closer to figuring out what's going on, right?
The first return message from the nurse: "I spoke with Valerie, the PA, and she doesn't think Prednisone is warranted at this point. She recommends 2 tablets of Aleve 2 times a day. Also, before you come back on Tuesday, please have your physical therapist send us an updated report of your progress." Okay, did she even LOOK at my file? Why do I ask this? Because... I was told to take Aleve - by the PA - 2 weeks ago. It hasn't helped. This SAME PA wrote a prescription for Mobic (7.5 mg daily), which I began taking on Thursday.
So, I called back and left a message for the nurse. "I've been on Mobic, which you prescribed me, since Thursday. This is why I'm wondering if we can try the Prednisone or do the CT so that we can be one step closer to making any decisions. Also, if Dr. Brown wants me to continue PT, he needs to send new orders over as they end this week."
Her message to me: "I spoke with Dr. Brown about you and he doesn't see that the scan or Prednisone are needed right now. Since you're on Mobic and the Cortizone shot didn't help, he thinks you just need to take time and rest. Elevate and ice your knee as often as you feel necessary. This is something that will just take time. See you Tuesday!"
My mental response: Screw you! You don't know me from Eve and you probably didn't even look at my file before making these "recommendations."
My actual response: I made a phone call to my family doctor, leaving a message for the nurse. "Would Dr. L want to see me before giving me a referral to another orthopaedic dr for a second opinion? I need to see a dr who will listen to my concerns and find out what is really wrong with me."
We'll see what happens. I'm very frustrated, very emotional, very anxious about all of this... Tomorrow should be another "easy" night at therapy because I'm still banned from any exercises. Unfortunately, my knee actually hurts WORSE without exercising than it did WITH the exercises. I don't get it?!!?!!!!
Hopefully I'll have better news soon....
Wow! Talk about alot of information in one night! David and I are excited. Our marriage is going to strengthen so much. 3 hours of dedicated "us time."
We will have alot of "roadwork" (homework) over the next 10 weeks on top of the 3 home visits. Our "coordinator" is pregnant, so our home visits won't be until Novemember and December. Her report isn't due until January 23, so we won't have kids in our home until the beginning of February at the earliest.
This gives us time to deal with.....
The Knee!
I called my ortho, Dr. Brown, to get a follow up appointment. So, my thought: try the Prednisone and get the CT scan done before my appointment next week on Tuesday. That way, we're one step closer to figuring out what's going on, right?
The first return message from the nurse: "I spoke with Valerie, the PA, and she doesn't think Prednisone is warranted at this point. She recommends 2 tablets of Aleve 2 times a day. Also, before you come back on Tuesday, please have your physical therapist send us an updated report of your progress." Okay, did she even LOOK at my file? Why do I ask this? Because... I was told to take Aleve - by the PA - 2 weeks ago. It hasn't helped. This SAME PA wrote a prescription for Mobic (7.5 mg daily), which I began taking on Thursday.
So, I called back and left a message for the nurse. "I've been on Mobic, which you prescribed me, since Thursday. This is why I'm wondering if we can try the Prednisone or do the CT so that we can be one step closer to making any decisions. Also, if Dr. Brown wants me to continue PT, he needs to send new orders over as they end this week."
Her message to me: "I spoke with Dr. Brown about you and he doesn't see that the scan or Prednisone are needed right now. Since you're on Mobic and the Cortizone shot didn't help, he thinks you just need to take time and rest. Elevate and ice your knee as often as you feel necessary. This is something that will just take time. See you Tuesday!"
My mental response: Screw you! You don't know me from Eve and you probably didn't even look at my file before making these "recommendations."
My actual response: I made a phone call to my family doctor, leaving a message for the nurse. "Would Dr. L want to see me before giving me a referral to another orthopaedic dr for a second opinion? I need to see a dr who will listen to my concerns and find out what is really wrong with me."
We'll see what happens. I'm very frustrated, very emotional, very anxious about all of this... Tomorrow should be another "easy" night at therapy because I'm still banned from any exercises. Unfortunately, my knee actually hurts WORSE without exercising than it did WITH the exercises. I don't get it?!!?!!!!
Hopefully I'll have better news soon....
Monday, October 5, 2009
I have him stumped!
Today was my 7th visit with my Physical Therapist. Mike is awesome. He's probably in his 40s, really passionate, and is really good with his patients. I really like him. He tries his best not to hurt me, and really listens to what my body is saying. (When I had surgery 12 years ago, the therapist DIDN'T listen and I think that is part of why I'm having problems now)
Last week, I had a heart to heart with him about needing my life back. He said we have to do things, step by step, and the most non-evasive ways are the ones we're going to do first. Well, duh!
So, on Wednesday, we had another short conversation - I'm more swollen than I was when I started PT. "Call Dr. Brown" - I needed to be switched from Aleve to Mobic. Okay, that's done. And he said we'd "re-evaluate" my needs on Monday (today).
Today came. This weekend was a PAINFUL weekend. Like, crying painful. Stabbing, sharp knife being dug into knee painful... Ouch! Even when it's not stabbing, it's a constant pain. It sucks. I need my life back. I need to do laundry, clean my kitchen, take care of my dogs. I need to get down on the floor with my students, carry buckets of flowers at the shop..... I NEED these things. I love what I do.
Mike re-evaluated me today. I'm more swollen today than I've ever been. This is after doing 2-3 loads of laundry yesterday, and that's IT for being on my feet. So, no more exercises. None. He took them all out. Why? Because it's irritating things more (about damn time "we" figure that out!). He still can't get over how loose my knee cap is and when he has me raise and lower my knee, it just grinds. His expression was not a good one - it actually kind of worried me!
Instead of exercises, we did a few "rest the knee" treatments. He did an "ice rub" - take ice cubes and rub them around my knee for 5-7 minutes. Then he applied a medicated patch to my knee that stays on for 2 hours. He'll do it again on Wednesday, and again on Thursday.
The biggest thing: I have to call the ortho again. He wants me to be seen this time - not just make a phone call. He thinks Dr. Brown will do 1-2 of 3 things:
1. Put me on Prednisone for 5 days to help calm my knee down. The down fall of this? It can lower my immune system... and working with PK kids during cold/flu season, and having a compomised immune system... not something I'd really enjoy. Plus, Prednisone makes me HUNGRY and BITCHY.
2. Do a CT of how my knee cap sits. I've already had the xray and MRI. I don't know that the CT would show anything different, but what do I know.
3. Start talking surgery. Mike thinks this will be Dr. Brown's LEAST likely decision because I've only had PT for 2 weeks. But, if we don't start talking surgery, he will at least "prescribe" more PT. (You have to have an active order for it or insurance doesn't cover it)
So, I'll be calling right at 8:00 to find out when I can get in. I'm hoping I'll be able to get in quick - I'll probably have to take a 1/2 day or something to make it work. Let's hope my principal is in a good mood when I let her know about this!
I guess that's about it -- Nothing new in the weight loss area. We begin our Foster Care classes tomorrow, so I'm sure I'll have another update then!
Last week, I had a heart to heart with him about needing my life back. He said we have to do things, step by step, and the most non-evasive ways are the ones we're going to do first. Well, duh!
So, on Wednesday, we had another short conversation - I'm more swollen than I was when I started PT. "Call Dr. Brown" - I needed to be switched from Aleve to Mobic. Okay, that's done. And he said we'd "re-evaluate" my needs on Monday (today).
Today came. This weekend was a PAINFUL weekend. Like, crying painful. Stabbing, sharp knife being dug into knee painful... Ouch! Even when it's not stabbing, it's a constant pain. It sucks. I need my life back. I need to do laundry, clean my kitchen, take care of my dogs. I need to get down on the floor with my students, carry buckets of flowers at the shop..... I NEED these things. I love what I do.
Mike re-evaluated me today. I'm more swollen today than I've ever been. This is after doing 2-3 loads of laundry yesterday, and that's IT for being on my feet. So, no more exercises. None. He took them all out. Why? Because it's irritating things more (about damn time "we" figure that out!). He still can't get over how loose my knee cap is and when he has me raise and lower my knee, it just grinds. His expression was not a good one - it actually kind of worried me!
Instead of exercises, we did a few "rest the knee" treatments. He did an "ice rub" - take ice cubes and rub them around my knee for 5-7 minutes. Then he applied a medicated patch to my knee that stays on for 2 hours. He'll do it again on Wednesday, and again on Thursday.
The biggest thing: I have to call the ortho again. He wants me to be seen this time - not just make a phone call. He thinks Dr. Brown will do 1-2 of 3 things:
1. Put me on Prednisone for 5 days to help calm my knee down. The down fall of this? It can lower my immune system... and working with PK kids during cold/flu season, and having a compomised immune system... not something I'd really enjoy. Plus, Prednisone makes me HUNGRY and BITCHY.
2. Do a CT of how my knee cap sits. I've already had the xray and MRI. I don't know that the CT would show anything different, but what do I know.
3. Start talking surgery. Mike thinks this will be Dr. Brown's LEAST likely decision because I've only had PT for 2 weeks. But, if we don't start talking surgery, he will at least "prescribe" more PT. (You have to have an active order for it or insurance doesn't cover it)
So, I'll be calling right at 8:00 to find out when I can get in. I'm hoping I'll be able to get in quick - I'll probably have to take a 1/2 day or something to make it work. Let's hope my principal is in a good mood when I let her know about this!
I guess that's about it -- Nothing new in the weight loss area. We begin our Foster Care classes tomorrow, so I'm sure I'll have another update then!
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