Guest viewing is limited

Fusion Long ride to a successful Fusion

Status
Not open for further replies.
Thanks Jo! No...never too much information...keep it coming! Whereas I'm a dental assistant, the same principles can be applied when applying braces to teeth, or restructuring a jaw...so, I completely understand what you are saying. However...I know I'll read it again a few times!!! :wink1:
 
Yay! I got in early for my appt. with Dr. Kelly....going next Wednesday, August 11th...instead of August 25th! :yes 4:

Note to self: always remember to make friends with the office staff, and follow-up with a hand-written "thank you" note when they do something nice for you! They will always remember you! In this day and age, too much effort is wasted on the "negative"....work on the POSITIVE! :flowerysmile:
 
That's the way it's done, Audrey!!!! Good for you!
 
Audrey:
Show up with some carnations!
I speak from experience. They smell delicious, last forever and are fairly cheap at the supermarket. Office staffs are VERY underappreciated, and will be thrilled. I have been out on leave now 5 weeks, and every week send my office staff something (yesterday it w2as hand cream that I get from Hawaii).
Those screws sure look scary. Think I'll pop another pain pill....:th_heehee:
Best of luck
 
well audrey, i guess as much congrats can be given to one who is looking into having a life-changing surgery! haha! I always found it ironic when people who say "thats great news!" when I finally found my solution...its great to finally have answers and a plan of attack, but given what the answer IS, should congrats really be the right word? haha!

Im glad you got in early and are taking steps to your new life. I dont know anything about the plates used in fusion, though I am sure the outcome will be about the same. The only thing I can really say to all this, as far as advice, is you DO occasionally get ankle pain, but more like ankle tightness in the muscle that goes up the top of your foots. They gave me foot-flexing exercises to ensure that the muscle there doesnt freeze up and I get drop foot (which require MORE intensive surgery! of course). May be something you wanna ask because I am not sure if this is something you may need?

And caneguy.....I cant even express how grateful I am for you to send me this link!!!! however, ich spreche nur eine kleine Duetsche. I kann deise seite nur ein bischen lessen (read?), gibt der ein email so kann ich diesen Mann schrieben? (in case my german is awful, i was hoping to find an email to the mann in charge iof this company to see if he knows any english and if he even sends to the US). :)
 
awolfpaw said:
And caneguy.....I cant even express how grateful I am for you to send me this link!!!!
Click to expand...

Actually, they only have telephone and fax number on their website. I could ask them if they have an email. If not, you could send them a telefax to 0049-40-6054476 I could help with translation. But, I would be surprised if there really was no such company in the States to produce such aids...

I have just searched for "aids for disabled bicyclists" on Google and found these sites. Maybe look for "disabled cyclist" or similar.

broken link removed: https://www.mwmg.org/en/entries/highpath-engineering-80.html

broken link removed: https://www.allabilitycycling.com/


I´m pretty sure there must be a similar company in the US!
 
Thanks everybody! I know what you mean about the "ankle pain". Since I've been in this cast, it is quite difficult to bend my ankle when I have it on....which is most of the entire day now. In the evening, I do ankle circles and flex and point for about 15-20 minutes. Sure makes it feel good! .....I spend most of the day yesterday shopping with my daughter. I completely over-did it, but I really wanted to spend the day with her and do some much needed shopping and have "Mother/Daughter" time. We went out for lunch and hit several stores AND the mall. Even SHE was beat by the time we got done. We even stopped by a friend's house and she got to meet "Jazmine" the beautiful Percheron mare. I'm hoping she may want to buy her! She's sorrel with a pretty white blaze and VERY tall! Hubby made supper for us when we got home...
.LOVE YOU, BABE! :wub2: I honestly don't know if I could have survived these past two years without his support and understanding...and patience! Being with a person that is in pain every day is not easy.

I'm stopping by the flower shop before my appointment and picking up a bouquet with some sunflowers in it! My FAVORITE flower!

How is everybody else doing? Can you believe it's August already? WOW! Our new pony, "Caseo" is doing great! She's fitting in very well with the others. Now...if I could only ride! Oh, how I want to ride again! :loveshower:
 
As we speak, I am "supervising" the movers pack my apartment to store it while I move! its so scary, leaving NH for WI, but great at the same time. Its almost surreal knowing I will be starting a job next monday that I decided I wanted to do when I was 10 years old! haha. I am going to be a whole weekend with nothing but an airbed and my computer, but my boyfriend and I plan on spending a lot of time away from the house....possibly even hike the Flume Gorge in northern NH! Its a bit scary because its a lot of walking, but I have a ton of time to kill so may as well take it slow :)

and btw, the exercise they gave me for my ankles was to stand on the last step facing upstairs or even on a book on the floor with my heels off the edge. Then, just flex your ankles so your heels move up and down. I dont do it as often as I really should, however it does help strech out the muscle there and makes me feel better.

New question: anyone have issues with restless leg and have had surgery? Ive been having restless leg kinda bad lately but my knee doesnt bend, so its been driving me even more CRAZY at night.
 
I had restless leg a bunch before TKR, but not so much anymore.
 
I am sooo impressed! Hiking the Flume??? WOW! And with your knee fused to boot. Again...WOW! You go, girl! :thumb: You are my inspiration!
 
When I had restless legs, I got some relief by using a heating pad on the small of my back at bedtime. Maybe it would help you.
 
Can't wait till Thursday when I see Dr. "K". Just got out of the chair, (without "Peg") and my knee gave out on me. I can honestly say I haven't cried in a long time, but I am now. I'm sooo done with this foolishness. I know a fusion isn't the perfect fix, but I don't want to bend this knee anymore. Too much pain, too much "what is gonna happen this time", and I just want this ordeal over with! The only time I'm "painfree" and don't have to wonder is when I'm in the recliner with my leg out and elevated...and not bending or moving the knee/leg at all. What a life! 2 years is long enough, don't you agree? ....oh great...now my leg is turning reddish/purple and that means the RSD is acting up. All because I got out of the chair and tried to walk to the kitchen and my knee (actually the inactive quad) gave out. That's all it takes, folks.... (thanks for letting me vent...I didn't have the coffee table to pound this time!)
 
Audrey,

Two years is long enough! I am glad that you are at peace with your decision. I read a story in Guideposts several months ago about a guy who had BOTH knees fused and was enjoying life to the fullest!

You will do great! You have such a zest for life and nothing will hold you back!

I am proud of you for making the decision to "get back to the business of living again!" You will be an inspiration to so many others.:yahoo:
 
When I had restless legs, I got some relief by using a heating pad on the small of my back at bedtime. Maybe it would help you.

I do notice when my legs are cold and I then warm them up (wether in the winter or if I have a fan on during the summer blowing on them) my LS gets really bad. I try and keep my legs as warm as possible. Its not as bad as before I had the surgery, and certainly not as bad as when I had the cancer. I always knew it was about time for a blood transfusion when I was up all night on my exercise ball trying to rid of the RLS tingly-s. Low red blood count equals bad RLS.

And i did do the Flume today! It was like, 1.5 miles and the only issue I had was the long down hill parts. Going downhill hurts my thighs, knees, and hips SO bad!

You just gotta keep ion mind, audrey, the days when it will be better. And how much you will love life because you will take such little things with pride and excitement. its kind of a refrshing way to live life...celebrating the little things :)
 
A sad day today:

I just found out that my "touch-stone", Kate has left Dr. K's office at OA and has taken a job at the OA Surgery Center. I'm very happy for her, as I know this is a promotion, but I will miss her TERRIBLY at Dr. K's office. She and I have gotten to know each other well, and she's always been there for me. She is a "Super Nurse" in more ways than one!
It's so hard to build a rapor with someone, but Kate and Dr. K were easy to do that with. They really made a GREAT team!

I'm anxious and excited to see Dr. K on Thursday! I'll let you all know the outcome of the visit as soon as I get home!!!
 
I sure do! I'm really going to miss her when I go for my appointment. :cry:

Well, I'm soooo excited about what I get to do on Saturday! My daughter (she's 27) is going to take her horse to a game show (that's barrel racing) in Bradford and we (hubby and me) are going to watch! The weather is going to be perfect! Mid 70's and sunny!!! Although I can't ride (yet?) I love going to watch her. She's a great rider and she hasn't ridden in over a year. As you know, her riding buddy (that's me) isn't there to go with anymore, so she's been kinda upset about it and put away her saddle for a while. Well...we are dusting it off tomorrow and getting her AND the horse (his name is "Maverick") ready for the show! I'm going to be the official photographer, so double excitement for me! Woo hooo!!!!
Thursday is coming up fast....I'm really getting anxious. After doing months of research, and getting the good, the bad and the ugly, AND talking to my family, we all agree that fusion is what is best.

So....I really feel like a major weight has been lifted, as making the decision isn't one that I can reverse. I'm just really hoping that Dr. K agrees and hasn't come up with another "last ditch effort" that will make this situation linger on. Of course, I will listen to whatever he has to say, but I'm just ready to have the fusion done asap. I tried wearing the full-leg brace yesterday (the one with all the velcro straps and the hinged, adjustable knee hinge) and I was miserable. Wore it for the entire morning, and then chucked it in the closet and put "Peg" on for the rest of the day. AAAHHHH...gotta love "Peg"....I'm hoping to get "Peg #2" on Thursday, as original "Peg" is getting pretty nasty! LOL
 
Audrey- I won't be on here tomorrow as I am going to be away, so I wanted to wish you good luck on Thursday! Keep us informed!
Also, enjoy the horse show on Saturday! It is supposed to be a beautiful day.
 
I hope you have a great time at the show. Good luck to your daughter. It sounds like the weather will be perfect. Be sure to take care of yourself.
Greda
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Active Antimicrobial Hydrogel
Corganics CBD

Staff online

  • Jockette
    Jockette
    Staff member since March 18, 2018
  • djklaugh
    djklaugh
    Staff member since December 30, 2020

Members online

Total: 879 (members: 2, guests: 877)

Latest posts

Back
Top Bottom