Knee Infection* The girl with the two fake knees

[Red's Mom]

Jen, your making progress. Good luck with the job search, I hope you find something that makes you feel fulfilled and happy.

 

[GingerP]

Jen, good luck with your job search. Anyone would be lucky to have such an upbeat person on their team like you. Saying prayers that you hear something soon.
I appreciate you saying how your stamina isn't what it was. I feel the same way! Healing is a big job!
Question for you. Are your health care people thinking that they will just let time and your body do its course of healing for that last bit of depth? Since I too have the vac going, I've been concerned about how it will 'hook' together and finally heal up. I have undermining and that tunnel that worry me on how my body will hook all the tissues together.
Continued healing thoughts for you.

 

[Jamie]

Jen, I'm so pleased to read how well you're doing. My dear, you have really been through quite a challenge, but you've come through with flying colors!!! Bravo!

 

[stadx]

Jen, I've been following the ups and downs of your journey. Hope only the best for you in the future.

 

[PegGar16]

Hi Jen! Glad things are progressing...even slowly. I am having the same problem with stamina at the moment. Things are getting better

 

[PolarBear60]

Jen, it's still a long recovery, but these are great updates. Your wound is looking much better, but I'd be anxious to have it properly healed, too. Good luck with the job applications, interviews, and eventual hiring (I know that's going to happen). Stamina takes so long to return, but you've had a lot of healing to do, and that's hard work for your body.

 

[BossK]

Hi, Jen! I hope you are doing better these days!


Sent from my iPad using BoneSmart Forum

 

[ACDCJen]

@GingerP According to my OS and my wound doctor, my hole will heal from the inside out. Since I don't have the vac anymore, I just have to dress it with Dakin's and let nature take its course. The opening of the hole is getting smaller by the day, but if it closed, I would still have a cavern underneath it. My OS said today that the hole may get to the size of a pinhead, and then we couldn't dress it any longer. I am almost positive I will not get the vac back. It just takes a longer time without the vac to close I guess. From what I understand, the sides of the hole won't come together so much as it will heal with a new base coming from below. Not sure if that makes sense... Good luck with your hole though. It just takes a long time...and the lack of stamina stinks!

Had an appointment with my OS today and it went well. He wants me to wash out the inside of the hole with Dakin's and then dress it once a day. He said not to pack it, but just layer it in gently. It's what I've been doing anyway, so no changes with that. He assured me that it will heal correctly. I'm trusting him. I guess the worst that could happen would be reopening the hole while the underneath heals? I don't know, but that doesn't bother me.

Still struggling to gain more stamina. I can drive and travel for longer, but it is rough on my knees. I notice that I need to stretch out if I'm sitting for a while. Still using my cane when I am out and about, but I try not to use it when I'm at home. I've been pretty successful. It helps with balance and especially when my back is killing me! I'm still working on gaining strength and beefing up my quads! It's slow going, but I'm doing what I can so I can function normally for once. I do have some clunking in my left knee that is mildly annoying. I sometimes have to readjust it before I use it to stand up. I told my OS today and he said that he could go in via scope and tighten up the soft tissues and take a look at it, once my hole is healed that is! For now, I'm just using it as normal and readjusting when it feels clunky! It's still nowhere near what it was like before surgery. The clunkiness doesn't even really hurt, it's just surprising, I guess? I go back on June 6, two days before the year anniversary of my ankle surgery that started this whole medical leave. Can't believe it will be a year!

Still applying for jobs and trying to get things done here. I have to renew my alcohol and drug counselor credential, so I've been doing continuing education for that online and completing the paperwork. I have to meet with my former supervisor and get her signature before I can send it in, but I hope to do that tomorrow. I'm a known procrastinator (I like to say that I work better under pressure...) but the application has to be in 45 days before it actually expires, so I had to make sure to count the days correctly. Thankfully, my mental health counselor license doesn't need to be renewed until 2019 so I have time to take classes and training. I have been meaning to start on a quilt too. It's for my friend's mom and it's from her late husband's shirts. I have the pattern and I've deconstructed the shirts, but I need to cut it all out. Math makes my head hurt sometimes, but I even did all the calculations...I just have to kick myself in the butt to get working on it!!! I'll post pictures when it's finally done.

That's about all for now! Been keeping busy and trying to read like a crazy person. With all that, I've still only finished 20 books so far this year!! I need to pick up the pace!

Hope everyone is doing well! I think of everyone more than I interact....
From water-logged Western NY,
Jen

 

[sistersinhim]

So good to hear how well you are doing. It's amazing how fast time can go by. Working on that quilt will make it fly by even faster. What a wonderful, unselfish project you will be doing!

 

[Jamie]

Glad to know that things continue to improve, Jen. You're doing a great job being patient and that will pay off for you.

 

[KarriB]

You do an amazing job at keeping busy and productive!

 

[ACDCJen]

@KarriB
I have so many things I could be doing, but I usually lose my motivation pretty fast, unfortunately. I spend most of my time playing Candy Crush... :(

Jen

 

[newlybionic]

You're doing very well. I hope that you can find the job of your dreams soon. In the meantime slowly start working the quilt for just 10 or 15 minutes at a time. (I keep on playing solitaire on my iPad!)

 

[KarriB]

I played checkers (sometimes I still do) on my iPad all the time.

 

[flyaway79]

I go between BoneSmart, Facebook, Words with Friends, Solitaire, Euchre, Netflix and whatever I have taped on my DVR. Very productive LOL

 

[sistersinhim]

At least you're staying busy!

 

[NightQuilter]

Just caught up Jen! So glad the wound is healing, albeit agonizingly slowly. Fingers crossed on the job hunt - any group would be so fortunate to have someone as skilled and compassionate as you. Keep us posted and keep building that stamina and mobility!! You've got this!

 

[ACDCJen]

Hello fellow smarties!

I've been doing okay. Last week, I got out of the house every day and did something. I was tired, but it felt good to be a little more active. Scott and I have been checking out state parks because my close cousins, my sister, and I are doing a Kooky Kousin's Kamping weekend and we want to go somewhere that is good for everyone. (My vote is still Allegany State Park!) One of my goals is to at least see every state park in NY, so it's been nice to see a few new ones.

I had my first and second interviews at Spectrum Human Services this week for a clinical therapist!! I filled out paperwork for the background checks today and just have to wait for them to come back. No worries there. Then HR will call with an offer. The salary that was mentioned is about $5000 too low, so I hope they will negotiate. It's a great position located in Warsaw, NY, about 15 minutes from my house! Lots of room for advancement too. But, if they can't make it work, I'll get over it and keep looking.

Otherwise, nothing major happening. I'm still using my cane out of the house, but not much in the house. Still have some clunking in my left knee, but it is getting better with more exercises. Can't wait for the hole to completely close so I can maybe join the YMCA and get some more exercise in it! I got myself a fitness tracker to help motivate me to move more and rack up those steps!!!

Ah yes, the hole....I still have one, although it is much smaller. I actually haven't packed it the last 2 days because it is uncomfortable to shove something in there. I put some antibiotic ointment on the outer perimeter and cover with a bandage. It's still about 2cm deep though. I go back on June 6, so we'll see what he says.

Thurs all for now! Hope everyone is doing well in their own journey!!!

Jen


Here is a picture from 2 seconds ago with the chapstick shown for reference. It's tiny!!!

 

[KarriB]

Good to hear you're doing well, Jen! The hole looks good and seems it will be closing up just in time for a new job and fun activities!

 

[sistersinhim]

Oh wow! That looks so much better! It's great to get back to living.