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Knee Infection* The Story of My Knees Part 1

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RestAssured said:
Hello Everyone! :D I have been having knots in the back of my calf and these knots are causing so much pain that I can't sleep.
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I experienced the same pain. My Dr did a ultrasound and no blood clot either. My knot/pain started going away at about 3 weeks. I feel so much better now. I hope you feel better soon. I'm now at 4 weeks and no more knots.
 
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Hello Everyone! I hope all of you or in TX we say (ya'll):wink: are doing great! This is the first day that I have actually felt a little more like myself since the revision surgery. I don't think I would recommend surgeries 3 weeks apart (oh wait, I didn't):th_heehee: it was just the way the cookie crumbled for me. I have had people ask me how I keep getting MRSA infestations like MRSA is lottery prize! :rolf: I finally told one of my well-meaning friends the other day "I don't know, but when I find out I will share the prize with you!":wink: She looked at me and suddenly realized how crazy she had been acting around me.:th_heehee: Now I think things will be better. Teaching gave me this "gift" and educators and the hospital professionals are at the highest risk of contracting MRSA.
 
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Wow, another "challenge" for teachers! I recently went to a retirement get-together for former colleagues in my district. Many of us who were already retired were there, and it was really rather striking how much more vibrant and younger looking the "post-retirees" looked in comparison to those who were just winding up the school year. My primary care physician was after me to retire for years before I did it. His opinion is that teaching school causes the same stresses on the teacher as living in a combat zone does on soldiers.
 
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Linda2, Your doctor certainly knows what he is talking about! I could handle the discipline and I loved the kids, so it will be extremely difficult for me to stay away from the school system. I know that my health is being compromised though, so I must take care of me. Thanks for replying. :snk:
 
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The kids were never the problem. Parents, administration, state folderol--those are the stressors. Plus the never-ending planning and essay correcting that are the life of high school English teachers.
 
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They are laying off teachers here by the hundreds because of budget shortfalls. It is a total shame...no wonder GA is ranked so low among states!!!!

Thank you for being a teacher...you are truly shaping lives for the future.
 
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Hello everyone, I get my sutures out tomorrow and I am so excited!:th_yahoo: The stitches are digging into the skin and aren't much fun. The leg seems to be healing quite nicely.:wink: I am still keeping an eye on it and will continue to do so. This revision has brought me to new depths of low. I have been having a lot of problems with so much pain as compared to a knee replacement. I have basically been in isolation to protect myself during the time I am ridding MRSA from my body. I haven't been outside but a couple of days in the last 3 weeks due to the severe pain. Depression really set in and it became impossible to think positively. Thank God along came Amy, the Homebound physical therapist. She has been an uplifting outstanding source of inspiration for me! God knew who to send to get me back on track :snk:
 
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Sonja...what are you doing about pain? Are you icing? Are you elevating? Are you taking your pain meds as prescribed?? I agree with Linda..besure to talk about your pain when you go to get your stitches out.

Chronic pain...is a real depression booster!
 
Re: The Story of My Knees

Thanks for the replies Linda and Barb. Yes I am icing and elevating and I am taking pain meds. I don't know if the pain meds are strong enough or not but they are the same ones I used for my knee replacements and they helped a lot then. I almost fell tonight. The knee "pops" and this time it was "wobbly." I keep hearing that revisions are less painful than knee replacements. I got to thinking that under other circumstances that is probably true. Everytime I have had MRSA, I have hurt throughout my body no matter where the infection was. I was also in so much pain before the revision that I could not put any weight on my right leg without screaming.

(Poor Mom):sigh: She has taken care of me through it all and even times when I would have thrown myself out if I were her. The pain I have put her through has been terrible, yet she insists that she needs to take care of me. I try to remember her feelings, but when I am writhing in pain I can't think about much else besides the pain. I love her so much and so my husband and I are going to pay for her cruise in March to try to make up for some of the misery that we have gone through lately.:D
 
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Sonja, How are you doing today? I am keeping you in my prayers. You are so brave through all of this!!! Don't worry about your Mom....I'm sure there is nowhere she would rather be than by your side right now....hubby too. The cruise is a sweet thing to do for her.

Hang in there, hon.....((((HUGS))))
 
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Jamie, thanks so much for your caring attitude! Yesterday was a break through day for me! My PT came to the house and we went and walked outside, came in and did exercises, and then she removed the sutures. In a week and a half I have increased my flexion from 78 to 103 and my extension from 8 to 0. My PT was so impressed that she cried. I have done a lot of resting and icing between sessions and that has made a world of difference.:D
 
Re: The Story of My Knees

This post makes me smile, Sonja!!! I'm so happy for you. Resting and icing CAN make a big difference.
 
Re: The Story of My Knees

Sonja, I can't help thinking you remind me of a lady I looked after way back in the late 60s. She was a thoroughbred Irish and full of blarney! Well, she had one hip done and was so delighted, she talked the surgeon into doing the other one. It got infected! She ended up going through much the same kind of roundabout of surgery you have - except it wasn't MRSA then and we didn't give IV antibiotics or use antibiotic cement. At once stage she spent a whole year in a little side room on one of our wards! Bless her, despite all of that, she had the same indomitable spirit you have.

I may add, once she was discharged, she used to come visit us in theatre for a cup of coffee, she knew us all so well. And she was the only patient I ever heard of that not only signed my leaving card but came to my leaving party!

No comparisons between her case and yours, of course, just that you reminded me of her. Dear ladies, both of you!
 
Re: The Story of My Knees

Sonja, I am so happy for you! It sounds like you are doing terrific! May this be your last knee replacement, at least for another 20-30 years anyway. :thmb:
 
Re: The Story of My Knees

Hi Everyone! :snk: Josephine, thank you so much for that story about the Irish lady. I, like her, know most of the nurses, physical therapists, and occupational therapists at the hospital now. I went to visit after the first knee replacement and I will go back when I have finished recovering from this revision. All of the nurses know about the revision, and are keeping track of me on all three floors. :wink: I must have made some sort of impression on them.:th_heehee: I have always been told I am very stubborn and I guess it has kept me going for the most part.:th_skeptical:
I have been doing some reading about MRSA, and it seems that the general consensus is, if it is caught within the first four weeks of the knee replacement that they can do the procedure without removing the whole knee and putting in a cement spacer. Some revisionist specialists say that as long as the knee has not been replaced for more than 8 weeks will still make it successful. I am so thankful that we found the MRSA at 3 weeks. That has made the chance of success so much better. I am excited. :th_yahoo: I am finally getting better to the point where I can walk without hurting so much. I am starting to feel hopeful again about getting back to life and having two new knees. It has taken awhile, but it will be worth it.
 
Re: The Story of My Knees

God bless you, Sonja. I pray it stays good for you.
 
Re: The Story of My Knees

Sonja,

I'm glad your sutures are out, but it bothers me that they were painful after what you've been through. Are they giving you lidoderm pads? They're pads with lidocaine that you cut in half and put on either side of the incision. They take care of 'local' pain.
 
Re: The Story of My Knees

Hi Kathy, No they didn't give me any lidoderm pads. I hadn't heard of them until you mentioned them. That would be nice to have as that is part of the pain. My leg is causing a lot of problems for me today though especially in the knee region. I hurt pretty bad today and so I am not as positive as usual. I will ask the PT about the lidoderm pads though. It's funny, but some people don't seem to get knee replacements/revisions and how I can still be in pain "after all this time!" My hubby wants me to come home, but I am on a home bound PT program at Mom's and don't feel like traveling 2 1/2 hours right now. I asked him to come here and he thinks I should be able to hop in the car and go places.:th_DOH: I really can't right now. I hurt just moving from the bed to the recliner.
 
Re: The Story of My Knees

:cnsl: Awww.....hope you feel better. It's pretty typical that family doesn't quite "get it" about pain following joint replacement. It's difficult to imagine exactly how it feels when you haven't been through it. It's not like you can compare it to some other type of surgery.

You're doing the right thing. Hubby will just have to endure it a while longer. He'll be okay. And I'm glad you're lookin' out for YOU!
 
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