First of all - thank you Babette and Carla for comments on my last post (and to all of you who have been commenting along the way). I did start this as a diary for myself so I could look back and track the three steps forward amidst the two steps back - but it does me good to know that people are reading this, and that some of you (Babette!) are finding the information useful for your future surgery. By the way - I was without cartilage for YEARS after my meniscus "repair" (which did nothing but leave me WORSE off which is why I am not having it done in the other knee) and went through everything: unloader brace, cortisone injections for the pain, Synvisc injections to add a cushion, several rounds of PT, Chinese massage, Chinese herbs, cursing and praying all in the same breath. I had more than one doctor who told me years ago that I should have done this, but I refused, thinking I was going to find the holy grail to recovery. I went from doctor to doctor - even to one who has pioneered implanted cartilage (but I wasn't a candidate because I had none that an implant could grab onto and grow). Not that I shouldn't have waited so long, but I know now the inevitable. Hopefully I can avoid surgery on the other knee, but when the doctor says it's time I'm not going to fight it.
So what am I still figuring out? Medication for one. As I said in my earlier post I am going to stick with my one Vicadin and Tylenol in the mornings for a while. Since I take it early enough I'm not concerned about having to drive to work (oh to answer another question I got: Yes, I do have an office job so I'm not on my feet - the only reason I didn't return THIS week was because I have an hour's commute - if I'm lucky - each way, and I wanted to be more confident in my driving before tackling it). What I am trying to figure out is the change over to OTC pain medication. Right now I am taking Piroxicam, a super-duper ibuprofen that you can take only once a day. However, since I am trying to come off the Vicadin and Percocet at night, I want to switch over to Advil PM, which I can't take because I take the Piroxicam in the morning. I have another week's supply of the Piroxicam but I think I am going to switch to regular Advil tomorrow throughout the day with the Advil PM at night, and see how it goes. If it doesn't help my sleep I'll see what Aleve will do during the day, going back to one Vicadin or Percocet at night. Okay - so why am I playing pharmacist you ask? Because the doctor's instructions were: Just experiment and see what works. I know the limits on all the medications (both prescribed and OTC) and I know what can and cannot be combined. So I'm just playing around until I find what works. By the time I figure it out, though, I won't need anything anymore anyway! But meanwhile it's a distraction and I feel like I am in control of my own pain management, which is nice.
What else am I figuring out? The home therapy program. I gathered all my exercises (every time I go to PT I get adjustments or new exercises so I have them all written down on several different papers) and got a nice big index card. On one side I put my "Sitting and Standing" exercises and on the other side I put all my "Bed" (lying down) exercises. So today I broke the PT into two sessions, each beginning with 10 minute on the bike. I thought I would like that better - but I didn't. Instead of having it all over at once (which takes a full hour), all afternoon I dreaded having to do the second set. So I decided I am just going to bite the bullet and do the full hour all at once. At least it's not 2 or 3 x 1hr like it had been. I'm going to have to discipline myself to get up early enough to do the exercises before work. I sure am not going to feel like doing them when I get home!
Today's "NSV" : We went to the grocery store and I didn't even have my cane in the car! I forgot to bring it! AND when I was walking I slowed down so I could pay attention to every single step so that they were even, without a limp or sway. Except for the speed, someone looking at me would not have known that I was learning to walk all over again. (Well, I don't think so!)
So another good step forward!
Miriam
Awesome last paragraph!! Especially the fact that you forgot your cane--whoo hoo!
ReplyDeleteI agree with PT once/day. Just do it and be done with it. I always did it as close to my narcotic or OTC drugs as possible. Maybe doing water exercises after work might help you without absolutely wearing you out. Maybe some of your land exercises could be adapted for water. There are so many exercises that can be interchanged, and your therapist could help you figure that out.
As far as drugs, my doctor told me to wean off my narcotic by decreasing it by 1 pill every 3 days. Sounds like you might be down to one/day anyway. He told me to take an NSAID after breakfast and after supper. Then I was to use Tylenol inbetween, and narcotics for "break out" pain, which was rare. I was real surprised when I was able to go 3 days without a narcotic. I wrote all of this down to keep track of it, and it really helped to look at my record to see my progress with stretching out the time between pills and the type of pills needed. But there was an occasional day like you described yesterday, when life just didn't seem so good, and all I needed was a little pain medicine to make things look bright again. I was not one that enjoyed pain medicine or its effects, but it could sure change one's perspective and ability to cope!