Today marks the 4 week mark, in fact I was on my way home 4 weeks ago now! Week 4 has been my first week of crutches and that is going alright. I'm actually still using the crutches for longer walks and to help with my limp. Yep, the limp is still there, but I am working really hard to get rid of it. I went to my PT on Wednesday and she did about 1 hour of deep tissue massage all around my hip socket. Her goal was to try and loosen up my hip socket so that my femur can sink into the socket-that will get rid of my limp. My back is pretty sore, as well as my glute and groin. Now, because I am the blood thinners I have a pretty big bruise on my glute from where she was "massaging". I just got a new ice/compression wrap from a friend of mine, so hopefully that will help with the swelling/discomfort and I can start feeling a bit better.
My blood is finally theraputic. Today I went in for my INR check and I was at 3.1 They want me between 2.0 and 3.0, so I'm there. They continue to adjust my daily dosage and hopefully my numbers stay stable so I can quit going to get my fingers poked. Besides the bruise on my glute, I have yet to get a bruise anywhere else. I also have managed to not cut myself either. As I type this, my finger poke from 9:30AM just started bleeding a bit-super!!!
So at the completion of week 4, I don't have much that has changed. Maybe it will be my week 5?!?!
Friday, January 14, 2011
Friday, January 7, 2011
3-weeks
3 weeks already, yet it's been a long 3 weeks!!! I have been weening from the crutches since Wednesday (Don't tell the surgeon, he wanted me on them until today), but I wanted to do it with the PT in tow. She had me do some weight shifting first and then had me walk with 1 crutch. It's so wierd to walk again, but it feels good. I have a very significant limp going on and I'm sure my 86-year old grandma with a fractured pelvis can beat me in a race, but I'll take it! I have a lot of work to do to get rid of the limp, but I'll get it!!
I had yet another INR check today (my 3rd of the week) and I was at 2.5!!!! YEAH!!!!!! They want me between 2.0 and 3.0, so I'm perfect. They will try to regulate my levels with just the Coumidan now. I'm thinking drinking last night might have made my number go up just a tich, but who's talking??!?!?! I'll go in on Monday to get another poke and see what my number did over the weekend. Hopefully all stays "regular" and I can stop going to hang out with the elderly at the lab! Their ultimate goal is to get me to come in once very 6-weeks with steady levels...only time will tell.
I got into work today to meet some of the new students and staff that we have. Everyone seem so nice, it will be great to get back to doing something intelligent. Seriously, sitting on the couch for 3 weeks make a person stupid. Case in point...I went to my sister's Wednesday and took my dog with me too. When I left, I got a phone call from my sister saying that I forgot my dog there...woops! I love my Decoy to death, but I did forget her. April thinks I will make a good mother some day!
Anyways, things are looking up for me!!!!!!!!!! I wonder what week 4 will bring???
I had yet another INR check today (my 3rd of the week) and I was at 2.5!!!! YEAH!!!!!! They want me between 2.0 and 3.0, so I'm perfect. They will try to regulate my levels with just the Coumidan now. I'm thinking drinking last night might have made my number go up just a tich, but who's talking??!?!?! I'll go in on Monday to get another poke and see what my number did over the weekend. Hopefully all stays "regular" and I can stop going to hang out with the elderly at the lab! Their ultimate goal is to get me to come in once very 6-weeks with steady levels...only time will tell.
I got into work today to meet some of the new students and staff that we have. Everyone seem so nice, it will be great to get back to doing something intelligent. Seriously, sitting on the couch for 3 weeks make a person stupid. Case in point...I went to my sister's Wednesday and took my dog with me too. When I left, I got a phone call from my sister saying that I forgot my dog there...woops! I love my Decoy to death, but I did forget her. April thinks I will make a good mother some day!
Anyways, things are looking up for me!!!!!!!!!! I wonder what week 4 will bring???
Monday, January 3, 2011
2-weeks+
Celebrating 2011 with a little bubbly
Owies...Nothing that can't be fixed with a "me-me" and an ice pack
Josie hanging with her Aunt TT
This was no black tie event...New Year's eve in sweat pants!!!
2010 went out with a bang this year, and all I can hope for is that 2011 is so much better!!
I'm about 2-weeks 3 days post-surgery now. I had my 2-week post-op doctor visit last week, and everything went downhill from there. My surgeon was unable to be there because he was stuck with the Vikings (he is the team Dr.) down in PA because of the snow storm they got. So, my surgeon's Physicians Assistant saw me and took out my stitches, and then my incisions opened up. I told him that my left calf was sore and he wanted to rule out a blood clot, so he sent me over to imaging for an ultra sound of my whole left leg. He told me it was probably nothing, because my surgeon has only had 1 other patient develop a blood clot after this type of surgery. Well, once the ultra sound tech. asked me 2 times if I came by myself, I knew something was wrong...sure enough there was. At this time I was told there was 1 large blood clot behind my knee and I needed to go to the ER.
After being in the ER for 7 hours, I was sent home on Lovenox (5-self injections) and Coumidan and told I would be fine. I then went to my PT two days later and she told me that I actually have 3 blood clots in my leg-GREAT, no wonder why my calf hurt. After PT I headed over to my regular doctor to get all checked out. The doctor told me that I probably have a blood clot in my lungs as well, but the treatment is the same and she doesn't feel it is necessary to put me through the radiation of a CT to determine if there actually is a clot. I then went over to the INR clinic to start my bi-weekly blood checks to determine my INR level (basically how long it takes my blood to clot). My INR level was 1.2 and they want it up around 2.0-3.0. I guess normal people are at 1.0, so my level is starting to move, but has a way to go. I will be on the coumidan for 6 months if all goes how they want. Honestly, everytime I see a new medical professional, I get a new story..."You're going to be fine do what you want", "Don't do too much, because you don't want the clots to move," "don't keep taking the pill", "do keep taking the pill," "don't exercise," "do exercise," "blood clots are a big deal," "everyone gets blood clots"...and it goes on and on!!! I don't know who to believe anymore, but I do know my leg is starting to feel better! I still get pretty winded after walking or talking, so hopefully that goes away soon.
On a happier note, my hip is moving around better and I only have 5 days left on crutches. I've gotten 3 new exercises to do and those are going well. I go to the INR clinic again this after noon and then to PT on Wednesday. I'm off this week of work and possibly next week too. The doctors all want me to get back to a "theraputic level" before going back to work. They did say that I could possibly go back 1/2 time, but then told me that if I am able to take one more week, that would be the best option for me. We will see!
Here is to a better 2011!!
Owies...Nothing that can't be fixed with a "me-me" and an ice pack
Josie hanging with her Aunt TT
This was no black tie event...New Year's eve in sweat pants!!!
2010 went out with a bang this year, and all I can hope for is that 2011 is so much better!!
I'm about 2-weeks 3 days post-surgery now. I had my 2-week post-op doctor visit last week, and everything went downhill from there. My surgeon was unable to be there because he was stuck with the Vikings (he is the team Dr.) down in PA because of the snow storm they got. So, my surgeon's Physicians Assistant saw me and took out my stitches, and then my incisions opened up. I told him that my left calf was sore and he wanted to rule out a blood clot, so he sent me over to imaging for an ultra sound of my whole left leg. He told me it was probably nothing, because my surgeon has only had 1 other patient develop a blood clot after this type of surgery. Well, once the ultra sound tech. asked me 2 times if I came by myself, I knew something was wrong...sure enough there was. At this time I was told there was 1 large blood clot behind my knee and I needed to go to the ER.
After being in the ER for 7 hours, I was sent home on Lovenox (5-self injections) and Coumidan and told I would be fine. I then went to my PT two days later and she told me that I actually have 3 blood clots in my leg-GREAT, no wonder why my calf hurt. After PT I headed over to my regular doctor to get all checked out. The doctor told me that I probably have a blood clot in my lungs as well, but the treatment is the same and she doesn't feel it is necessary to put me through the radiation of a CT to determine if there actually is a clot. I then went over to the INR clinic to start my bi-weekly blood checks to determine my INR level (basically how long it takes my blood to clot). My INR level was 1.2 and they want it up around 2.0-3.0. I guess normal people are at 1.0, so my level is starting to move, but has a way to go. I will be on the coumidan for 6 months if all goes how they want. Honestly, everytime I see a new medical professional, I get a new story..."You're going to be fine do what you want", "Don't do too much, because you don't want the clots to move," "don't keep taking the pill", "do keep taking the pill," "don't exercise," "do exercise," "blood clots are a big deal," "everyone gets blood clots"...and it goes on and on!!! I don't know who to believe anymore, but I do know my leg is starting to feel better! I still get pretty winded after walking or talking, so hopefully that goes away soon.
On a happier note, my hip is moving around better and I only have 5 days left on crutches. I've gotten 3 new exercises to do and those are going well. I go to the INR clinic again this after noon and then to PT on Wednesday. I'm off this week of work and possibly next week too. The doctors all want me to get back to a "theraputic level" before going back to work. They did say that I could possibly go back 1/2 time, but then told me that if I am able to take one more week, that would be the best option for me. We will see!
Here is to a better 2011!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)