Click on photos to enlarge.
New Chapter After My Second Surgery
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3. March 3, 2002 - Some Weight bearing
5. Film Showing January and March Distal Femur Side-by-Side
The December 18th x-rays reveled a significant alignment problem with the distal portion of my right femur at the condylar head. And the obvious of the proximal fixation failing probably because of a lack of adequate fixation.
Second femur surgery was January 9,2002. The new surgical team removed all the original hardware from October 27th, excepting the broken screws which are still visible in the x-rays below, and realigned the femur with the condylar notch as best as possible and installed a longer plate which substantially increased my proximal fixation.
I am instructed to do nothing. No quad sets, no upper body exercise, no undo activity, I am to give the femur every opportunity to heal. There is a risk of additional failure. If the second procedure fails, it will more than likely fail where there is no bone. All that is holding my leg together is the plate. It is like a bridge under construction that has not yet joined. The plate is anchored at my condyles, as you can see, and I do mean anchored, look at it, it hurts, trust me. If you touch the medial side of my knee, you can actually feel the end of the screws close to the surface of my skin. Moving towards my hip, there is the section that does not exist, the missing bridge section so to speak, and this is the largest area of concern, If the plate fails, this is the anticipate spot. Then there is the next fracture, followed by the numerous screws that hold the plate in place to solid bone. The plate is anchored to the top of my knee and the solid area near my hip and the fracture is supported by the plate. I am taking my calcium pills. My cranberry juice is fortified with calcium. On to the photos!
X-Rays taken January 28, 2002
Click on photos to enlarge.
I have substantial swelling, constant pain, I am not sleeping at night excepting in few hour segments at a time and in general, - oh - I know, stop whining. My range of motion is a very large concern, on the table, 90° was all that we could reach, in practicality, I am only reaching 43°. That very well may be a hurdle that will be a "stretch". I am not looking forward to that aspect of rehabilitation.
So I am taking things slow, working a few hours at a time by telephone, and thank goodness for the A&E channel.
1-21-02 2-15-02
Some improvement in mug shots?
2-15-02 This scar is 4 inches longer than the first scar.
2-15-02
Swelling, and this was a good day. Notice the AVI in the bottom left of the photo. Used daily.
Sallie bought me balloons, a red & white azalea, Hallmark kissing bears and a book of Shakespeare's The Sonnets - Poems of Love for Valentines Day. She took two photos, I could not decide which to post, so I posted both. By the way, this is my "office". My telephone and my computer connected to the network at the office.
2-16-02
I actually "walked" on crutches out to my shop. It has been since October that I "walked" out there. Sallie wheeled me out in the wheelchair over the gravel, but that was an arduous trip for her. Linnea, our youngest is in the middle, and David's girlfriend, Amy is on the left. David was working on a car, just out of this picture and right after this was taken, it fell off the jack - and - with a teenagers reflexes, he rolled away just as the car crashed down. Damage was only physiological to him, the car was not as lucky.
My companion, Pierce.
I am allowed to go to an 80 pound weight bearing load. I am a little confused, as technically, I have no bone for four inches or so. I have been doing some pool work with Sallie on my own. We are water walking and I am working ROM in the pool. I am trying to find a PT but cannot find one that wants to take my case. Nasty break, I am told that it is right at the top of the worst possible. It would be challenging, but . . . I am waiting for a call back from one that thought she new someone who would be good, but as it has been almost a week, and she thought she would be calling me the next day, I can only guess that it was a no. I know a PT that I can call for a referral. I will call him on Monday.
And yes, the rumors are true, I am trying an acupuncturist to help with pain control.
OK, after numerous request, here are pictures so stop needling me!! Note the size of my edematous knee.
This one is an oblique view showing the screw tips that extend past the medial condyle. As this is the main screw and is the anchor of the entire procedure - it stays. You can feel it through my skin and yes, it does hurt. Especially when, we are guessing, that my fascia catches on it and hangs up. Pretty painful.
Film Showing January and March Distal Femur Side-by-Side
Click to enlarge.
We had been planning a vacation for Linnea's spring break. I had planned to visit with Kelly in Baltimore, spend some time in D.C. and then to Disney World. We had to think of places that cater to the walking impaired. But I am in just to much pain and discomfort to handle a long flight, and try to get around. Even Disney's web site said that the handicapped individual, me, must be able to enter and exit the rides. Can you see me getting into the boats for Pirate's of the Caribbean? We stayed home.
I have been telling those who will listen that my right leg is going to be around one-half (1/2) inches shorter than it was. In physical therapy Friday Bill Lerch, my very competent and very understanding physical therapist at my request measured by leg lengths and there was not a one-half inch discrepancy as suggested, but a three (3) centimeter discrepancy, or over one inch.
I am now crutch walking. Not exceeding eighty pounds of weight on my right leg and pretending to walk. I am strengthening my leg, working range of motion, swimming, sort of, and water walking and working the leg in general in the pool and making good progress. All of this is simply a rehearsal for when I may actually walk. Looking at the above films, it does not look like I will be walking unaided anytime soon. As I understand the healing process, and it seems obvious, I need some union of the femur area that was comminuted before I may put full weight on my leg and that could easily be another three to six months, or longer. I am using a bone growth stimulator daily and taking 600mg calcium tablets. Everything Sallie can buy with extra calcium, she does. Even my cranberry juice has extra calcium. I believe she has spiked our water as well.
I have taken David's old bedroom and made it into a make shift office where I can at least pretend to be working. I find that I can only be at my desk for an hour at a time, as my brain seems to sizzle and there is a dull burning. Not like a headache at all, but different. My long term memory is seemingly OK, but short term is abominable. I have to ask the name of something over and over during a conversation and be reminded of discussion topics. I feel quite worthless.
It is looking like my flying days with United are quite a ways off. To add insult to injury, United Air Lines took away my 1K status from lack of use. I wrote the CEO and the President of United explaining what happened to me and why I could not be flying but they did not even bother to respond to me, but they do have other matters to deal with. I had been blindly loyal to United, paying more to fly United when I could have flown Frontier for far less money, so I guess I will travel with Frontier more - when I start flying again. On the other hand, Starwood (St. Regis, Westin, Sheraton) extended my Platinum status through 2004. Thank you Starwood!
Oh yeah, I had my hair cut Saturday, very short, no more ponytail.
A STRONG THANK YOU TO THE FOLLOWING STELLAR PEOPLE:
Smith & Nephew Rehabilitation - Peter Sylvester
Buff Williams
Ron Haynes
Dale Kiken
Professional Therapy Healings Arts Center -
Susan Malin & Eric Schaetzel
Breg Orthopedics - Jeff Struve
Orthofix - Kevin Henderson & Mike Shatzer
You have all helped me in my rehabilitation more than you know.
Without Sallie and her constant attentiveness, love, caring, and ability to cope with the throws of PTSD and depression, I would absolutely not be where I am today in rehabilitation - and life. Sallie, I love you.
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This was meant to be the end, but:
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