Hi All
I went to the Physical Therapist this morning as scheduled - I told them about my fall on Friday (fyi (smiley face) I fell on Friday night - slipped in Hannah's room on my crutches and landed on my knee - I wasn't doing anything above & beyond, simply slipped going from hardwoods to rug - my knee has hurt tremendously more than it did before that) and she sent me to the doctor - they did xrays and everything is okay (phew!) just tender. So since I was there - they went ahead w/ my pre-op appt (it was supposed to be tomorrow). Took the bandages off (actually my pt did) and my knee looks great - minimal scaring and no external bruising - just swollen. They removed the stitches....and shared the disappointing recovery news....
He said when he gets in during a surgery, my cartilage is the last thing they want to see - it has the hardest recovery (more about that in a minute) and lowest percentage (2 out of 3 people fully recover from this surgery - the other person has knee problems forever - I pray I'm not that one person - stinkin blind lady who shouldn't have been driving - smiley face). The recovery for my surgery used to be 3 months no pressure on your knee at all and be in a knee bending/straightening machine 16 hours a day - in the past few years they've reduced it to 6 weeks w/ no pressure and PT of leg lifts, knee bends, stretches, etc. Very recently studies have come out stating it didn't matter if you put pressure on it - but the doctor said if he had my surgery - he would stay off of it for at least 30 days.....but probably cheat a little (so I can cheat - smiley face - not that that's my goal but hopefully I'll be okay doing a few things b/c this couch is mighty BORING and trying to control my OCD self is even harder - although I love & appreciate all that Chris & the girls are doing for me - smiley face).
My next appt is Dec 27 with him - praying it will be good & I'll be able to walk then & start serious PT - until then, I go once a week for PT and am supposed to ice my knee every hour w/ this compression brace for 10 mins at a time (that's a lot of ice - smiley face).
There really aren't any alternatives to crutches for me....and I don't need a knee brace.....but I did get a handicap parking permit - I'm nervous about getting the girls in/out of the YMCA for swim team (starts today - thankfully my mom is taking the girls tomorrow - rain and crutches also make me nervous, as does the pool area at the Y)....Sadly - there will be no serious exercising - including tennis - before springtime. Makes me depressed thinking about it - but know I'll be busy with leg lifts and knee bends in the immediate future...and hopefully bike rides, swimming and walks after the new year (the power of positive thinking and prayer is amazing!!!).
Again,thanks to everyone for the help (laundry, carpools, playdates and meals - they are a blessing!!!) as it is really truly hard to get around on crutches and nearly impossible to carry something - my right calf is getting some strength from all the hopping - but it's also getting charlie horses too - smiley face. I am lucky to have amazing family & friends who support me so much - smiley face - thank you! God is good and I know that - this was all b/c I needed to slow down - smiley face
Much Love and Continued Thanks
Samantha
Happy Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving Art
While most of this wonderful artwork is Abby's, Hannah does have a few things on the windows too - love it - smiley face
Lexy's winning soccer tournament....smiley face
Although I missed the tournament (I was couch bound and drugged up) I was cheering from afar....Lexy had a great team and they won all four games - gooooo NASA - smiley face. She played against her old team at Concorde on Saturday afternoon (and scored the first goal against them) and again on Sunday in the finals. Thanks to Gma, Granny & Grandpa for cheering her on w/ Daddy, Hannah & Abby!
Samantha's Knee Surgery Update and THANKS!
Here's an email I sent out to our friends & family the day after my surgery...smiley face
Hi All
Sorry for the mass email (I'm sure you expect the length of it w/ my long winded self - smiley face), but thought it would be the easiest way to say thanks to everyone for your prayers, thoughts, calls, emails, texts, visits, gifts, treats, meals and more. You are all incredible - smiley face. I wanted to also update you on all that's going on....you have spoiled me & my family and my surgery was just yesterday. We are so thankful to have such a wonderful group of family & friends supporting us - smiley face.
I'll start out by sharing what some of you may know by now - it wasn't an easy meniscus repair after all. That's what I've been telling everyone it would be b/c I wanted to be optimistic that it would be easy....smiley face. I want to be the one doting on others, not being doted on - so we tried not to make much of it.
After my accident in April, I tried physical therapy all summer long....when I was still in tears in August from the pain after doing the elliptical for a few minutes, my PT and doctor both agreed there was something more wrong. When the MRI didn't show much but floating cartilage - they recommended surgery to see what was going on. They were thinking I'm that 7-5% of error that an MRI doesn't show and that hopefully there was just a tear in the meniscus. When my second opinion said the same thing....I decided to wait until soccer season for the girls was over and schedule it (although Lexy is playing in a tournament right now & has another one in December - the girls love their soccer just like their daddy - at least Hannah & Abby's seasons w/ Chris coaching has ended) b/c they said it would be six week recovery. Going on the belief that it was truly a tear in my meniscus, I've talked to sooooo many people that had the surgery & were up & out again after a few weeks...hearing all that I wasn't in the mindset that it would be anything more.
I'm the eternally optimistic one who even as they were scrubbing in for my c-section with Abby (she was breech) I thought - she'll turn and I'll have her naturally (well - naturally with an epidural - haha)....not the case then nor with my knee either - smiley face. As it turns out, my cartilage was damaged and they had to perform a microfracture procedure which required poking holes in my bone to allow it to regenerate cartilage. It's supposed to have a quicker recovery time than total knee replacement but I cannot put any weight on my knee/leg for six weeks. Not sure how I'm possibly going to do that with my busy body self....smiley face. God be with Chris and our sweet girls - we'll all need it b/c I'm sure I'm going to be cranky sitting around all the time (and not playing any tennis or looking at clutter in my house) - ha ha. Hoping 2012 will bring good things to our family and I'll be stronger than ever (already picked a few little races to do in late spring/early summer b/c I gotta get back in shape (anyone interested in the Irongirl, Muddy Buddy or Warrior Dash?! - smiley face) and ready to get back to my multiple partnerships & many tennis leagues - bring it on - smiley face (but don't worry - I'll take it slow - I hear you all telling me that again & again - ha ha). Maybe the knee will let us bypass the lines at Disney this January - ha ha!
We won't have our annual Christmas party this year....it would have been our 13th annual one - and I think Chris didn't push it b/c he's so superstitious and 13 is unlucky in his eyes - ha ha. Being so unsure about everything...I'm thankful we opted to take a break - there is no way I could have prepared food & drinks for everyone and decorated our house....we'll see how Chris & the girls do putting everything up for our family celebration - smiley face. I do love that holiday and seeing our house all decorated w/ so many traditions/memories - smiley face.
I know I'm only a day into it...but it's hard knowing I can only put one foot on the ground....I can't even carry a bottle of water on crutches (which I'm sooooooo craving but can't keep down...my pain meds are making me nauseous...I haven't even finished my beloved fountain cokes that Chris and my mom & girls have brought home for me - ha ha). I'm having to learn patience...something I'm not very good at - smiley face. This is God's way of slowing me down....b/c I'm sure you know I need to - "No" is not in my vocabulary and I do think I've been too busy this fall - but it's all good - smiley face
I'm surrounded by wonderful people & have an incredible family and great group of friends - thank you - smiley face!!!
Also - just to let you know my mother in law is home from her back surgery and doing wonderful - her recovery is a completely different type of tough than mine but she's strong and will do well. And my dad is doing good after his seizure a few weeks ago - his medicine is working and he seems to back to his new normal - smiley face. Thanks for all the prayers.
Much love and appreciation...and hoping to a speedy recovery (big ole smiley face).
Samantha
Hi All
Sorry for the mass email (I'm sure you expect the length of it w/ my long winded self - smiley face), but thought it would be the easiest way to say thanks to everyone for your prayers, thoughts, calls, emails, texts, visits, gifts, treats, meals and more. You are all incredible - smiley face. I wanted to also update you on all that's going on....you have spoiled me & my family and my surgery was just yesterday. We are so thankful to have such a wonderful group of family & friends supporting us - smiley face.
I'll start out by sharing what some of you may know by now - it wasn't an easy meniscus repair after all. That's what I've been telling everyone it would be b/c I wanted to be optimistic that it would be easy....smiley face. I want to be the one doting on others, not being doted on - so we tried not to make much of it.
After my accident in April, I tried physical therapy all summer long....when I was still in tears in August from the pain after doing the elliptical for a few minutes, my PT and doctor both agreed there was something more wrong. When the MRI didn't show much but floating cartilage - they recommended surgery to see what was going on. They were thinking I'm that 7-5% of error that an MRI doesn't show and that hopefully there was just a tear in the meniscus. When my second opinion said the same thing....I decided to wait until soccer season for the girls was over and schedule it (although Lexy is playing in a tournament right now & has another one in December - the girls love their soccer just like their daddy - at least Hannah & Abby's seasons w/ Chris coaching has ended) b/c they said it would be six week recovery. Going on the belief that it was truly a tear in my meniscus, I've talked to sooooo many people that had the surgery & were up & out again after a few weeks...hearing all that I wasn't in the mindset that it would be anything more.
I'm the eternally optimistic one who even as they were scrubbing in for my c-section with Abby (she was breech) I thought - she'll turn and I'll have her naturally (well - naturally with an epidural - haha)....not the case then nor with my knee either - smiley face. As it turns out, my cartilage was damaged and they had to perform a microfracture procedure which required poking holes in my bone to allow it to regenerate cartilage. It's supposed to have a quicker recovery time than total knee replacement but I cannot put any weight on my knee/leg for six weeks. Not sure how I'm possibly going to do that with my busy body self....smiley face. God be with Chris and our sweet girls - we'll all need it b/c I'm sure I'm going to be cranky sitting around all the time (and not playing any tennis or looking at clutter in my house) - ha ha. Hoping 2012 will bring good things to our family and I'll be stronger than ever (already picked a few little races to do in late spring/early summer b/c I gotta get back in shape (anyone interested in the Irongirl, Muddy Buddy or Warrior Dash?! - smiley face) and ready to get back to my multiple partnerships & many tennis leagues - bring it on - smiley face (but don't worry - I'll take it slow - I hear you all telling me that again & again - ha ha). Maybe the knee will let us bypass the lines at Disney this January - ha ha!
We won't have our annual Christmas party this year....it would have been our 13th annual one - and I think Chris didn't push it b/c he's so superstitious and 13 is unlucky in his eyes - ha ha. Being so unsure about everything...I'm thankful we opted to take a break - there is no way I could have prepared food & drinks for everyone and decorated our house....we'll see how Chris & the girls do putting everything up for our family celebration - smiley face. I do love that holiday and seeing our house all decorated w/ so many traditions/memories - smiley face.
I know I'm only a day into it...but it's hard knowing I can only put one foot on the ground....I can't even carry a bottle of water on crutches (which I'm sooooooo craving but can't keep down...my pain meds are making me nauseous...I haven't even finished my beloved fountain cokes that Chris and my mom & girls have brought home for me - ha ha). I'm having to learn patience...something I'm not very good at - smiley face. This is God's way of slowing me down....b/c I'm sure you know I need to - "No" is not in my vocabulary and I do think I've been too busy this fall - but it's all good - smiley face
I'm surrounded by wonderful people & have an incredible family and great group of friends - thank you - smiley face!!!
Also - just to let you know my mother in law is home from her back surgery and doing wonderful - her recovery is a completely different type of tough than mine but she's strong and will do well. And my dad is doing good after his seizure a few weeks ago - his medicine is working and he seems to back to his new normal - smiley face. Thanks for all the prayers.
Much love and appreciation...and hoping to a speedy recovery (big ole smiley face).
Happy Birthday Papa & Get Well Soon Nana
Thanksgiving Day Feasts
We had three feasts and performances/celebrations at the same time this year....thanks to Daddy, Mommy, Gma, Granny & Grandpa we were able to divide and conquer....smiley face
Abby wasn't interested in sitting at her seat at the table as long as it had the spread of food - she just wanted to move away and take pictures/sing songs w/ her classmates (no turkery and dressing for her) - mommy was there to help with her class/parents. Hannah did a craft with Gma and Daddy and Lexy performed for Daddy, Granny and Grandpa....it was a fun day with lots of family support - smiley face
Boosterthon....
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