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Backsliding in recovery

post #1 of 1017
1/29/07 at 1:40pm
Thread Starter 
I was doing pretty well after the hospital stay, after the plane ride, but starting Friday, day 8 after breaking my fib-tib and shoving it out the shin, I'm in increasing pain.

I'm back to the pain level of day 2 in the hospital.

I called my orthopedic doc today and got the secretary. (I see him tomorrow at 9:30). She said there's nothing he would do until he sees me, and that I'm taking 'the most meds I can get.'

Oxycodone 10-325, once every 4 hours, is the Max Painkiller they make?: : Holy cow! I'm in trouble, because it does nothing anymore.

I've gone backward in healing, and I can no longer step on my injured foot without sharp, piercing pain in the ankle area. I did much better in the hospital on the same meds! I sleep in 90 minute fits, up all night, all day, and the pain never subsides. There is something going on.

I posted on TGR, and one person seemed to think there's infection settling in. I've been taking an anti-biotic for 8 days to squelch a bronchial infection that started 2 days before the accident, and my lungs are feeling better, but not completely clear. I still cough up phlegm.

I'm going backward and frustrated with the doc's office's response. Since there are 8 ortho guys in one building (99% of all the ortho's in town), I'm sure they will discuss this amongst themselves, so there is no need to 'see another doc.' He did a beautiful job on my meniscus tear in September, and he knows his stuff.

I'm going to ask for a stronger pain med, additional x-rays to be sure everything is still secure, and will address the possibility of infection.

Is there anything else that I should be asking?
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post #2 of 1017
1/29/07 at 1:49pm
Keep an eye on your temperature maybe - sometimes it can indicate an infection. Those are serious in lower extremeties - maybe if you mention the word to the doc they might consider it quicker. Could it be swelling???

Be a squeaky wheel - I've learned that the hard way a few times.
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post #3 of 1017
1/29/07 at 1:53pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by ct55 View Post
Keep an eye on your temperature maybe - sometimes it can indicate an infection. Those are serious in lower extremeties - maybe if you mention the word to the doc they might consider it quicker. Could it be swelling???

Be a squeaky wheel - I've learned that the hard way a few times.
I don't have a fever, and the compression sock has kept all swelling well under control. I've elevated and iced most of today, and stayed off it as much as possible, but it hasn't helped. I'll keep a close eye on things though, and if I get a fever, I'm off to the ER.

I've always been one to keep my mouth shut about things, so Jeff will have to help speak for me tomorrow. Psych!!!
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post #4 of 1017
1/29/07 at 2:23pm
Increasing pain that long after is definitely strange. You could just be building a lot of tolerance to your painkillers though and feeling all the normal things at this point; not sure more pain meds is really whatt you want as bad as the pain no doubt is. I haven't been to TGR in some time, but there's a very good PT (or trainer, I forget) on there who goes by Vinman and his advice is well-worth listening to.
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post #5 of 1017
1/29/07 at 4:56pm
Sorry to hear about this Bonni. Glad you have the doctor's appointment tomorrow, I would have thought they would give you an appointment sooner considering you are having so much pain.

Keep us posted how it goes.
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post #6 of 1017
1/29/07 at 5:24pm
That's definitely something to keep an eye on. I would have thought the doc would get you into the office sooner. Tolerance to pain meds is possible although that should be your last thought. The more serious causes of pain need to be ruled out first, i.e. infection, compartment syndrome, DVT, etc. Keep an eye out for fever, increasing redness or swelling, new pain shooting down into your foot, excrutiating pain with minimal movement, loss of sensation in your foot, and your foot turning cold. As for pain management OxyContin every 12 hours with Oxycodone for break through pain may work better. Good luck tomorrow.
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post #7 of 1017
1/29/07 at 5:36pm
Thread Starter 
Thanks, everyone. discobean7, I'm so in tune with this injury that I can describe each new sensation to a T.

I just had a shower that took an hour start to finish, and feel somewhat human again. Time for rest: it wiped me out.
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post #8 of 1017
1/29/07 at 6:52pm
Bonni, I know you're going to become increasingly impatient with this, but remember that this is a marathon, not a sprint. There are going to be setbacks, there are going to be big and unexpected leaps forward. The real key is keeping your head in the game (super hard, I know) and having patience with your body.

I'm really sorry to hear about the pain working its way back up again - good luck at the doc's office tomorrow.

Endurance, sweetie, courage and patience.
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post #9 of 1017
1/29/07 at 7:27pm
Hang in there. I've got alot of experience with being busted up and you've got to just take it easy. I would ask them to look at you ankle to see if they missed anything. I broke both of my arms at the same time once. I had a compound fracture of my left arm and the doctors completely overlooked the fact that my right arm was broken. I had to go back 6 days later and tell them something was wrong. I was kind of out of it on pain medication and it took me 6 days to figure out that it was broken.

I hope you get to feeling better soon.
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post #10 of 1017
1/29/07 at 7:34pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by mountaingirl1961 View Post
Bonni, I know you're going to become increasingly impatient with this, but remember that this is a marathon, not a sprint. There are going to be setbacks, there are going to be big and unexpected leaps forward. The real key is keeping your head in the game (super hard, I know) and having patience with your body.

I'm really sorry to hear about the pain working its way back up again - good luck at the doc's office tomorrow.

Endurance, sweetie, courage and patience.
Thank you! Maybe she will listen to someone other than me!

ducking and running---although not terribly fast! he he---sh e can't catch me!
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post #11 of 1017
1/30/07 at 10:06am
Thread Starter 
Doc today said pain could be from swelling. No other indications of infection, breakage, slippage or any other 'age'.

Stitches are out, and yes, I cried. We had to Novocaine the bone tear stitches because they were deep and it hurt like hell. I'm embarrassed that I'm such a candyass. Actually, it was a culmination of frustration, lack of sleep, pain intensity and overall depression that just welled up and became a small nervous breakdown.

I feel better now.

No physical therapy for now, and he wants NO WEIGHT BEARING AT ALL....at least till my next appointment in 3 weeks. Total recovery and healing time: up to 6 months.

My range of motion in my knee is 'GREAT' according to him, and I'm doing just what I should be doing in terms of exercising that leg. No physical therapy until I'm healed up a little better. I'm to stay down more, not be so active, and I don't have a clue how to do LESS. All I do is go to the bathroom and get juice and stuff. Time to write a book!!!
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post #12 of 1017
1/30/07 at 11:01am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bonni View Post
Doc today said pain could be from swelling. No other indications of infection, breakage, slippage or any other 'age'.
That all sounds good, Bonni, even the part about letting your emotions run for a bit. Gotta do that too.

Remember that old single-panel comic about the two hungry buzzards sitting in the tree, caption: "Patience my ass, I'm going to go kill something!"

Like that.

Time to let skier_j spoil you rotten. Indulge.
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post #13 of 1017
1/30/07 at 11:16am
If you have not already read this.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxycodone

It does come stronger than 10 mg. Alot stronger. Everyone is different in the way it makes you feel. For me Hydrocodone did the trick, although it is not as potent as Oxycodone.
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post #14 of 1017
1/30/07 at 1:27pm
Thread Starter 
I'll eat a bottle tonight.

Talk about pain........check this out, if you're not faint-hearted.

I had a nice doze this afternoon. Not quite sleeping, but drifting in and out. I became awake at some point when I had to use the toilet....and I mean I had to GO, man!

So up I jump (well, not really jump), hobble hobble hobble with the walker, sparks shooting out the sides as I graze our 50's metal kitchen cabinetry, hurry, hurry, hurry to the bathroom, holy cow I think I'm gonna make it.....

And I'm glad I'm wearing sweatpants because every second counts in a case like this and I'm moving pretty fast, standing on one leg, and not really paying attention to the fact that I had put on a 'diaper' this morning (a very large Poise pad because with MS, I sometimes don't make it to the bathroom anyway, and with the hobbling-with-a-walker-delay, a doctor's appointment this morning, and the trots I had the day before from drinking prune juice and taking Ex-Lax to counteract the constipating narcotic action, I thought it was a wise choice)........

And I darn near gave myself a Brazilian when I discovered the sticky back had turned around and stuck to ME and not the fabric!!

Talk about a surprise! :

Oh....too much information? I suppose, but it's not all pain and suffering. Sometimes there's humour, and ya gotta laugh or die cryin...
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post #15 of 1017
1/30/07 at 5:14pm
It makes sense that you might have more pain from inflammation at this point. Try asking the docs about adding a heavy duty NSAID to the cocktail regimen?? Celebrex, or ibuprofen in the 600-800mg range. It may allow you to actually take less of the narcotics which have the awful side effect of constipation.:
Best of luck, it is all about you, you, you!!!!
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post #16 of 1017
1/30/07 at 5:46pm
NSAIDs generally slow healing response, talk to your docs first and foremost.
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post #17 of 1017
1/31/07 at 9:52am
Thread Starter 
I'm on a good dose of Oxycodone now, and I'm icing and elevating. I took off the compression sock this morning and it made a difference! I actually slept for 2 hours straight! Oh! What a feeling!

I've got Valium for spasms, which has calmed them down and made it easier, too. An easy day so far. WHEE!
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post #18 of 1017
1/31/07 at 10:39am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bonni View Post
And I'm glad I'm wearing sweatpants because every second counts in a case like this and I'm moving pretty fast, standing on one leg, and not really paying attention to the fact that I had put on a 'diaper' this morning (a very large Poise pad because with MS, I sometimes don't make it to the bathroom anyway, and with the hobbling-with-a-walker-delay, a doctor's appointment this morning, and the trots I had the day before from drinking prune juice and taking Ex-Lax to counteract the constipating narcotic action, I thought it was a wise choice)........

And I darn near gave myself a Brazilian when I discovered the sticky back had turned around and stuck to ME and not the fabric!!
now that is color commentary.
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post #19 of 1017
1/31/07 at 7:37pm
Getting the combo of drugs right is key. It's a pity disski isn't still here, as she's extremely cluey about how drugs work and interact. Sometimes you can get 2 things from the supermarket to sing, dance and play the saxophone.

The night after I ripped my left achilles, the pain was indescribable. I've never felt anything like it, it was insane. And I had nothing but ordinary aspirin and paracetamol... useless. So I have a glimmer of what you're going through.

Well, once you've got the immediate issue sorted, I guess this is the one chance you've got to finally read all those books you've been planning to read for years. Everyone's got a mental pile of such books. Now's the time. (after the pain and guts thing is fixed).
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post #20 of 1017
2/1/07 at 6:26am
Bonni, I just found this thread. I am sending you tons of healing vibes...

Definitely sounds like you need to find a new hobby to keep you occupied while you're not allowed to move. My husband HATED it when he was laid up (for 9 months, different kind of accident than yours, so don't freak when I say that!). That's when he first got interested in birdwatching. Any place you can put out a bird feeder?

Thatsagirl
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post #21 of 1017
2/1/07 at 6:52am
There are certain things that shouldn't be posted on the internet unless you're paying 29.95/month and that was one of them
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post #22 of 1017
2/1/07 at 10:38am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by ryan View Post
now that is color commentary.
Or off-color commentary.

It's not all pain; there are things that make this injury bearable. After the initial : , it was funny and I laughed at how I couldn't remember what I was wearing. Pictures would have made it better, but you'd have to pay $29.95 and this isn't that kind of website.

Each day is getting better. I slept last night, and slept this morning. I'm feeling stronger and the pain is less. Time to taper back on the old meds and get my mind back.

I'm working my foot, knee and quads, and we had company last night. A couple of patrollers stopped by with flowers and a card (how sweet!) and they are amazed at the range of motion I still have! It's not from sitting around.........I work this thing constantly, but never to the point of pain.

I got a wonderful book on Hermann Maier and the movie 'Ski Bums' in the mail today. The snow is melting on the roof of this house from the radiant smiles in the living room today.
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post #23 of 1017
2/2/07 at 11:16am
Thread Starter 
By the way, the bills are starting to roll in.

Hospital: $17,697.76
Doctor fee: $5,375

Anesthesia? Haven't got it yet.

I looked for that thread on skiing without insurance, but gave up after reading the wrong threads for half an hour.

I'm glad we have insurance, even though we'll end up paying part of this!
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post #24 of 1017
2/2/07 at 2:53pm
Thread Starter 
I'm going to post a picture of my leg 2 days post surgery, so if you're squeamish, don't open this link.

It's not too bad, but maybe it's just me.....I think it's awful. Actually, it isn't as bad as it could have been.

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g7...Barcus/leg.jpg

There is swelling in this picture, but I do not have a cast, thankfully. The vertical incision on my knee is where the rod went into the bone. The rod is permanent, and is actually inside the bone, and it's part of me now.

There are incisions on the side, by the knee and ankle: those are where the screws hold the rod in the bone.

There is a small incision mid leg where there was a drain that came out that day before they bandaged it up again.

The horizontal wound above the ankle is where the bone went through the skin. It continues on to the other side. This is what hurts the most, as that is where the break is in the tibia. It looks really good now that the stitches are out. It used to be tall, like a mountain range, tee hee, and the stitches held some muscle tissue, also. I screamed when those came out.

The darn thing never did get black and blue! It just turned a light yellow, and now it's back to normal.

The fibula is still broken, was not touched by the surgeon, and I can feel it moving when I lie or move a certain way. They say it will mend on its own. Tuesdays x-ray showed space between the broken ends, and that makes me a little queasy. Yeeps.

I have good range of motion in the foot and knee, and I'm working them every day, every hour I'm awake. I don't want a lot of nasty physical therapy. Keep it moving!

I want to be ready for next year's ski season. Give it up? Nah, I couldn't. Even if I only poop around on the greens, I'll still do it. I love it.
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post #25 of 1017
2/2/07 at 3:28pm
Bonni - Not sure why I didn't catch this thread earlier, but anyhow I'm here now. My pain absolutely increased after the hospital stay. Those first 2 weeks were the absolute worst of my life. I was driven to tears a couple times due to the pain (and that's tough to say being a man). The doctors finally told me I could loosen the bandages and that definitely helped a bit, but my real relief didn't come until they removed all of the surgical bandages and the fiberglass splint at the two week mark.

I loved your comment about the Brazilian - I needed a good laugh today.

And don't you think this picture of my leg is just as pretty as yours? Of course this shot is before my second surgery so it's missing about 9 more incisions that I now have (picture one just as big as the one on my knee going down the front of my lower shin).
525x525px-LL-vbattach1223.jpg
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post #26 of 1017
2/2/07 at 3:31pm
Bonnie,

Nice pic!: Thanks for sharing. You'll have some pretty good stories to tell in the future about those scars.

I sincerely hope you can get back on the horse next winter and make turns again.

Wishing you the best,

Mike
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post #27 of 1017
2/2/07 at 3:32pm
On the subject of pain meds - I was told that the strongest oral pain med available is Dilaudid. That stuff really does mess with your head though. I tried pretty much everything during my first stint in the hospital and decided to go with the Dilaudid. For my second go around I settled on Percoset. That was some fun stuff too.
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post #28 of 1017
2/2/07 at 3:37pm
Thread Starter 
It's a beaut, Noodler! What an explosion of colors! It's a rainbow!

Only one incision for the initial injury? wow! You so lucky!

Does it itch? Mine is starting to itch.....argh!

Got more pictures? It's making me feel better.
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post #29 of 1017
2/2/07 at 7:03pm
Actually that pic doesn't show all of the incisions from the first surgery (they're on the other side, medial, of the leg). The first surgery had 7 incisions. The second surgery added 9 more.

That picture was taken at the 2 week mark when they removed the bandages and the staples.

Here's a shot of my knee before the staples were removed. It looks OK now though. I've been using Mederma on it religiously and the scar is definitely fading.
525x525px-LL-vbattach1224.jpg
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post #30 of 1017
2/3/07 at 10:19am
Thread Starter 
Nice grouping!

All of the others are on the backside! YEOW! However do you get comfortable? Can you lie on your side?

What's Mederma, and where can I get some? I'm going to have some ugly scars, oh yeah. I'm too old to care though. It's not like I'm gonna flounce around in a miniskirt or something, although the worst will show even in capris, which I love to wear in summer.
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