Monday, May 26, 2014

Keep These Things in Mind if Your Knee Is Ever Traumatized

Not one of my body parts has ever suffered major trauma before, so I was not prepared for all that it entailed.  Each day held a new learning experience for me, and not all of them were good.  I shall pass on my newly acquired knowledge to you, my readers, because I care.  Based on the vast number of people who have seen me on my crutches and proceeded to tell me about their own knee injuries, I'm thinking there is a pretty good chance at least half of you will incur a similar injury sometime in your life.




Do ice your knee as much as possible for weeks on end.

Don't put that ice in a cheap sandwich bag that will leak all over your pants, blanket, and couch.

Mostly don't ask a 5 year old to put those leaky bags of ice on the kitchen counter.  There is a good chance he will put them on the pile of bills and important papers waiting patiently for your undivided attention.

Do use your crutches constantly for several weeks.

Don't use furniture, handrails, children, or sinks to get around.  You may just put your weight on the master bathroom pedestal sink, shift it off kilter, and snap the drainpipe, thus making your sink unusable.  You will find yourself washing your hands and brushing your teeth over the side of the tub while sitting on the toilet until your knee heals completely and you can get to the store to buy a replacement sink.

Do get showered and dressed and brushed for the day before going downstairs.

Don't wear clothes with loose pockets.  Thumbs have a tendency to snag in those pockets each and every time your crutches swing forward, causing you to lose your balance and practically kill yourself at least 53 times.

Do put your feet up and rest.

Don't plan on getting much sleep.  While you can control your movements during the day, you will have trouble doing so while you sleep.  The probability that you will bend your knee a bit too far when rolling over and wake yourself up screaming in pain is quite high.

Do listen to music while getting your MRI to cover the noises of the machine.

Don't listen to 80s music during that MRI.  Your body is conditioned to sing and dance when it hears 80s music, which is completely against the rules of the MRI.  So, on top of the torture of not being able to scratch the 19 different spots that suddenly itch like the devil, you will have to keep yourself from belting out your favorite songs.  It makes for a looooong 35 minutes.

Do let others go to the grocery store for you.

Don't ask those kind people to buy anything besides cereal.  Despite the fact they have been eating fruit and veggies and meat at every meal for your entire lives together, your offspring and husband will forget that such things even exist.  The beautifully ripe strawberries, bananas, cantaloupe, lettuce, and grapes will go uneaten and moldy in the fridge.  Oh, and they won't eat the eggs that are still flooding in from the chicken coop, either.

Do take advantage of the pity your family has for you.  Let them do all the work while you sit on the couch and read.

Don't expect it to last forever.  By week two, you may have a conversation like this:

Child:  Mom, have you noticed we're all upstairs in our rooms a lot more than usual?
Me:  Yes.  What are you doing up there?
Child:  Well, with you being unable to do much, we know that whoever can be seen is the one who gets asked to do the extra chores you and Dad want done.
Me:  I know, Honey.  Haven't you noticed that I've been calling you all in a rotation?  I've known about this strategy of yours for years.
Child:  Dad hasn't figured it out yet.
Me:  No.  No he hasn't.  If I were you, I'd hide when he is home, too.

Do slowly start to venture out as your injury heals.

Don't take your injured children with you.  No one, and I really mean NO ONE, can resist commenting when he sees a mom on crutches accompanied by her small child who happens to have his arm in a sling.  "Did this happen in the same accident?" and "Did you fight each other?" and "What is wrong with your family?" are the most common questions.  Those folks that don't ask questions give questioning looks, dirty looks, or smirks that end in laughter while they make fun of you.  It's best to just leave the kid at home.  Or let him take his sling off when you are out in public.

That's all I've got so far.  I'm sure there will be more bits of wisdom before this is all over, considering I haven't started physical therapy or had surgery yet.  I'll keep you posted.  Naturally.

If you have had knee surgery before, do you have any tips for me?

Have a lovely day!

22 comments:

  1. thank you I'll keep all of that in mind. Hope it's getting easier and a lot less pain!

    Have a great week!
    :)

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    1. Seeing as how I have now had my first therapy session, there isn't less pain. However, it is a good pain, and there is much more understanding. Things are looking up!

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  2. I had the same injury you have when I was just turning 16. I got my driver's license the day before my surgery. I have lived my life in fear of ever having such an injury again (partially kidding) and I have no good advice for you. I guess I will suggest that you do absolutely all the exercises you are supposed to do for therapy and don't skip any... you've only got one body... don't be lazy.

    I'm sorry this happened to you. I am glad that at least I did it to mine when I had no actual responsibilities other than school. :) I'll be praying for you!

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    1. As I was doing my exercises tonight, my daughter commented, "It must really hurt, because you never complain, but those sounds you're making aren't good." The only thing getting me through some of them is the chant, "I will have fun in England!" over and over.

      Thank you for the prayers!

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  3. Ack. I'm glad you've got a list of 'Do's, but honestly I wish you had to have none of it :( Still, you're managing to get some humour in there, somehow, so your spirit at least is indomitable, even if your knee's a mess. Keep taking good care of yourself and do all the things the doctors say.

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    1. You and me both. Ack, my spirit can take a lickin but keep on tickin. :)
      I'm doing my best!

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  4. after having my knee wired back together I found the biggest thing was move it as much as possible within its full range of motion and within the guidelines given otherwise everything you said is pretty much right... also a bag of frozen peas (family size) can be used as reliable ice but make sure to mark it so it does not get eaten after being refrozen as many times as it is.

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    1. But Zoe, moving it hurts! :) I'm doing the exercises. Granted it's only been one day, but I'm doing them!
      Phoenix had eaten all of our frozen veggies. When I sent him into the store today, he bought more. I stole them.

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  5. This sounds like sage advice to me. I've not had knee surgery, but have had friends that have. The biggest thing I hear is do the physical therapy so you'll heal properly and have full range of movement.

    Have a fabulous day. ☺

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    1. Now that I've had physical therapy, I believe it.

      Thank you!

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  6. How bad is it that I laughed about the mental picture of the bathroom sink debacle? Because if it's bad, I didn't laugh....

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    1. Laugh away. I'll laugh about it someday, too. :)

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  7. Funny list, though probably funny as you were living it. Your sink, oy, so glad you weren't injured any further! Sounds like something I would do. I'm clumsy without an injury or crutches. I am pinning this post just in case, so I can be sure to go back and refer to your wisdom!
    If this happened to me, our fruit & veggies would meet the same fate. It would be all pizza and cereal, all the time I'm sure.
    Hope you're at 100% soon!

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    1. Some of it did make me laugh at the time, but with some I've practically bitten my tongue in half in my effort to not say anything.
      You're pinning it? Thanks! I don't do pinterest, so I'm not exactly sure what it means, but according to bloggers, it sounds like a big deal. :)
      Thanks! Me, too!

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  8. I shall try to keep all this in mind...but mostly I am praying that I don't injure my knee! :) Thanks for sharing!

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    1. Absolutely! Just don't do be an idiot and play competitively and you should be fine. :)

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  9. I've never had knee surgery before and I'm so sorry that you are having to go through all this pain, but I admire you so much for being able to see the bright side of it all. Sending lots of love for a speedy recovery!

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  10. I love that you have a great sense of humour through all of this! I will be sure to remember your advice should...I mean when I end up on crutches. :)

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  11. Music with MRI machine's is the best. I did not know how much I hated small spaces till I had to get several, the music and a cloth over the eyes helps so much!

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  12. That is an amazing list of dos and don'ts, Christine. I completely agree with the fact that the trauma won't last forever. Give it time and it will pass. As for tips, I can only ask you to make sure to have regular visits to your physical therapist. It will help the inflammation and pain. Anyway, thanks for sharing your funny and helpful tips. All the best! :)

    Agnes Lawson @ MedWell, LLC

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  13. Experience will always be the best teacher. Thank you for sharing the do’s and don’t’s that you’ve learned when you had knee trauma. Getting enough rest, placing ice on your knee, and doing strengthening exercises are the basic things to do to treat the injury. It’s best to ask your specialist if you’re required to get a surgery, or if physical therapy is enough for a complete recovery. Even if every injury is different from the other, it’s best to now those basics. Have a great day!

    Emmett Fletcher @ CK Physiotherapy

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  14. That is such a good tip about wearing things with loose pockets while you are on crutches. I had a few major blowouts because of that. And it was really embarrassing because I was in college and there are just so many people that see you on campus. The stories would actually get told back to me through the grapevine.

    Madalyn Oconnell @ Steadman Hawkins Clinic Denver

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Thank you for taking the time to tell me what you're thinking!