Day 6 Post-Op.

Well, I normally do my daily “post-op blog” in the mid-afternoon. However, I’ve noticed a couple of differences in my daily schedule. First off, I’ve been sleeping a lot more for the past three days. The sad part is, I don’t realize that I actually fall asleep until someone tells me that I fell asleep at a certain time. I’m not really sure why I’ve been sleeping so much. It’s probably due to the medicine. The oxycodone and the promethazine both cause drowsiness. So, I’m getting a double-whammy of drowsiness! I take them together because the oxycodone make me nauseous, and the promethazine counteracts the nausea. I literally took three or four naps today… just during [the day alone! Trust me, all of this daytime napping has not whatsoever affected my sleep at night. I still sleep like a baby, with the exception that I wake up during the night. That never happened to me before, unless I was sick. Now, every night, I’ll wake up anywhere from two to five in the morning needing to go pee… I’m talking a STRONG urge. (Not that everyone needed the graphics). Then, I’ll have to take a pain pill because my knee will be in so much pain that it normally brings tears to my eyes. And, believe me, I can endure a decent amount of pain.

I’ve been in a lot of pain lately, nonetheless. I really am not trying to complain or anything. I don’t complain much, unless I have an honest, true reason to. (Technically, my knee constitutes as such). I’ve also been pretty cranky. See, this recovery is pretty hard on my body, as well as my emotions. My family is being really good to help me with all of my needs and such, but sometimes, it’s just downright frustrating. I do know that they are always more than willing to help me, and I deeply appreciate that. However, I have noticed lately that they are possibly getting a little tired of assisting me. I am doing a lot better than I was, but I find it slightly aggravating that I sometimes have to get firm with them to get assistance. I also realize that it’s pretty frustrating on their part to always have to help me out. I know they don’t mind, but they have other things that they’d rather be doing, I’m sure. I am so grateful to have them, though. Not many families would be as sensitive as mine. Trust me, I thank God everyday that I have such magnificent people in my life.

Did I mention that I got a huge nosebleed today? It was the most random thing ever. I thought that I had a runny nose, and when I went to actually blow my nose, I noticed that the paper towel was red. I was like O.o Literally. It’s all better now!

I just want to take a short paragraph to thank EVERYONE who reads my blog. Even if no one reads it, I’m glad that I can calmly talk about my issues, and journalize my recovery online. I think online blogs were one of the best inventions. I’d also like to thank God, as well as my supportive family. They’ve always been there for me when I needed someone. Thank y’all so much!

Take care,
Cassie

Day 5 Post-Op.

Well, today is the fifth day post-op, and I feel tired. I literally have napped on-and-off all day today. I know it’s partially from the oxycodone that I’m prescribed to, but I also know that it’s something else. According to my boyfriend, your body heals itself faster when you’re sleeping. Cells re-build themselves, and your body cleanses itself. His theory is that when you get surgery, or get sick; you get sleepy because your body is trying to heal itself quickly. It makes perfect sense to me, honestly. I’ve also had a strange craving for baked potatoes. Not quite sure why. Overall, my knee has been doing better. It’s been a little stiff today, but it seems to feel better every time I do my knee exercises. I had to get my nausea medicine (promethazine) refilled today. The only reason Dr. Lee prescribed it was because I told him that oxycodone made me really nauseous, and this medicine dramatically helps it.

I’ve also been so studious as to write down all of the questions that I have for Dr. Lee when I go in next Tuesday for my follow-up. My mom was telling me that you’re supposed to write down all of the questions that you have for doctors when they come to your mind. I’m not sure about y’all, but I’m notorious for forgetting to ask the doctor a question. But now, I am totally prepared!

Also, I don’t feel as depressed today as I did yesterday. Yesterday was just NOT my day whatsoever. I felt really depressed, emotional, and upset. I knew that this surgery would affect me mentally, yet I was unaware of the extent that it would affect me. I know that this is normal, though. One of my mom’s friends had to get his knee repaired, and he was out of work for a really long time; she told me that he got really really depressed because of it. Everyone’s different, though. I’ve always been happy-go-lucky, therefore I didn’t think that I’d get remotely depressed. Anytime I get really depressed, I always read The Bible. That’s what I’m going to do tomorrow (if I can stay awake for more than five minutes). Reading about Jesus has always uplifted and inspired my spirits.

Thanks everyone, for reading! Have a nice day!

Cassie

Day 4 Post-Op.

Hello, there. Today marks the fourth day after my surgery. I’ve felt a little down-in-the-dumps today. Not too sure why. My knee has been really tender today, probably because I did a lot of knee exercises yesterday. Otherwise, I’ve felt okay. I feel really lazy. My knee is looking good, though. A lot of the swelling has gone down, and overall, it has more mobility. I go to the orthopedist next Tuesday for a follow-up visit, so hopefully I’ll be able to continue successfully with my recovery. I have pictures of my knee, if anyone is interested in viewing them. I’ll keep everyone updated. Thanks for reading!

Day 3 Post-Op.

My knee has been doing really good. I’ve been able to put some weight on it with crutches. I’ve been doing my knee exercises, although I’m having to slowly work my way up to the recommended length of time. Yesterday, I was able to go to the grocery store for a bit, which counts as exercise to me. I called my orthopaedics office this morning and made a follow-up appointment with Dr. Lee on November 10 at 9:10am. My mom has been helping me to remove my dressings everyday, and there’s surgical tape over the incision. Under the tape, we think it’s staples, but we aren’t sure; and we’re not supposed to remove the surgical tape (for sanitary reasons). The follow-up visit will probably be to remove the staples, and to schedule physical therapy. I also need to get a note from them stating that I’ll be out of work for 3-4 months, depending on my recovery time.

That’s about all that’s happened in a day’s span. Thanks for everyone’s support!

Day 2 Post-Op.

Today is the second day of post-op. It’s about 7:50am, and I just had a epiphany that I needed to scribble down. Since the surgery, I’ve needed help sitting up and getting out of bed and whatnot. This morning, I decided to be brave. I decided to do something that not many people would want to do at 7:00 in the morning. I did it myself. I am also now able to walk a little bit with the crutches. And I do mean putting a small amount of weight on my left knee. I know it sounds crazy, but it made me feel so accomplished.

For those who don’t know me too well, I am extremely independent. I enjoy doing things for myself, and don’t really prefer people waiting on me. The past couple days, though… I’ve had to suck it up. For me, it’s all in the frame-of-mind. If you believe you can do it, then you can. If you’d rather not, and you constantly shoot yourself down, then you won’t be able to do it.

I’ve also really been missing work. I know it sounds lame, and part of me is glad to have a “break” per se. But, like many other things, I enjoy working. It gives me a sense of pride and honor. Knowing that I worked really hard for my pay check is such a rewarding feeling in my eyes. The orthopedist said that I’ll probably be out of work for 3 to 4 months, depending on how fast I recover. If I am out of work that long, I’ll find some other way to bring in income… even if it’s online or something. The only thing that scares me about online working-from-home stuff, is that most of them are scams and fraudulent.

Anyways, I’m rambling because I just took a percocet for pain. The bottom line is: I’m improving and really proud of it. Thanks for everyone’s support and confidence in me.

Cassie

Day 1 Post-Op.

It’s finally over with. I had my reconstructive knee surgery done yesterday. It actually went really well. They gave me a sedative, which made me really loopy and relaxed (they mainly gave it to me because I was so nervous that I was shaking). They then put a “block” in my leg. It basically numbed up my whole leg. I don’t even remember them giving me anesthesia. Waking up was the hardest part. I was extremely nauseous when I woke up. I couldn’t even hold down water. It was bad. I got better though. The doctor prescribed me to percocet and a nausea medicine. I’ll post some pictures up later once I feel like taking some. Thanks to everyone who gave me a lot of support and warm wishes.

Tomorrow is the day.

As most of you may know, tomorrow is the day. I go in for my ACL reconstructive surgery tomorrow. I’m really excited, more than anything mainly because I feel like I’ve been waiting all week for this surgery. Seriously, I’ve felt like all I’ve been doing is sitting around, and waiting. For those who know me, y’all know that I’m impatient as hell; so this has been difficult for me. I have to be at the hospital tomorrow morning by 11:00am. The surgery got moved up to 12:30pm…AMEN! That means less waiting!!! On the other hand, I’m also really nervous because I’ve NEVER been under the knife. Not once. However, I do know that this surgery will greatly improve the use and movement of my knee, as a whole.

Everyone, wish me luck… and let’s hope that everything goes well! Take care!

I have a what?

So, I just got home from the orthopaedist’s office. I got an MRI done yesterday, and today was the analyzation of that. The radiologist read it as normal. My orthopaedist, and the surgeon operating on me, Dr. Lee, said that it might just be partially ripped. He looked at the MRI film, and saw that my ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) is completely torn… and the only way it can be fixed is by surgery. For some reason, ACLs don’t heal themselves… odd, right? I wanted to get my surgery done ASAP. I set it up for October 30 at 2:00pm. That’s the earliest they had available. I’m using my own tissue, instead of a donor. It’s ironic, considering that I’m an organ donor. I just feel more comfortable using my own tissue. There is a slight chance that my body could reject a donor’s graft. They use a piece of another ligament to reconstruct the ACL. Thankfully, though, it’s an in-and-out procedure. I’ll go to the hospital, and get bloodwork done. Then, I’ll wait and get my sugery, which lasts 1 1/2 hours. Afterwards, if there are no complications, I can go home the same day. I’ll be wearing a brace for a long time though. Dr. Lee said that the healing process takes a total of 3-4 months.

I’m a bit frustrated because the doctors should have found this right after the accident. Basically, I’ve had a torn ACL for 6 months, and I didn’t even know about it until now. I was led to believe that it was just a sprain. I’m not a medical expert, but I do know that sprains don’t last for 6 months, thank you very much.

While I’m in recovery, I’ll probably be blogging a lot more than I do now. Take care everyone!

Cassie

undescribable feelings for undescribable news…

Background: Six months ago, I got hit by a car. No, not a ‘car accident’. I was a pedestrian who got actually hit by a car. It hit me head on, and some of my teeth were knocked-out and cracked. Everything got fixed except for one thing: my knee. My knees got hit before anything else did, therefore absorbing most of the shock of a 1500 pound car. No big. However, when I was rushed to the hospital, they only ran x-rays. They didn’t think about doing a MRI to see if I had any tissue damage.

Problem: My left knee has been giving me all kinds of ridiculous pains and problems. It gives out on me just about everyday. The pain I experience comes and goes. It’s a burning, stabbing pain that frustrates me. Anyways, because of this pain and major swelling, might I add; I decided to see a doctor about it. I just wanted to make sure that it wasn’t seriously injured or anything. Well, it is. First off, the doctor said that my bones were ‘crooked’, and she referred me to an orthopaedist. I went today, and he said that my bones look fine, but that I might have torn my ACL and MCL (and he kept saying, and maybe your meniscus, too. [It’s the cartiledge in your knee.]) He told me that they were going to set me up with an appointment to get a MRI done. After the MRI, I’m supposed to go back and they’ll analyze the MRI and see what needs to be done. Just today, though, he straight-up told me that the only way a ligament tear is fixable is by reconstructive surgery. He was such an honest doctor, and did warn me that surgery would be anywhere from $10,000 to $20,000. He did add, that if I don’t get it done, it could continue to always give out on me and could cause serious arthritis, and even get worse as the years go by. So, I told him plainly, that I’ll go ahead with the surgery. Yikes!

I’m nervous and anxious more than anything. I’m eighteen years old, and have never had surgery ONCE in my entire life. Plus, I don’t know what to expect… that’s what scares me the most. Hopefully, everything will work itself out. Thanks for all of the support that I’ve been receiving.

Vegan MoFo: Beauty Product Reviews

I’m really excited about these new vegan, cruelty-free, organic beauty products that I’ve found whilst adventuring around in the tiny town of Irmo. I purchased some face wash (Soy Milk & Papaya) and nighttime renewal cream by Full Circle. It’s a really good organic brand. They make all types of products; everything from organic baby food to organic frozen fruit.

The Soy Milk & Papaya face wash is absolutely amazing. I use it every morning. It’s really refreshing and invigorating. It makes your skin feel really soft and radiant. It has a nice foamy texture when lathered.

The Nighttime Renewal Cream is awesome. Both of these products smell really good, which, to me, is an important feature in a beauty product. The cream is really light, yet moisturizing at the same time. It’s also nice to use during the day, not just at night.

These products are wonderful, and I highly recommend everyone to at least try them. They are a bit costly, unless you can find a place that sells organic products for less.

Have a nice one!