The Chemical Experiment That Is My Life... a new hope.

After consulting with a doctor who knows me, knows my history, even down to my eating and exercise habits, after a blood test to see if I was diabetic (I'm not. BGLs are perfect), I have finally been diagnosed with "Acute metabolic disorder". 

The new chemical in my life is "Ozempic".  A once a week injection. Needle is ultra fine, don't even feel it going in. Stings a bit 15 minutes later, but no biggie.

The only downside of this is Medicare/PBS (Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme to my U.S. friends) doesn't cover Ozempic unless you're a diabetic.  Private health cover does cover it, but only up to X amount of dollars a year.  I shall be grateful for small favors.

And so it continues

Even though it's been 16 months since I had the total knee replacement, I have been having chronic, sometimes jacking up to sharp, pain on the side of my shin, that would run down to the top and side of my foot.

Today, I had the muscle pressure test done.  I have to say, it was not what I would call a pleasant experience, whatsoever!

Normal muscle pressure is between 5 and 10.

But since when is anything normal about me?  Mine; 35 and 42.

I see my OS next Tuesday... probably for a surgical appointment to be made.

I am medically tired.  Spinal fusion, followed by gall bladder removal, followed by large ruptured cyst on my back, followed by knee injury, followed by total knee replacement, followed by car accident injuries, followed by pneumonia, followed by seizures. 

My name isn't Job, but am beginning to understand what he went through.

Just finished up home visit from Neurocare services

 

We now have a proper name for what is wrong: Functional Neurological Disorder.  It's not all in my head, I'm not making it up.

FDN is as common as MS and Parkinson's with similar levels of disability and impairments with quality of life, but they don't involve the brain.  FND with me presents with: weakness, sensory changes, movement disorders, seizures, gait and balance difficulties, chronic pain, sleep disturbances.

To put it bluntly, I'm a mess.  But a fixable mess. After giving her the traumatic/stress filled* events I've had just in the past 5 years alone, it's a wonder my body didn't rebel earlier.

Having to be brutally honest about things goes against how I was raised.  It was "If asked, don't tell".  No joke.  To discuss thing that I had kept deliberately buried, had me in tears. Not of shame of what happened, but shame for TELLING someone.  Go figure!

 

*those in the know know what a shit storm it's been.

Noticeable RE-recovery

7+ months total knee replacement post op, and 2 months after the car accident where my knees impacted on the dashboard.  The swelling is just about gone, and  pivoting or walking sideways, the left knee doesn't make me come to a screeching halt, gasping in pain.

I would say I'm back to where I was 6 months post op. Only taking the anti-inflammatory in the morning, and occasional OTC strength paracetamol/ibuprofen if needed (aka I over did it).  Still have the prescription strength, but just going to shelve those.

Now, I just have to make sure that just because I feel better, that I don't over do it.  I would rather take a bit of care now, and not have another setback.

I find it so shocking at how people in the U.S. are given pain management medication for just a few weeks, 4 if they're lucky.  Why won't the doctors prescribe the kind that can't be used to get stoned?  No withdrawal when I stopped taking them after 3 months. 

*insert a string of very naughty words here*

My right knee doesn't just have a meniscus tear. The meniscus is shredded. I also have bone on bone grinding going on.  Dr S was impressed that I was well versed in family medical history, and that I was getting around with only OTC ibuprofen, and paracetamol with low dose of codeine.

He told me that I will be facing knee replacement surgery.  Not right now, as it would take me up to 6 months to recover, and we have non-refundable plans in June.  And as the left knee is showing some signs of arthritis, chances are sometime down the road that one will be necessary to have replaced, too. 

Physio said that all the ligaments and tendons are in fantastic shape, so it's just the knee joint itself.  He ultra sounded my knee, and it turns out the swelling in it is caused by blood pooling up from the injury. Hooked up to electro-therapy to break it up, and reduce swelling.

So, current plan of action:  fitted hinged knee brace. A course of muscle strengthening exercises for the quads.  see physio again in 2 weeks.

Anti-noninflammatory meds for a month.  Check to see if that helps.  There is something called "SYNVISC".  It's injected directly into the affected joint, and if it works (80% success rate) it will withing 3 to 8 weeks give me me 50% relief, forestalling the knee surgery.

But it's so freaking expensive, either way.

On an aside, Dr S was rather impressed that with the level of .. umm.. discomfort, I stayed as active as I did. 

Another 6 Week Post-Op check up

Had to go back early because of the dressing springing a 'leak' from people poking, patting or pushing on it. (It's that cosmic rule, if any part of your body is hurt or injured, it becomes a magnet for being touched or poked)

It was 'fixed' on Tuesday, but had to go back today. Fun part! Dressing removed, wound cleaned of 'uses' solugel/intrasite gel, waited for Dr H to come take a peek.  It's still healing, but there was a bit more granulation than the doctors liked. *sigh*  Wound debrided, rinsed with sterile saline, gel daubed back into it, waterproof dressing reapplied.

Ok, wound is still about the size of an almond, but only 2mm deep now.  I am getting a bit rashy under the dressing, but I get that with all bandaging. Skin is a bit sensitive to the adhesive.  Don't care, told the nurse, I would rather deal with a bit of itch, than another dressing leakage.  Anyhow, I can't reach there to scratch. :D Go back in another week for another dressing change and assessment. 

I'm just waiting for the day we can 'allow' it to scab over and use a regular bandaid on it.

Wound care, week 6, it sprung a leak!

Told nurse what happened, and what Wing did at home with what we had, then going to pharmacy, getting post op bandages, and 'patching it'.

I Lifted shirt and she chuckled "That's one leak that will never happen again!" (he had over done the bandaging but I sort of knew that)

So, she took em all off (wince ouch wince ouch) cleaned Instracite gel (cold cold cold sterile saline, make funny ouchie face). Doc H took a look, said it took no harm from the leak, and to just COAT the wound, not fill, with some more gel, put clear patch/bandage over it and come back Friday.

The Nurse stopped by Wing and told him if she ever needed another nurse, she would be calling on him, because he did that good of a job of patching the dressing. :D

5 Weeks down.. about the same to go, I think

Had surgical wound checked by Dr A with Dr H in attendance. It's a bit redder than expected, and not quite as healed up as Dr A expected. Then I fessed up about someone grabbing me by the shoulder (yes, that one) then hugging me around it, and then Wing patting it dry twice (one would think after the first time I yelped, he wouldn't have done it again, right?)

It's a little less deep, but red, no sign of infection. Photo taken for comparison and to keep track of healing progress.  Again, not posting them as they might make those of a more delicate nature ill or faint.  Cleaned (much wincing and face making to not make noise) redressed with the gel, and with a stretchier waterproof bandage over it.  Go back in a week for re-examination.

Well, good news and bad-ish news.

Wound has healed/filled in to depth of 6 to 8mm. Hole diameter still the same. It's been re bandaged, and I go back in a week.

Told Dr. A about up coming Whale watching, and how I needed to wear bra properly. Wound dressing has extra of a slightly stronger fabric bandage, waterproof layer and I have a pad to out under bra strap on the day to prevent chafing or rubbing.

Not quite 2 full weeks

That would be this coming Friday.

That would be this coming Friday.

The hole over my scapula is healing nicely.  The surgical wound was at the beginning 4x2cms, 3cms deep.  It is now a hair over 2cm diameter end to end, and about 1cm deep.  I have been taking photos to track the healing progress.

The use of the Solugel in the open wound was so much less painful than using gauze mesh (which could and did stick to the sides of the wound, and hurt like hell when removed) and has allowed the area to heal from the bottom then up, rather like a zipper closing. 

Both the doctors and nurse said my use of a sling, although my arm wasn't sore, probably helped with the healing. To put this delicately.. the cyst developed under bra shoulder strap. Well, can't use said shoulder strap, so with the sling, my left breast didn't bounce and pull at the muscles and skin.  "Poor Woman's Bra"?    Regardless, the medicos said it helped.

It seems that Dr. A using the Solugel was a novel approach, but all the other doctors were impressed at how helpful it was to the healing. Keeping scarring down, and not leaving a depression as the body knits everything back in place, and it might become standard treatment method for things such as mine.  Hully gee... I'm a test case study! :D