Re: I was actually making progress at a year post revision, but have edema & fallen

February 4, 2011

Robin,

I know how scared you must be, but try to hold on to the fact that the implants

are likely to be undisturbed. Look at it this way, after all the bruising is

healed you'll be good as new....and you will have another " first " under your

belt. You will have survived it!

One thought on the edema....this time of year I tend to develop " kanakles " and

for me it is related to not drinking enough water/dehydration. In fact for me,

this last week it has more noticeable which I suspect is due to the fact that it

has been so cold and the heating in the house has been on

constantly....completely drying out the environment. If I happen to eat out and

have a higher sodium day then it just even looks worse. Anyway...I know you are

on several medications, but perhaps you could evaluate if you are drinking

enough and/or if you can try upping your intake and see what happens. Hopefully

the cold will abate soon! Down here, believe it or not, all these storms have

passed as just rain. Amazing what 100 miles will do! Actually my daffodils are

trying to pop up.

Spring is coming...hang on peoples.

Take Care,Cam

February 4, 2011

Robin,

Hang in there, a fall happens, and for me, my spine holds up far better than the rest of me. My knee took the brunt of mine last monday, scrapped and sore, but my back was fine. I think those of us who have had a fall, kinda look at it as okay, we feared that, but got through it. Dr. O'Brien told me that falling wasn't where they saw problems with hardware, but instead with car accidents.

Cam is really right about the water, keep things flushing through your body. I've never been a fan of water, have lived places where the taste bothers me( especially Chicago, it tasted like chlorine), so I add lemon. I need to vastly reduce my diet soda consumption due to a bit of heartburn, and I believe it contributes to my hunger levels. Heaters on, salty food, just adds to my ankles swelling, and it worse when I hot flash a lot. While this is gross, your urine color is always key to knowing if you are getting enough hydration, dark isn't good.

As to spring, I sure hope it gets here soon, we finally made it out of the minus degrees yesterday, now the goal is above freezing. I actually have missed a really good snow storm, we have just had a lot of bone chilling cold, with a dusting of snow. Schools here have been closed a lot, not for snow, but extream cold. I don't want to open my utility bill next month. My hubby flew to Texas for work yesterday, and they have a couple of inches of snow. What a winter!

Hang in there, bumps and scrapes happen, you made it, and progress will continue. Thanks for sharing, your recovery story helps others.

Colorado Springs

On Fri, Feb 4, 2011 at 6:01 AM, cammaltby <cammaltby@...> wrote:

Robin,I know how scared you must be, but try to hold on to the fact that the implants are likely to be undisturbed. Look at it this way, after all the bruising is healed you'll be good as new....and you will have another " first " under your belt. You will have survived it!

One thought on the edema....this time of year I tend to develop " kanakles " and for me it is related to not drinking enough water/dehydration. In fact for me, this last week it has more noticeable which I suspect is due to the fact that it has been so cold and the heating in the house has been on constantly....completely drying out the environment. If I happen to eat out and have a higher sodium day then it just even looks worse. Anyway...I know you are on several medications, but perhaps you could evaluate if you are drinking enough and/or if you can try upping your intake and see what happens. Hopefully the cold will abate soon! Down here, believe it or not, all these storms have passed as just rain. Amazing what 100 miles will do! Actually my daffodils are trying to pop up.

Spring is coming...hang on peoples.Take Care,Cam

February 6, 2011

Thanks for your replies Cam and . I am still sore from my fall last

Saturday morning in my living room. The bruises are fading, though the cut on

my scalp is still quite sore from lying on my back in bed, though it is

uncomfortable lying on either side. The past few days, when I would attempt to

roll onto my side to get out of bed, I experienced intense pain and what felt

like crunching in my SI joint on the side that I would roll to or both sides.

Unrelated to the fall, was my lower extremity edema which has been persistent

since last Friday. I have noticed that my upper body feels dry, and my husband

does like to eat out and I have obliged him of late, so my salt content has

probably been up, My urine is nice and clear, so I know I am not too dry. My

right ankle seems a little better, but my left leg and foot are really swollen

and sore. Also, the lateral aspect of the foot is slightly pink/red and

slightly warm.

My posterior iliac donor scar and sacrum are also quite sore. Being on pain

management maintenance meds and also a registered nurse, sometimes I am really

ill/feel like I am at death's door before I realize that I am ill or that it is

time to see the doctor. Needless to say, I will be camping out at my PCP's

office tomorrow. At the very least, I have developed a cellulitis, probably due

to the compromised circulation from the swelling. The other things I am worried

about are blood clots and infected hardware or tiny bone cracks around the

screws. I am to see Dr Rand on 3/31 for my annual follow up (a little late as

my surgery was January 18). I called his office on Thursday and again on Friday

to request that my x-rays CT scan and appointment get moved up sooner. I also

placed a call to my PCP on Friday. I will be calling both doctors again

tomorrow (today).

The first year of recovery was brutal but I got through it. I hope I am not

going to be a failed revision. I would not want to go through this year again.

It is not a surgery to enter lightly. I sure am in quite a bit of pain in my

foot and my sacrum/low back. Thanks for being here.

Robin

Salem, MA

>

> >

> > Robin,

> >

> > I know how scared you must be, but try to hold on to the fact that the

> > implants are likely to be undisturbed. Look at it this way, after all the

> > bruising is healed you'll be good as new....and you will have another

> > " first " under your belt. You will have survived it!

> >

> > One thought on the edema....this time of year I tend to develop " kanakles "

> > and for me it is related to not drinking enough water/dehydration. In fact

> > for me, this last week it has more noticeable which I suspect is due to the

> > fact that it has been so cold and the heating in the house has been on

> > constantly....completely drying out the environment. If I happen to eat out

> > and have a higher sodium day then it just even looks worse. Anyway...I know

> > you are on several medications, but perhaps you could evaluate if you are

> > drinking enough and/or if you can try upping your intake and see what

> > happens. Hopefully the cold will abate soon! Down here, believe it or not,

> > all these storms have passed as just rain. Amazing what 100 miles will do!

> > Actually my daffodils are trying to pop up.

> >

> > Spring is coming...hang on peoples.

> >

> > Take Care,Cam

> >

>

February 7, 2011

Robin,

Do consult with your doctor right away if you feel you edema is out of the realm

of your " normal " ....obviously anyone that has sudden unexplained swelling,

particulary people who are sedentary, are at risk for DVT. I was just offering

my experiences at this time of year.

And again, if you feel something is not " right " then you should absolutely

follow up, I just worry if you are focusing on the negative, or worst case

scenarios, when there is also the chance that your took a scary fall, but will

be fine when the bruising and cuts heal.

My personal life orientation, (as you no doubt are aware!), is to try to stay

mentally positive. Of course its always possible to come up with catastrophes in

life....but imagining them causes our bodies to experience these thoughts as

real....and all that does is raise cortisol, blood pressure and all kinds of

other nasty immune suppressing responses that work against a healthy self. Our

bodies have an amazing ability to heal. Close your eyes and imagine those cells

at work repairing the damage, growing bone and you will no doubt help your

progress along. And before you open your eyes, think of your happiest place in

life and spend a few minutes there with the people you love. A little mini

" happy vacation " without ever leaving your chair, if you will.

Let us know how things go.

Take Care, Cam

February 9, 2011

Cam, I absolutely understood where you were coming from. No worries, and no

offense taken. Some of what I was experiencing was as you and described.

Of course, no harm in being proactive. I saw my PCP who was not concerned about

cellulitis or a clot (I am still not convinced). He suggested lasix for 7-14

days, depending on how the edema was resolving.

Priscilla from Dr Rand's office rang my phone right as I was going out the door

to see my PCP in Brookline (perfect timing!). She wanted to book me for x-rays

and a CT scan. I was able to have them done that afternoon after seeing Dr

Brodie. I was not able to see Dr Rand until my 3/31 appointment. He was too

booked, so Nicola would call with the results and if necessary, Dr Rand would

see me.

I am on day 3 taking the lasix. My sacrum and hips are still in constant pain -

especially the left, and my lateral thigh, left heel and foot are quite sore.

The edema is still present and hasn't changed significantly. I am still trying

to stay hydrated and am trying to continue to move around.

Yesterday afternoon, I received the news that there were no fractures or

dislocations - that everything was " where it is supposed to be " . Hooray!!!

Nicola said that I was probably going to be sore for a while. Of course, I

didn't think to ask about the fusion - since it was only just beginning to show

evidence of fusing at 8 monthe.

I am still wearing the bone growth generator at 13 months. I thought I was only

supposed to wear it for 9 months. I forgot to ask this as well. Oh well, I

guess I will start a list for my 3/31 appointment. Unless I fall again, I will

not need any more studies before my appointment.

Thank you all for being there!

Robin

>

> Robin,

>

> Do consult with your doctor right away if you feel you edema is out of the

realm of your " normal " ....obviously anyone that has sudden unexplained swelling,

particulary people who are sedentary, are at risk for DVT. I was just offering

my experiences at this time of year.

>

> And again, if you feel something is not " right " then you should absolutely

follow up, I just worry if you are focusing on the negative, or worst case

scenarios, when there is also the chance that your took a scary fall, but will

be fine when the bruising and cuts heal.

>

> My personal life orientation, (as you no doubt are aware!), is to try to stay