Knees Done: Glad It's Over

i'm home.  hoorah. think i found the key to having my knees done.  EARLY ICE!

pretty darn painful; the initial injections were tough this time around. but i'm chok full o' steroids in my knees now.  so at least i know that they'll behave for the next 2 months. oh, and I DID NOT PASS OUT THIS TIME!!!!  hee hee hee. although i did get very pale and sweaty and really cold.

it's a brutal process. i hate it...so glad it's done and over with.

  stinks that it's the only thing that helps.

the AS is flared up too.  don't know how he felt that by prodding my back...but he knew. and my right hand fingers are all swayed to the right; got a bit of derormity.

so yeah, in all..in a severe RA flare.  this too shall pass. lots of rest, can't really take any more prednisone, making me too queezy with nausea.  wish there were some other NSAIDs.  {dang Crohns...Advil would be my nest friend right now}

funny...when he was assessing my legs and knees he asks, "who shaves your legs?"  hah ...must have done a good job. lol. 

all i have to do now is chill.   ice packs on...lots of Tylenol. praying for a good movie to be on tonite.

take care. erin

Now i'm just faced with pain & boredom!  well, i like to use "distraction" as a pain management tool.  cinematherapy i prefer best.

Wow, so you have RA on top of it all too huh?  have you ever had your knees drained and pumped with roids? These darn AI diseases all like to hang out together.

Were you ever on Enbrel or Humira or anything like that?

Yes...downhill! Gravity does all the work. I like it.

 Ciao!

Glad to hear it's over for you Erin!  And, I hope, successful.  I must tell you, the entire process sounds incredibly mind numbing--I'm not sure I could handle it.  We all do what we have to, though.  Hope you recover quickly and the injections start doing their thing.  You have AS?  On top of RA?  On top of CD?  I'm sure you told me that, but that's an awful lot going on.  Go have a few drinks.

Elcamino

Hah, Dave you're great.  Loved your post.  Same with me, these things never occured to me until "bam" you're hit with one and then they find another and another and another. You're a trooper for living with Lupus; one of my MDs is still convinced that Lupus will spring up on me. They thought this initially in 2001. 

I still to this day wear mismatched socks...don't worry.

Thanks Elcamino:  Yeah, the ankylosing spondylitis was like a complimentary gift I suppose. That's like the 1 thing that's been quiet for about 6 months; but I guess I awoke the AS monster last week.  It is awful.  Some spasms are like the equivalent to labor pains. In fact, it is not uncommon for a person to have RA along w/ AS and Crohns or UC.  They all hang in pack.

Hey mama     The steroids fortunateley stay put in the joint. The procedure I had done is directly in the knee joint; so the steroids stay localized in that one place.  They don't go systemic.  So no "roid rage" or jitters.  But alas...I was up till 3:30am still icing the knees.

No good films on last nite. Bummer. Was subjected to watching 4 hours of "Ultimate Coyote Ugly Search". I must say....not that bad.

Knees today are pretty darn good compared to the last 2 times  had this done.  Early ice I think was the trick to keeping the bruising & edema down.

Nice to have a Rx of "R&R"... Ciao!

i hope you get some relief from all this. i wish i could be as brave as you are and then maybe i could get something done for myself. i am in severe denial in my condition

Missie thanx for asking.  when it gets so bad where i can bare any weight on my knee or one of them gives in...i know it's time to bite the bullet & get em' done.

sure...it's hellish; near hit the floor afterwards each time.  but it does stop the throbbing crushing pain in the knee joints for a while.

but i tell ya...i think i'll be walking by tomorrow.  a more graceful shuffle i have tonite. can bend them.  but still need to keep off of them for a few more days.

   ...Ice Ice Baby...

Oh well.  Thought it would pass quicker this time around. But guess not.  Typically for me it takes about 7 days to walk right & not have knee pain from the injections.  I really thought I'de be out & about today.  BUMMER!

 Bright side...my honey's horse is racing in a Stakes Race this afternoon (any racing fans out there?) "JustaWalkinthePark" 

Wish I was there to see em' take 1st (keeping fingers crossed). Go Baby Go!

Yeah so I look pretty ridiculous.  Ice packs on my knees; heat pads on my back.  Big time back spasms this morning. Oh yeah...just for good measure this partial obstruction hasn't passed yet!  12 days NO GO! ugh.  Perhaps if everything gets done and over all at the same time...I'll have a nice  summer. hah!

be well. 

I also have to say, with all that you have going on, you still always remain so positive.  I love it...you are a great inspiration :)

Erin, sorry your knees are still acting up.  I truly hope they start feeling better soon.  My knees don't bother me on a routine basis, but the few times they have flared with the rest of my body, they bothered me immensely.  I'm sure your knees feel the same X 100. 

I didn't realize there was an age requirement for joint replacements?  Why is that?  If a 25 year old has a bad knee, why won't MDs consider giving her/him a replacement?  Do the replacements wear out or something?  Is there a major risk of becoming permanently disabled?  Just curious.

Elcamino