Between my regular lecture time, orientation at the two clinical sites, plus a special lab session I calculate I spent about 16 hours on my but last week for nursing school. The problem with this is that I did not spend enough time with my knee stretched out, so it got swollen and sore. Ugh. Will have to do better this week. Though I have a feeling that though I know I can probably take 2-4 hours off that time, I'll still be spending a lot of time sitting.
More later on this week.
Sunday, August 26, 2007
Friday, July 27, 2007
Tips dealing with Knee Surgery
I'm writing this post about the tips I've come up with dealing with ACL surgery. I've read a bit beforehand, have my own ideas about what helps.
- Working out before surgery really helps. I had about 2 months before surgery and spent some time walking, weight lifting and on a stationary bike. Though I was miserable, because my knee was unstable, the extra time really helped. I noticed the first couple of days that the extra strength helped me get around.
- Find a surgeon who believes in putting weight on your leg right after surgery. I get the impression that some don't. But I never would have gotten around on crutches without putting some weight on the bad leg. I was on one crutch by the third day post surgery and could get around without a cane or crutch a couple of days afterwards.
- Use a cane. And get one with a flat head. I was a little stubborn after I got the brace off and tried to get around with one all the time. But my pain was easier to deal with when standing around and walking when I had a cane to put some of my weight on.
- Ice is good. Those ice paks that you put in the freezer are better. Get at least two big ones. Though I didn't use the ice pak much until after I had the brace off.
- Too much ice is not good. Be careful of leaky bags. Also now that I'm more mobile ice can make my knee too stiff.
- Trigger point therapy is a good idea. I just got a book from the library about it. The symptoms for the sartorious muscle pain are exactly my symptoms - pain in the front of my knee that does not feel like regular myofascial pain and numbness in my thigh. It makes sense since it was that muscle that was moved around to get to my hamstring. Just massaging the points in my thigh and also in calf has helped.
Surgery - Done!
So I'm finally posting about my surgery. I've been fuzzy headed since then for a week with the pain killers and since then with the pain. I'll be a lot more understanding about the pain they are in.
It's funny how just having the surgery has renewed my interest in nursing. I was worn out after last semester, and had not been looking forward to this Fall.
And I can attribute my interest to the kind nurses at the hospital I was at. I admit I might have been distracted, because I was not only thinking about myself, but also about what they were up to. I had to look at the IV to see how they set it up. Which reminds me that I have a question. When I woke up they had a bag of Lactated Ringers instead of normal saline. I was wondering why they used that. I would think it would be more expensive. I don't think I've seen someone with LR during my clinicals.
Comparing this operation to my other two, I found this a much better experience. When I woke up I was not as groggy as my first operation on my wrist. I remember being so groggy I practically pushed myself out of the hospital to get home so I could sleep. The second time to take out my gallbladder I was nauseous afterwards. And I had more difficulty with my asthma acting up. I also think that abdominal pain is harder to deal with then knee or wrist pain. (In fact the first surgery, what bothered me most was my hip - where they took a bone graft from.)
I was impressed with the anesthesiologist. Not only did we talk about my previous experience with anesthesia, he explained to me what he was going to do - that he was going to give me something via IV to make me sleepy and O2. (The last thing I remember was him applying the mask.) He did a femoral block and warned me about the numbness afterward. I think that really helped with the pain. Before the block wore off the only pain I had was behind my knee. Though since then, my main problem with pain has been in front. And no asthma problems or nausea. Though I do remember the nurse in PACU giving report to the nurse in ambulatory care that I had some sinus tachycardia.
I can't wait to see surgery done. I want to know what happens after I fell asleep. And since I'm blind without my glasses, I also have not really even seen an OR.
It's funny how just having the surgery has renewed my interest in nursing. I was worn out after last semester, and had not been looking forward to this Fall.
And I can attribute my interest to the kind nurses at the hospital I was at. I admit I might have been distracted, because I was not only thinking about myself, but also about what they were up to. I had to look at the IV to see how they set it up. Which reminds me that I have a question. When I woke up they had a bag of Lactated Ringers instead of normal saline. I was wondering why they used that. I would think it would be more expensive. I don't think I've seen someone with LR during my clinicals.
Comparing this operation to my other two, I found this a much better experience. When I woke up I was not as groggy as my first operation on my wrist. I remember being so groggy I practically pushed myself out of the hospital to get home so I could sleep. The second time to take out my gallbladder I was nauseous afterwards. And I had more difficulty with my asthma acting up. I also think that abdominal pain is harder to deal with then knee or wrist pain. (In fact the first surgery, what bothered me most was my hip - where they took a bone graft from.)
I was impressed with the anesthesiologist. Not only did we talk about my previous experience with anesthesia, he explained to me what he was going to do - that he was going to give me something via IV to make me sleepy and O2. (The last thing I remember was him applying the mask.) He did a femoral block and warned me about the numbness afterward. I think that really helped with the pain. Before the block wore off the only pain I had was behind my knee. Though since then, my main problem with pain has been in front. And no asthma problems or nausea. Though I do remember the nurse in PACU giving report to the nurse in ambulatory care that I had some sinus tachycardia.
I can't wait to see surgery done. I want to know what happens after I fell asleep. And since I'm blind without my glasses, I also have not really even seen an OR.
Saturday, May 26, 2007
Catch up on last semester
So I thought I'd write on the best and worst of last semester.
Lets start with the worst (in no particular order):
1. Doing badly on the first patho test & the final. I got a B. I would be fine with this if my mother wasn't so obsessed with A's.
2. Tearing my ACL. It interfered with things like clinicals. That first clinical back was bad. My patient that week had a bed alarm. So I was often walking really fast to get to him. That must have looked funny. I was lucky that the week I tore my ACL was a holiday, so there were no clinicals.
3. Paperwork and nursing care plans. It's crazy. I'm still having a hard time remembering I need to write with verbs and stuff when I'm not writing for class. Paperwork just seemed to go on and on and I know it'll get worst with every semester.
And now the good stuff:
1. Getting an A in fundamentals. Any A felt good.
2. Getting a 98% on that one test in patho.
3. Getting an A on the critical reasoning paper. This was our first big care plan/case study/paper that we had to write. It didn't help that the patient I wrote about was not the easiest. You would think that would make it easier to write about, but not when your patient is confused and you need info from him for the paper.
4. Clinicals in general. I loved them. I liked doing new skills and seeing new things. I also felt really good when I was able to connect to my patient and talk to them.
5. Being able to say that I now have only 2 more years of nursing school.
I have to admit that I'm already getting bored with break and having nothing to study. But I was inspired wonderfully going to the "recognition" or pinning ceremony to help out as an usher. Only two more years and I'll be there. I was disappointed that they did not do the actual pinning. Apparently it was hard to find a place to pin people at last semesters ceremony, so they went with the lei presentation. I can't wait.
Lets start with the worst (in no particular order):
1. Doing badly on the first patho test & the final. I got a B. I would be fine with this if my mother wasn't so obsessed with A's.
2. Tearing my ACL. It interfered with things like clinicals. That first clinical back was bad. My patient that week had a bed alarm. So I was often walking really fast to get to him. That must have looked funny. I was lucky that the week I tore my ACL was a holiday, so there were no clinicals.
3. Paperwork and nursing care plans. It's crazy. I'm still having a hard time remembering I need to write with verbs and stuff when I'm not writing for class. Paperwork just seemed to go on and on and I know it'll get worst with every semester.
And now the good stuff:
1. Getting an A in fundamentals. Any A felt good.
2. Getting a 98% on that one test in patho.
3. Getting an A on the critical reasoning paper. This was our first big care plan/case study/paper that we had to write. It didn't help that the patient I wrote about was not the easiest. You would think that would make it easier to write about, but not when your patient is confused and you need info from him for the paper.
4. Clinicals in general. I loved them. I liked doing new skills and seeing new things. I also felt really good when I was able to connect to my patient and talk to them.
5. Being able to say that I now have only 2 more years of nursing school.
I have to admit that I'm already getting bored with break and having nothing to study. But I was inspired wonderfully going to the "recognition" or pinning ceremony to help out as an usher. Only two more years and I'll be there. I was disappointed that they did not do the actual pinning. Apparently it was hard to find a place to pin people at last semesters ceremony, so they went with the lei presentation. I can't wait.
Friday, May 11, 2007
Do you like Discworld too?
 | You scored as Carrot Ironfounderson. You are Captain Carrot Ironfounderson of the City Watch in the greatest city on the Disc – Ankh-Morprok! A truly good natured, honest guy, who knows everyone, and is liked by all. Technically a dwarf, but only by adoption. You’d rather not be reminded that you are the true heir to the throne, but that does explain why people naturally follow your orders…
Which Discworld Character are you like (with pics) created with QuizFarm.com |
Tuesday, May 08, 2007
Update on Knee
So I've been bad and haven't written at all. I was just very busy and then very brain dead.
I'm trying to decide if I want surgery on my knee. I can even write this up like I was giving report.
Pt tore lt ACL 1 month ago. MRI confirmed diagnosis. Pt developed allergy to Celebrex & Aleve. Has regained 90% of ROM. Current exercising 2-3x week and walking 20 min/day. Pain currently rated as 4-5/10. Pt states pain usually occurs in the morning on waking and when "overuses" or "injures" knee. Pt describes" sliding" movement in knee and medial joint line pain. Takes 1-2 tab of Tylenol when pain rated over 6/10. Uses "white flower" and ice to relieve pain.
Ok, that wasn't perfect, but I'm learning to write "medicalese." But you get the idea.
So my main problem right now is that sliding thing my knee does and that joint line pain. Basically the joint line pain is probably torn cartilage, but the sliding is definitely from the torn ACL. My MD says that I will probably adapt and learn to avoid movements that cause pain. However, my knee will continue to be unstable. I can choose to have the surgery, but have to be absolutely willing to do a lot of rehab afterward. I'm thinking seriously about it.
And have you ever noticed that there are a lot of exercise machines that you have to get off on the left side? Even when I can get off on the right, it's sometimes easier to get off on the left. Sigh.
I'm trying to decide if I want surgery on my knee. I can even write this up like I was giving report.
Pt tore lt ACL 1 month ago. MRI confirmed diagnosis. Pt developed allergy to Celebrex & Aleve. Has regained 90% of ROM. Current exercising 2-3x week and walking 20 min/day. Pain currently rated as 4-5/10. Pt states pain usually occurs in the morning on waking and when "overuses" or "injures" knee. Pt describes" sliding" movement in knee and medial joint line pain. Takes 1-2 tab of Tylenol when pain rated over 6/10. Uses "white flower" and ice to relieve pain.
Ok, that wasn't perfect, but I'm learning to write "medicalese." But you get the idea.
So my main problem right now is that sliding thing my knee does and that joint line pain. Basically the joint line pain is probably torn cartilage, but the sliding is definitely from the torn ACL. My MD says that I will probably adapt and learn to avoid movements that cause pain. However, my knee will continue to be unstable. I can choose to have the surgery, but have to be absolutely willing to do a lot of rehab afterward. I'm thinking seriously about it.
And have you ever noticed that there are a lot of exercise machines that you have to get off on the left side? Even when I can get off on the right, it's sometimes easier to get off on the left. Sigh.
Tuesday, April 03, 2007
And then I head something pop
So I was coming back from the bathroom during a break in class. For at least the second time I twisted my ankle and fell down. This time I twisted my knee and I heard something popped. I spent about 5 minutes in extreme pain. It doesn't help when someone asks if you can move your leg and you can't even contemplate moving your hand. Argh! So it felt ok after the initial pain went away, but started to get worse once I got myself home. Luckily my Dad had the car, so he took me to our friendly orthopedic surgeon. We're lucky to have one that is a family friend. He said I probably have torn my ACL. But since I'm not into sports (not even vaguely) I don't need surgery. But I am having a MRI on Thursday to check out my injury. That will be exciting.
Now I just hurt and am limping around with crutches. May I just say those are hard to use. And thanks to them I have discovered that I did really tweak my other ankle. Luckily no clinicals this week so I have some time to heal. And I'm never going up those stairs again. I don't know how I'll get to the bathroom, but I'll think of something.
Now I just hurt and am limping around with crutches. May I just say those are hard to use. And thanks to them I have discovered that I did really tweak my other ankle. Luckily no clinicals this week so I have some time to heal. And I'm never going up those stairs again. I don't know how I'll get to the bathroom, but I'll think of something.
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
I'm back
So I haven't been blogging. I like to think I have a good excuse, but mostly I've just been sick.
I've also been busy with school. Started clinicals 4 weeks ago. That keeps me busy. We have a fair amount of paperwork to do, but I think I'm stressing less then some of my classmates. It helps that we're not being graded, but clinicals is a pass/fail class. I do spend a lot of time working on the patho part. Though it helps that 3/4 pts have had cancer as their main diagnosis.
Clinicals are fun, but sometimes boring. The thing is that we're limited in what we can do. I'm enjoying having pts and learning new things. I realize that as I'm typing this I keep on wanting to abbreviate everything. And I feel funny adding all the verbs in. It goes to show that all the writing I've been doing lately is for clinicals.
I did much better on the last round of tests. It just generally improves my mood. Though I barely passed the medication calculation test. Ugh. I'll work on that.
Not the greatest post, but I just wanted to update the blog.
I've also been busy with school. Started clinicals 4 weeks ago. That keeps me busy. We have a fair amount of paperwork to do, but I think I'm stressing less then some of my classmates. It helps that we're not being graded, but clinicals is a pass/fail class. I do spend a lot of time working on the patho part. Though it helps that 3/4 pts have had cancer as their main diagnosis.
Clinicals are fun, but sometimes boring. The thing is that we're limited in what we can do. I'm enjoying having pts and learning new things. I realize that as I'm typing this I keep on wanting to abbreviate everything. And I feel funny adding all the verbs in. It goes to show that all the writing I've been doing lately is for clinicals.
I did much better on the last round of tests. It just generally improves my mood. Though I barely passed the medication calculation test. Ugh. I'll work on that.
Not the greatest post, but I just wanted to update the blog.
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