Seriously worried about my knee

[RaciePSB]

How's it feeling now? Hopefully you won't have to have too much more done now. Try to think positively hun - there's evidence to suggest this can actually help in a 'placebo effect' kind of way. For example, thinking of the things you're going to do when it doesn't hurt to walk on it, and convincing yourself it's only a matter of time, etc. I'll try to find the link for the online article I read on this, though I'm not sure if athiests get into this new agey stuff.

((hugs)) xo

[GalataPSB]

Hi, Racie!

[lucienchardon]

Hope things improve with your knee real soon Steve. Best wishes!

[StevePSB]

Well, I got answers, but they weren't good ones.

They have told me to go back in four weeks, and if it has cleared up in that time then great. The unfortunate thing about that is that the Doctor worded it as something along the lines of 'if, by some miracle it has cleared up in four weeks', so by his own terminology he made it clear that he doubts it will be. Apparantely, one in three infections washed out in the way mine has been will be OK, so not the best of odds in the first place, what makes it worse in my case is that nearly 4 weeks of antibiotics and it is still unhealed and still leaking. Sounds very much like in four weeks time it won't be fixed.

Now the really, really bad news - As expected, if I go back in four weeks and it hasn't miraculoulsly healed itself then they will have to take the whole prosthesis out, and that is a big operation (it's a good 12" of metal either side of my knee joint), weeks with a straight bit of metal in it's place (ie: no knee at all, which as I discovered in summer is VERY difficult to live with), then another big operation to put it all back in again with serious time to heal. The long and short of it is no work for me until somewhere in the region of May.

Gutted, pissed off, heading for broke and bounding headlong towards depression. I hate my existence right now.


StevePSB

[Postscript]

I'm so sorry, Steve. Try to keep positive and enjoy the good things you have right now. You'll feel better. x

[stussyboy]

It's all too easy for us to say "chin up Steve", "keep your spirits up" etc but not sure what else to say....hopefully you've got family and/or friends around you 'cos that's what gets you through at times like this. I lost a good friend (only 29) from a brain tumour last year, and whenever I'm worried about anything I think what he and his wife went through, and realise how lucky I am.

Thinking of you, mate.

[Blogo]

I hope everything turns out ok in the end.

I hope you get it all sorted out mate.

X

[skyhigh]

That's a pisser mate. Listen to 'Miracles' more and you never know......

[Fugitive1979]

That sucks, Steve.

[psb-freak]

Sorry to hear that. Hope the miracle will happen.

[meiakitty]

Steve I'm so sorry about this. I know it's easy to say but try not to go down depression road. It will only make it worse. Hopefully it will heal soon. Have you been following doctor's orders 100%? Sorry if it's a stupid question and I apologise in advance if it is, but it made me think of my colleague who had a huge prosthesis that went from her hip all the way to her knee and she had to be reoperated cause she did more than she was supposed to and it didn't heal properly. Get plenty of rest, stay close to your loved ones and we're here when you need to talk. Sending you positive thoughts.

[gregf]

Steve,

I have been thinking of you. Here is my suggestion.

Can you get away for a holiday ?
Somewhere sunny for a few weeks.
Can you get sickness/disability pension for a while ?
Get some low stress, gentle sunshine and sea air.

Do not believe positive thinking will cause you to heal. That's dangerous nonsense.
But getting away, leaving your cares behind, somewhere warm will help your
immune system to do the job. Even if it costs a few quid, it may be worth it.

-Greg

[StevePSB]

Thanks again for all the comments and thoughts. I appreciate them all.

Greg, I can't go anywhere for many reasons. Two big ones are that I have no money and that I can't walk for more than a couple of minutes at the moment. Oh, and the antibiotics are making me feel ill (possibly actually making me ill, they're not easy on the liver), so I couldn't appreciate a holiday anyway because I feel quite rough most of the time.

Don't get me wrong, I'd go somewhere if I could, but it isn't practical at the moment. Chances of being able to afford to go anywhere afterwards are slim too given the fact I'm going to be totally broke by then.

Still hoping for the miracle. It seems to be mostly healed up now and isn't leaking, but if the infection is still in there (as the Doctor seemed to think it was) but being kept in check by the antibiotics as soon as I come off them it is going to come back.


StevePSB

[gregf]

Hi Steve,

Okay, at least think about anything to minimise stress.
You may want to consider handing over admin for a longer period, and don't log in to check.
Stay away from the computer, no games and such. Stop any job/thing/person that is a pain.
Anything and everything to ease stress.
Stress lowers immunity.

Staying warm and having a Berocca each day will ease the burden on you immune system as well.
Another reason for no booze is that it can counter anti-biotics.
Although some say this is urban myth. It's on my list to check on that.

Get some sun shine in the mornings to keep the Melatonin cycle okay.
That will help you sleep at night. Don't allow yourself to sleep during the day.

Maybe someone can loan some DVDs to get through. TV series are good cause there's a lot to watch.

And watch a doco on Penguins. They can get anyone laughing.

Cheers,
-Greg.

[StevePSB]

Greg, you are great.

I have to chuckle at one or two suggestions - Sunshine?! In England in January?! You surely jest Sir! Very cold and grey or cold and wet are what we have to put up with until late March in this country! Certainly very little sun, and even if it were to come out it'd still be far too cold to bother - you've got the sun on your side of the world at the moment after all!

I don't drink (rarely, only really on social occasions), so no worries on that score.

If I gave up the computer / PS3 I'd have next to nothing to do at all, and that would be a downer! At the moment I am trying to get a few items up on eBay (hopefully I'll not be in hospital for a while, so I can get them on now) that are cluttering up the place and I keep pecking at GUN on the PC (yes, old I know, but I barely touched it when it came out) and GTA4 on the PS3.

I did take my car out for nearly an hour yesterday which was nice. My leg bends more than enough again now to control the clutch, so I thought 'why not'? It needed it as it hadn't moved since the 11th of December and the battery was very much in need of a run out. I drove about 35 miles, headed nowhere in particular until my leg and back were hurting enough to force me to come home. Back ache? God knows, but I suspect it's down to these antibiotics...

So, I'm trying to keep myself occupied to take my mind off the whole thing, but it is difficult when you have 24/7 to yourself.


StevePSB