I've had little time for blogging lately and I have to admit, I am experiencing a bit of writers block. Work is nuts and by the time I have any time off, the last thing I want to do is log onto my computer at home. I also haven't exercised much since my appointment a few weeks ago with Dr. Dye. To be honest, I've barely thought about it! Isn't that terrible? When I have even a small about of downtime, I sleep. ;) Once I get through the next two weeks and stop burning the candle at both ends, I hope to get back to some sense of normalcy.
At that point I'll come up with a limited exercise routine (hey, I need to be doing something!) through the end of the year and will also consider my next steps moving forward towards a decision about knee surgery. I'm waiting for a return call from Dr. Dye's office detailing my expected costs on the knee scope. Then I will have all the information and can make a plan.
Right now I'm on press in Minneapolis printing a BIG holiday sale program. It's chilly here... I hear it's beautiful in San Francisco, but it's nice to see the turning leaves in the Midwest. Bye now!
Monday, October 27, 2008
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Fun at Work
I decided I had to post this photo I snapped at work on Tuesday. Our department is very hectic these days involved in full-swing production for Holiday marketing. We have certainly have all been in need for some humor and a break from the craziness.
Our comic relief came as my colleague Tom received a special delivery on Tuesday morning. Old Navy is throwing Freaky Fun Day, an In-store Halloween event this weekend. Tom has been working very hard on this program with the promo team. A few weeks back, Tom learned that several of the boxes of M & M candies he ordered to ship to stores for the event had been involved in a minor accident. Several boxes were damaged, but the goods inside were not. Tom could not ship the damaged boxes to the stores so he had them sent to him at the Corporate office. Tom arrived on Tuesday morning to find 7 big boxes of "Fun Size" M & M's piled by his desk. We may all be adults here, but based on the reaction to seeing big boxes of candy to indulge in, you would think we won the lottery! Woo hoo! Tom decided to keep one box for our team to enjoy, but will be donating the rest to the local food bank.
A little office humor
Our comic relief came as my colleague Tom received a special delivery on Tuesday morning. Old Navy is throwing Freaky Fun Day, an In-store Halloween event this weekend. Tom has been working very hard on this program with the promo team. A few weeks back, Tom learned that several of the boxes of M & M candies he ordered to ship to stores for the event had been involved in a minor accident. Several boxes were damaged, but the goods inside were not. Tom could not ship the damaged boxes to the stores so he had them sent to him at the Corporate office. Tom arrived on Tuesday morning to find 7 big boxes of "Fun Size" M & M's piled by his desk. We may all be adults here, but based on the reaction to seeing big boxes of candy to indulge in, you would think we won the lottery! Woo hoo! Tom decided to keep one box for our team to enjoy, but will be donating the rest to the local food bank.
A little office humorWednesday, October 15, 2008
Thursday, October 9, 2008
What is...
... Synovitis?
Synovitis in the most common case of pain and swelling in the knee. The synovial cells line the inside of the knee joint and make the lubrication fluid (synovial fluid) for the knee - which functions as a living biologic transmission. The synovium is the thin tissue that is made up of these synovial cell. This tissue is at a very high population just behind the patella (knee cap) and happens to be full of sensory nerves. This tissue is easily pinched with activities that load the patellofemoral joint such as climbing up or down stairs, hills, or incline, and with getting in and out of a chair, squatting or kneeling. This is just like biting the inside of one's cheek. It can cause sharp (and dull) pain and can persist because the previously thin tissue swells and more cells are replicated leading to a situation of increased vulnerability of these newly swollen tissues to re-impingement along with the symptoms of continued pain and swelling.
a Synovectomy?
The synovectomy procedure is designed to carefully remove the abnormally swollen and inflamed tissue from the inside of the knee joint. When this is done, it leaves a "raw" surface inside the knee that must re-populate with new cells that will hopefully be less painful and eventually allow greater knee function (i.e. an expansion of the Envelope of Function).
Synovitis in the most common case of pain and swelling in the knee. The synovial cells line the inside of the knee joint and make the lubrication fluid (synovial fluid) for the knee - which functions as a living biologic transmission. The synovium is the thin tissue that is made up of these synovial cell. This tissue is at a very high population just behind the patella (knee cap) and happens to be full of sensory nerves. This tissue is easily pinched with activities that load the patellofemoral joint such as climbing up or down stairs, hills, or incline, and with getting in and out of a chair, squatting or kneeling. This is just like biting the inside of one's cheek. It can cause sharp (and dull) pain and can persist because the previously thin tissue swells and more cells are replicated leading to a situation of increased vulnerability of these newly swollen tissues to re-impingement along with the symptoms of continued pain and swelling.
a Synovectomy?
The synovectomy procedure is designed to carefully remove the abnormally swollen and inflamed tissue from the inside of the knee joint. When this is done, it leaves a "raw" surface inside the knee that must re-populate with new cells that will hopefully be less painful and eventually allow greater knee function (i.e. an expansion of the Envelope of Function).
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
It's Decision Time Again
I'm still processing my morning follow-up appointment with Dr. Dye. Again, I tried hard to not set any expectations. My guess was that he would have some additional treatments to attempt before considering anything more invasive. Maybe a cortisone shot or draining the fluid in my knee? I wasn't sure if these were options, but I figured something along these lines could come up. Dr. Dye walked into the exam room and asked me, "So, how is your knee?" I said, "The same as usual." He sighed and said, "Well, it was worth a try." He immediately launched into what he would need to do next to help me. Arthroscopic surgery for a synovectomy. Really? Wow. It was a little surreal to listen to him tell me about the surgery. I didn't think I would be hearing this so soon, but at the same time, Dr. Dye doesn't seem to one to waste a moment. Here are several things I have been thinking about today since my appointment:
1) I feel a little like I've wasted the last 14 months. It looks like I chose the wrong doctor over a year ago. Not that I didn't think Dr. Anderson was the best for me at the time, I had already seen 3 other doctors previous to her! She came highly recommended and seemed to do the most for me, even cared for me and my well being more than anyone else. Two of the other doctors I saw were so rude and condescending. Still, I also realize (as many people have told me) sometimes it takes a long time to find the doctor that can really solve your problem. It's a long process and hopefully one doctor does not make the problem worse before you find another that can really help. Dr. Anderson didn't make my knee worse, it just didn't get better.
2) Dr. Dye said after the synovectomy, I need to expect a year and half before I'm back to regular activity and exercise. Dr. Anderson and my past physical therapists said I could be back to running 3 to 4 months after the scope, which didn't turn out to be true in any way. If anything, they probably pushed me to fast into exercises that caused too much load on my knee. Dr. Dye said he requires a much slower healing time and does not allow his patients to jump back into their old activities too soon.
3) I'm not sure if I even have a choice here. As I have recently learned, Synovitis is not a benign condition. The inflammation in my knee does not seem as if it will dissipate on it's own. I understand that over time if I leave the inflammation where it is, it will eventually start to break down the cartilage in my knee. That is bad. As I'm sitting here writing this post, I can feel the familiar burning sensation inside my knee. It would be more healthy and much more comfortable for that to finally be gone.
Those things said, I haven't made a final decision and am planning to let this information settle in for a few days. I'm going to call Dr. Dye's assistant who should be able to tell me how much this surgery will cost. Not that money should be a part of my decision (my health is most important), but I need to know what I may need to plan to save over the next few months if I choose the surgery route again. Unfortunately, Dr. Dye is an out-of-network doctor for me, but the hospital fees will be covered by my insurance. Dr. Dye said he requires his patients to stay one night in the hospital after the scope. That way he can monitor the first critical 24 hours of healing much more carefully than if he sent a patient home. Interesting... I've only been in the hospital for outpatient procedures, usually less than 12 hours. Hospital food, anyone?
1) I feel a little like I've wasted the last 14 months. It looks like I chose the wrong doctor over a year ago. Not that I didn't think Dr. Anderson was the best for me at the time, I had already seen 3 other doctors previous to her! She came highly recommended and seemed to do the most for me, even cared for me and my well being more than anyone else. Two of the other doctors I saw were so rude and condescending. Still, I also realize (as many people have told me) sometimes it takes a long time to find the doctor that can really solve your problem. It's a long process and hopefully one doctor does not make the problem worse before you find another that can really help. Dr. Anderson didn't make my knee worse, it just didn't get better.
2) Dr. Dye said after the synovectomy, I need to expect a year and half before I'm back to regular activity and exercise. Dr. Anderson and my past physical therapists said I could be back to running 3 to 4 months after the scope, which didn't turn out to be true in any way. If anything, they probably pushed me to fast into exercises that caused too much load on my knee. Dr. Dye said he requires a much slower healing time and does not allow his patients to jump back into their old activities too soon.
3) I'm not sure if I even have a choice here. As I have recently learned, Synovitis is not a benign condition. The inflammation in my knee does not seem as if it will dissipate on it's own. I understand that over time if I leave the inflammation where it is, it will eventually start to break down the cartilage in my knee. That is bad. As I'm sitting here writing this post, I can feel the familiar burning sensation inside my knee. It would be more healthy and much more comfortable for that to finally be gone.
Those things said, I haven't made a final decision and am planning to let this information settle in for a few days. I'm going to call Dr. Dye's assistant who should be able to tell me how much this surgery will cost. Not that money should be a part of my decision (my health is most important), but I need to know what I may need to plan to save over the next few months if I choose the surgery route again. Unfortunately, Dr. Dye is an out-of-network doctor for me, but the hospital fees will be covered by my insurance. Dr. Dye said he requires his patients to stay one night in the hospital after the scope. That way he can monitor the first critical 24 hours of healing much more carefully than if he sent a patient home. Interesting... I've only been in the hospital for outpatient procedures, usually less than 12 hours. Hospital food, anyone?
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