Good News, Bad News

The good news...Army Guy had his farewell lunch today and got a couple of really cool "parting" gifts.
The bad news...Odds are that I'm not going to post pictures of them here because they have his full name on them. One is just very funny to me though but would need so much explanation done for it that I don't think even if I photo shopped his name off I would want to try and explain it.
The good news...Army Guy enjoyed his farewell lunch and is really done having to go into work.
The bad news...That means that there are a million other things that have to get done before his October retirement from the Army.

Great news...Army Guy and I got to go out to the farmer's market and pick up a couple of favorites, and it has been really nice having him home this week.

The good news...I had my follow up with orthopedic surgeon today.
Bad news...He was running an hour and a half behind schedule.
The good news...I don't have a damaged meniscus!
The bad news...I do have a problem with the back of my knee cap, and the option of surgery isn't an option, and I will just continue to have the pain probably forever because he isn't really even sure just what it wrong with the back of the knee cap because he has never seen anything like it before, and neither have several other's he talked to.
The good news...It is in my records that when I want an injection for the pain I can call and set appointment.
The bad news...Getting injections for pain is probably the best that is going to be able to be done.
The good news...The cartilage and ligaments in my knee look really, really good otherwise.

I think the last part about my knee was the doctors way of trying to cheer me up after telling me that I would just have to learn to live and deal with the pain in my knee. Yes I'm very happy to know that my knee looks great inside, now if we could just figure out just what it is with the back of my knee cap that is the problem! I didn't go with an injection today because of not having Army Guy there to drive home if I had needed that, and didn't want to take a chance and find out after the fact. Plus there is the whole thought of the injection in the knee that I really just didn't like. I'm thinking about trying to get back into walking and getting out with my camera and see just how much pain I can take before I give in and make the call for an injection. I was making jokes all day about the fact that I was sure I was going to hear that the meniscus was perfectly fine. I can honestly say that I wasn't even surprised when he said it in the office. The reason I knew I would hear it...any time a doctor says they are sure it is this to a female in my family, it isn't that at all. I really just stayed true to form for the family. However, I think Army Guy and my Mom thought I was being a real smart ass when I told them what the doctor had said, but that is only because they were the one's that I told earlier in the day what I thought.

All in all it has been a very good day. (Okay the never ending pain part is not such a great thing but hey I will learn to deal with it...I hope.) I got to spend another day with my girls being a bit crazy, and time with Army Guy which is a great thing. I hope that everyone had a good day! Now to plan a trip out and see if I can cause some real pain in this knee of mine.

How I spent my summer vacation

Do you remember when you were young and in elementary school and one of the first things that you wrote was about your summer vacation? It was a great easy assignment for that first day back for the teacher to give. Well, if I had to write one this year come the end of summer I think it would be filled with all my trips to see doctors. Considering that before April my last trip was October and my trip before that was more than a couple of years ago, I think I'm doing nicely on making up for lost time in the doctors offices. Wait a second though I should get credit for all the time spent with kids in doctors offices shouldn't I? Oh well, to late to see if that excuse would work.

Anyway, I had my appointment with the orthopedic surgeon today and after I was able to climb back down from the ceiling that he sent me flying through while examining my knee, the final decision is that I get to have surgery. I've torn my meniscus and if I want to be able to do all the things that I should be able to do with my knee, I really need to have this repaired. First step is to wait for Tricare to get me a referal for a MRI to see just what the total damage to the meniscus is, and shortly after that is done I will be sitting down with doctor to discuss what and how this will happen and then the when. I don't think it will be all that long of a process to get from today to having the surgery, or at least that is not how it sounded with doctor this morning. Probably the longest waits will be the referal and then the appointment date for the MRI. Right now I'm pretty willing to bet that come the start of the new school year I will be spending time on cruches and back in a brace after having had surgery. Could prove to be a very interesting start to the new school year. You know the time of year when there is the non stop running of kids here, there, and everywhere! But that is just my guess, and in the coming weeks I'm sure that it will get much clearer on just when. Although I will admit that the idea of not being able to go and do the back to school registration out at the high school would not break my heart. I think Army Guy should have the joy of doing two registration on two different days and losing several hours of his life due to standing in lines that never move just one year at the high school. Alright I'm aware that is a mean thing, but people you really have no idea just what it is like with this school!

So basically this is going to be a summer spent with doctors, on crutches, in a brace, doing a whole heck of a lot of nothing other than bordering on the verge of pulling my hair out because I'm bored! Now that is just some real great fun. I hope that everyone is having a good week so far, and I'll be back tomorrow with another picture from archives.

Monday morning randomness

traitor knee, originally uploaded by torri_g.

Back from the doctor and other errand running for other appointment this week, and I will probably be sitting with my leg up for the next couple of hours. This traitor knee of mine just seems to be enjoying the pain that it can cause me. Anyway, doctor said that I have to keep wearing the immobilizer brace, probably for a lot longer that I would really like to, and I am going to be off to orthopedics to be seen. Based on the exam the thought of either a torn ACL or PCL still stands, and then he tossed in the possibility of a torn meniscus. I can at least put weight on the leg, and can walk for short time periods without use of the crutches. For any amount of walking outside of the house I am to use the crutches for walking with. Oh joy...I just so love those crutches so very much! I am supposed to take the brace off a couple of times a day and try working the knee in a straight out to bend position as long as I do no twisting of the knee and it doesn't cause to much pain, but no walking without the brace except for showers and getting dressed. The fun of this...if there is a fun to this...is that I have to keep wearing the immobilizer brace till orthopedics tells me to no longer wear it, and since I have to wait for the referral to show up in the mail, heaven only knows how long that will be.

In other news Little Bug is starting to feel a little bit better and maybe today she will be able to get through the day without 5 nap times. Although I do need to wake her up to take her medicine which we are no an hour late on, but I was out making the 500 mile trip with the crutches. (Have I mentioned how very much I hate those things?)
I hope that everyone has a good start to the week.

Little Bug & the case of strep throat

Little Bug, originally uploaded by torri_g.

The picture is from a couple of weeks ago, because I'm pretty sure if I were to point my camera in Little Bugs direction right now she very well may beat me with one of my own crutches. Army Guy was off like a flash with Little Bug yesterday morning to the clinics to find out if I was right with my thought of strep throat. Sure enough I was correct, and Little Bug now has a arsenal of medication. Strep throat plus cold equal a very miserable Little Bug! However, hopefully since we have the medications now she will be feeling better soon. I'm hoping that this is all for the family take down with this summer cold stuff. Binky Sue started it and Little Bug kicked it up a notch and that is more than enough already because I don't care to see where Sweetpea takes this to. Oh and I don't want my visiting girl (who we are working on a nick name for) to get sick while staying with us.

Speaking of all my girls, I need to mention what great help they have been since Tuesday night. They have taken over the cooking, and cleaning. Heck they have even taken on the giving of lectures. Most of the lectures are being given to me about taking it easy, and "just where are your crutches Mommy?" and "Why didn't you call one of us to help you?" I have to admit that they are very good with the lectures though. They really must have been paying attention all these years.
I have follow up on Monday for my knee and then there will be some other errand running for another appointment later in the week. I hope Army guy doesn't get tired of having to drive me all over the place.

Well now with all of the major distraction from Binky Sue and Mimi or Jojo and Mojo the bad little monkeys (which is what they are going to be called for now). I'm going to say that I hope that everyone has a great Saturday and enjoys a day filled with laughter surrounded with those you care about the most.

Stopping me in my tracks

Well, I really did it with my knee. By 7:00 last night Army Guy had me in the local ER because after trying to put on a shoe and hearing three loud pops, the pain ripping through my knee and entire leg was a definate 10 plus. I'm on crutches now and not supposed to put any weight on the leg for at least two weeks. I'm supposed to get in with my PCM and probably over with ortho and see if they want an MRI done of the knee. Based on look and I think the look of pain on my face every time they touched the leg to move it, the doctor was sure that I have torn ligaments. Now the needing an appointment and MRI done is to see if it is the ACL and or the PCL and just how much damage I did.

My basic thoughts after last night are that slip on shoes are the way to go from now on. The little x-ray gal at the hospital is evil. I had two of the very best nurses ever! That the doctor that saw me was very kind with her perscription of pain killers for me. Oh and when sleeping in the recliner becomes the best option for causing the least amount of pain...you know that you did a dandy of a job with your injury.
Anyway, I hope that everyone has a good day.