the good, the bad, and the ugly

This post is not for the faint of heart.  If you are not ready to see some real brusing, I would consider closing your browser window now.  I promise, all I show is my ugly leg covered with brusing.  Nothing else gross. 

The Good:

-I go to the orthopedic in the morning.

-I got more drugs for the pain.  This time it is a higher dose that I can take more frequently.  Thank you PCP.

-Rollover minutes on the cell phone

-I can walk with one crutch around the house.

-The swelling has decreased slightly, as you can see in the last picture (which I contribute to my finally resting my knee consistently)

The Bad:

-I am growing very bored of sitting around doing absolutely nothing all day.

-I have used way way way too many minutes on my cell phone.

-The bruising is looking worse each day still.

-When my PCP walked into the room, both he and his med student said "wow" when they saw my leg.  Never a good sign.

-My PCP thinks I am most likely getting surgery.

The Ugly:

more and more and more

Hard to see, but the bruising now extends to the outer side of my knee.

The bruising from above.

Closer up of the bruising.  Getting more and more colorful.  And it is now extends to mid calf and to both sides of the knee.

Evidence that today I bent my knee.  I am pretty sure that tomorrow (or later tonight) I am going to seriously regret this.

Colors of the rainbow

This is my knee today.  The bruising is getting more colorful, which is kind of pretty...right?

ER

I do not like dancing.  This is something that I have not enjoyed doing, well, pretty much ever.  Last night I decided to step out of my comfort zone and go country dancing with some friends.  I was just going to have a good attitude and be a good sport.  I drove downtown, payed $4 and started dancing.  At the beginning they have a lesson to benefit all of the people like myself that do not regularly (or ever) country dance.  Maybe 15 or 20 minutes into the lesson I injured myself.  I am not sure what move we were doing, but it involved a drop, twist and pull back up.  The guy I was dancing with, who I had never met before, kept saying that I needed to drop lower.  Well I finally did and then I twisted, like you are supposed to and somehow in all of that I dislocated my knee cap.  It is officially called Patellar Subluxation.  Essentially it means that my knee cap went to the lateral side of my knee instead of staying on the top.  I have done this once before about 8 years ago.  As soon as it happened I was pretty sure what had happened.  I felt my knee and realized that may patella was not in place.  Knowing what to do to put it back in place, I straightened my knee.  The dislocation and relocation hurts like CRAZY.  Like you can't breath and you shake kind of hurt.  I sat on the floor unable to move, holding my knee.  My dance partner (don't even know his name) just kinda huddled next to me and had no idea what to do.  The instructor kept going with the lesson.  Good going.  Luckily one of my friends came over to see what was going on.  He asked if I was okay, to which I responded "no".  At that point he yelled for help and I was carried to the side of the room to a couch.  I knew I needed to go to the emergency room, so as soon as the pain decreased slightly, enough to move, my friend drove me to the hospital.

What this means:

1. I am now in an immobilizing brace- mid calf to mid thigh.

2. My knee is swollen like crazy.  It is the size of a grape fruit or maybe a bit larger.

3. I am taking narcotics to try to stay on top of the pain.

4. To add illness to injury, since I can't swallow pills I am taking liquid lortab- sick!

5. I am on crutches.

6. I won't be able to work for a couple weeks, at least.

7. I am not sure if I am going to still be able to go to europe this fall because I will be using a huge chunk of time off for this.  I think this is what hurts the most.

8. I have given up country dancing forever.

After not sleeping much last night I got up and thought I would watch a movie.  Unfortunately the DVD player is on the bottom shelf, almost at the floor and I am quite sure that I won't be able to get to it.  So I laid on the couch all morning watching the nothingness that is on in the morning.  Good times.  If anyone has some extra time and wants to come put a movie in for me, that would be great :)

Oh and we are taking family pictures today.  That ought to be fun.  And I will look very nice with my big brace on.

Some pictures to curb your curiosity.  They really don't do justice to the swelling.  And today my knee is bruised.

Not About Birds

Sometime in my teenage years, I think around 12 or 13, my mom gave me a book.  Actually she gave me two books, but I had completely forgotten about the one until I was organizing my books today.  The other book has never left my memory.  The title: Not About Birds.  

I have never read this book.  To be honest when I picked it up many years ago I am pretty sure I threw up in my mouth a little.  As I recall I got home and the books were on my bed.  We don't talk about things like this in my family.  Apparently, however, we do give each other books.  My mom is big into books.  So today I picked it up and started reading.  What are all the wonderful gems that I have been missing my whole life?  What was puberty all about, anyway? Now all of my questions are being answered!  Thank goodness.

To be honest, I can't actually get through an entire paragraph in this book without almost throwing up while simultaneously laughing out loud.  Not many books make me laugh out loud.  Good job Glen C. Griffen, M.D. and Mary Ella Griffin, R.N.  Well done with the book.

I am planning on sharing some gems with all of you. 

For today we will start with the chapter titles:

1. Girls

2. Boys

3. How the Sperm Gets There

4. How a Baby Is Born

5. Masturbation

6. D-E-F-E-N-S-E

7. What If...

8. "It Is Easier to Remember..."

9. Parents

10. Friends

11. Is It Really Love?

Oh boy, this is going to be fun.  Did I mention that the authors are LDS and that the book was published in 1980 by Deseret Book?  Get ready, this blog is going to become very educational, or something.

Housewarming!

I am having a housewarming.

Saturday July 19.

Starts at 6 pm (1800).

All are invited.

If you want to come shoot me a comment or a phone call or email or something.  Just not a text message since I won't get it.

In an effort to not expose myself too much to the blog world, I am not disclosing any more info on the internet than what is above.

Please come.

Lunch with the Roommies

Last week my old roommate Christine came into town.  To celebrate, we got the old gang together.  It was so good to see Elisa, Lori and Christine (and Chris and Stacey).  We went to lunch and just caught up with each other.  In looking back on all my time together I would have to say that the four of us was the best set of roommates I had while at college.  I loved all of my roommates, but the four of us clicked in a way that was so great.  What a good 8 months!

Now 2 of us are married and there are 3 kids amongst the married ones.  My how things change.  I guess I should get on the ball!