In my last post I had talked about prayers being answered and having my first surgery for my osteonecrosis scheduled to be on Dec. 12, 2012. Well, SO many twists and turns took place after that!!! I wondered things, got depressed, frustrated, upset, found joy and happiness, and so many things at so many times from then until now!!! It's been like that song that Garth Brooks sang..."Unanswered Prayers"--how it says: "Sometimes I thank God for unanswered prayers; Remember when you're talkin' to the man upstairs; That just because He doesn't answer doesn't mean He don't care; Some of God's greatest gifts are unanswered prayers."
I received a phone call the end of November pushing my surgery out one more week (some things had come up and the doctor needed to push it out a week). However, then the hard news came....I received a phone call a little later (either the end of November or beginning of December--I'm not sure which) from my insurance stating that the insurance would cover my physician, but they wouldn't cover the hospital and things (which was a major problem, because with this surgery I would need to stay in the hospital for a few days). So, since the surgical center, hospital, labs, x-rays, and everything (except the physician) would not be covered, we had to cancel my surgery and find a new doctor! I was devastated!!! I loved the doctor I had, trusted him, he was just so kind, and I felt like we were finally moving forward and getting going; and then to have this happen, it felt like a complete crush and like we were back at the beginning!!
Then, part way through December, I ran into another adrenal crisis issue and was back in and out of the hospital for a week--right around the time when I was supposed to be having the surgery...so in the end, I wouldn't have been able to go through with the surgery at that time anyways. The other hard part though, was I was also scheduled to go through the temple and take out my endowments that week, so we had to cancel that since I'd gotten out of the hospital the day before! It was a crazy time, but then, by Christmas time, things began to slow down and turn around.
The beginning of January came around and I saw a new doctor for the osteonecrosis. We planned for surgery around the 10th of January, but decided to redo MRIs on both knees to see if things had changed at all since the last MRIs done in September. I had the MRIs done and followed back up with the doctor, and he said that things basically looked the same, he didn't want to do a total knee replacement (like what was previously planned with the other surgery that was going to be done in December by the other physician) due to my age and things, so he wanted to do what was called 'core decompression'--which is where they basically drill holes in the bones to get them to bleed, take some bone marrow from my pelvis, put that into the holes where they just drilled, and then allow the bleeding and the bone marrow to stimulate a healing process.
Long story short, my mom and I talked and we just did not feel quite right about this procedure--we just had this uneasy feeling that would not go away, and, after talking with another one of my doctors (asking what he thought about the procedure and if he thought it would help and fix things) and calling my previous doctor, that was going to do the surgery in December, and asking their opinions on things...things came down to both other doctors didn't think the drilling would work. So due to our uneasy feelings and the other doctors not thinking the drilling would work, we ended up seeing another new orthopedic surgeon to get a consulatation on his opinion with things.
We saw this new doctor and he agreed that he didn't think the drilling would work, he told us that actually my MRIs from now compared to the one's in September looked worse now, and he sat and talked with us for an hour--answering questions, going over things, and all sorts of things...he reminded me exactly of the previous doctor I saw down at the Huntsman Institute!! He was SO nice!! In the end, we decided that the total joint replacement was what we needed to have done. So what they would do is the regular knee replacement, and then in addition to the replacement, he would need to also drill down the tibia and up the femur (to get the extra dead bone out) and then place metal posts down into the tibia and up into the femur! So surgery was scheduled for Monday January 21, 2013!!
The day of my surgery my oldest sister picked me up and took me to the hospital to meet my mom. I was so ready to have things finally done, the pain from the dead bone to go away, to start getting better, and to just begin on this long road to recovery! As my surgery neared, I began to get more and more nervous--wanting to have this done and better, but so scared of the unexpected. My sweet mom stood by my side the whole way though, until they took me back, and then I had the best anesthesiologist and an amazing doctor!
Waiting to go back for surgery....
My mom with me...
As many of you know, things never are quite "normal" or "typical" for me. So when my doctor finally came out to talk to my mom after my 4 to almost 5 hour surgery (when the surgery was only supposed to take 2 1/2 hours), and said I've never had this happen to me before...my mom's reply was 'welcome to operating on Jackie.' haha!! My surgery was scheduled to take about 2 1/2 hours. When the doctor got in he said that it was definitely time we had done this, because when he pushed on my bone (where the osteonecrosis, dead bone, was) it started to crumble!! They began the process of cutting out my bone, drilling down into my tibia and up into my femur to remove all the osteonecrosis (they were going to use the small metal stems to place into my tibia and femur, however, as they drilled the dead bone out the osteonecrosis went further; so they had to use the medium sized stems), and then were ready to place the metal in. This is where the craziness came into play...To place the stems and things down into the bone the doctor needed to use cement, and I guess the cement is supposed to set in about 10mins, however, when he went to do this on me, the cement set up in about 3mins; so they had to end up chiseling that stem back out! The doctor said this has never happened to him before, there obviously was something wrong with the cement mixer, so during the surgery they had to have a new one brought in from Salt Lake; thus making the surgery quite a bit longer! When I woke up from the surgery, my mom told me this story and she also said 'guess who helped with your procedure;' I had no clue and she proceeded to explain how my other orthopedic surgeon (who did my back and helped me to find a good surgeon for my osteonecrosis) had gone in to see how bad the bone looked, how all of this craziness came up, and how he ended up assisting my doctor when the new cement mixer arrived (so that they could hurry and finish the surgery and get me all closed up)!
To hurry and summarize the remainder to the beginning of my crazy, long journey with the osteonecrosis (avascular necrosis/AVN)...Following my surgery, I stayed in the hospital for about 3 days, and then I went out to a rehabilitation center, Legacy Village Rehab, for about 4 weeks. Things were very hard at times, to say the least, as I worked on getting my strength back, range of motion back, walking again on it, and just working on getting through the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual battle with this! There were many times that I would break down and cry, because I wanted things to 'just get better,' things 'didn't seem fair,' I would compare myself to all the other individuals there (especially those who had knee replacements), and things; however, I had the BEST support system....My family was ALWAYS there for me--one of my sisters lived about 5 mins away and would come and see me almost every day (sometimes twice a day), my mom came out all the time and was always only a phone call away (she would let me cry and vent to her and then she would help me get through it), my other siblings would call, text, and come out to visit lots, my doctor was always there if I had questions, to remind me that what I had done and what I was going through was not even close to the same as other knee replacment patients, my ward was amazing and so sweet, I had such great friends who would come visit, call, text, and were always there, and such great nurses, CNAs, physical and occupational therapists, and everyone!!! Below are some pictures from the hospital and the rehab center....
After surgery....
My leg all wrapped up and then the lovely ted-hose on the other leg...
My incision....
My sweet nurse and the wonderful student nurse...
My incision after a little while (starting to look even better)...
One of my best friends, Tiffany, and her cute little guy, Tristan, came for a visit....
My sweet nieces and nephews traced, colored, and cut-themselves out so I would have a picture of each of them hanging around my room (so they'd be with me); this is my cute nieces Abbie and Ashley, and on the door is my handsome nephew Nixxon...
My niece Sammy's cut-out...
My nephew Kaleb's cut-out...
Decorations up in my room for Valentine's; cute stuff from my mom and fun cards and notes from my nieces and nephews...
My sweet mom hanging out and playing games with me...
My incision, looking better each day....
One of the therapy dogs visiting me in my room...
One of the sweetest and most fun ladies I met out at the rehab center, my friend Louise, with one of the therapy dogs....
Two therapy dogs (each day there was an activity and one day they brought these two cute dogs out to visit)....
Getting all packed up and ready to go home...
My sweet CNA, Robyn, wrote on my white-board the morning I was leaving that they'd miss me...
All packed and ready to head home...
My cute puppy Barkley (the dogs all curled up with me and not leaving my side, once I was home)...
My cute puppy Pocco...
My incision about 5 weeks post-op (when I got home)...
My x-rays of what my knee now looks like (with the replacement and the metal stems)...
The other thing that helped SO MUCH to get through everything and that continually helps me, is the Gospel!!! A little before my surgery, on Saturday January 12, 2013 (on my dad's birthday, which made this even more special to me--since he passed away when I was just 16-years old), I was able to go through the Bountiful Temple and take out my endowments!!! This was the most AMAZING experience, and just so unbelievable--I don't know how words can even begin to describe it!!! I was able to go through and feel the Spirit SO STRONG, and then to also be surrounded by my family and friends (so many people who came to show their love and support--and I as well love and show my appreciation and gratitude for them) was just unbelievable experience!!! I could feel my dad, my grandma, and so many others that I love that are in Heaven now, I could feel their Spirits there as well, and it just brought such a flood of emotions! I now without a doubt that the Gospel is true!! I love it with all of my heart, and I don't know what I would do or where I would be without it!! When I go through things, such as this journey that I am on right now, my family and the Gospel are what helps and strengthens me each day!! I am SO grateful for the opportunity I had to go through the temple, and to be able to go before my surgery and on my dad's birthday!!
After going home from the rehab center, I continued to work on getting my knee strong, I had MRIs done of my hips and shoulder (we couldn't do my right shoulder due to the metal in it), just continued to work on getting better each day, and spending time with family and friends! Then, on March 21st, I went in for a total right hip replacement! I will post about those MRIs and this new surgery soon; and then finally work-on doing a continual update on how things are (so they won't be this long)! Sorry for the length of this one! Hope you are all well!!
