After a long three weeks of fighting the usual healthcare rigamarole (plus a little malicious negligence that added a fourth), I have a plan for the knee. It’s a lot messier than this weirdness I just put together, but here it is in a nutshell.
It demonstrates decently how life on the road can be a royal pain in the black tank.
The crux is where to have surgery: here in Brownsville with the practice I’ve started with, or up in Houston with a guy my regular doctor recommends. There are pros and cons with both, but at this point I’m looking at the timing, as well.
Man I am sick of these details. We leave for Houston tomorrow morning, drive for 6-7 hours, talk on the phone with my GP from the road, check into a hotel with Banjo (should be interesting), shower (hot water!!), then meet one surgeon the next day. Then I can move myself along this diagram, avoiding that PANIC option.
I’ve been taking an absurd level of selfies because my moments of feeling optimistic are precious. I mean, I know ACL tear repairs are a dime a dozen, but the timing here is the biggest worry. I haven’t talked much about the Airstream appointment we must get to in February, but it about equals my knee in emergency status. And then there’s my son’s visit, which is in a league of its own in importance.
I swear, neck shaping via German short rows is very tricky. But it’s tangible! And I’m making progress. And, I can knit on the drive to and from Houston.
First, sweater is coming along nicely – good job. I’d never manage that!
Will the surgery require PT after? Did you tell the surgeon your home is a 6+ hour drive and will you be able to do that post surgery, and for whatever follow up visits are needed? or are you moving the RV up to a place closer to the surgery? In detail, what will your post surgery care be like, i.e. couch-bound, handling walking and stairs, sleeping, pain management?
Hope it all goes well. Nice Finn will be there!
All good questions, thanks Renee! Yes, lots of PT will be needed, and I’ll discuss details with the surgeon when I meet him. If I have surgery in Houston we’ll be commuting for surgeon visits but doing PT here in Brownsville. I’ll find out all the deets on post-surgery care for sure, although there’s a good base of knowledge on the internet already. It looks like as long as you do your PT stretching and strength building exactly and without fail and manage pain so you can do so, you might be putting weight on the knee within a week and off full use of crutches after week 3. Of course totally depending on my case, but I am willing to work hard for such a quick recovery.
At least there’s a plan now. That’s definitely a long drive to see a doctor, but the sweater is lovely … and isn’t that more important? 😉
Do you not have hot showers in the Airstream? That would be an absolute deal breaker for me and RV living.
We do have a water heater (it’s powered by electricity or propane, depending on what you’re hooked up to). But we’re usually conserving water and waste tank space, so we turn it on only for short showers every 7-10 days. The hot water tank is not big, either, so I mean short. I use a lot of baby wipes.
Wow. I never gave that much thought. But now I can’t think of anything else…
🥴
To the defense of many people out there living with less water, I’ve found that my skin and hair stay clean longer, and my skin is entirely healthier. I don’t use lotion anymore (except sunscreen) or deodorant, really. A more natural balance is really better for you. Or, me at least. No product here.
That’s fascinating. Though it must have taken some getting used to…
I do think all that washing with hot water especially dries skin and hair and strips away natural oils, so you produce more oils to compensate and add fake moisturizer, then have to wash again because you’re so oily. Without so much washing and product, the skin finds its natural balance and stays less oily. As soon as I get back to showering more, like here at the resort with showers, my hair and skin get all needy again and I’m back in the old cycle.
I wash my hair every other day. Three if I’m not going out… don’t know if I could longer than that.
Not knocking it, what you say makes sense.
😉
Oops, I didn’t even answer your question. Yes! That took a while. Our first ever
camping spot had full hookups and we were there for two months because Covid has just started, so we had the chance to work slowly into new habits. I used to shower every single morning and feel like a slime monster if I missed even one. Now I find myself thinking, i don’t need a shower – I showered three days ago!
Ha! Whatever works… 👍
Fantastic sweater. Do you know the individual surgeon’s success/complication rates?
Thanks! And I’ve been trying to find those rates but can’t so far.
Hopefully the rest of your body is accompanying your knee to Houston! I know they can do wonders with arthroscopic surgery these days, but that might be pushing things.
I didn’t realize you were so limited on the hot showers either.
Regarding showers, some campers go only where they have full hookups (electric and water and sewer) and they probably shower whenever they want. We’ve gotten used to rationing water and waste and electricity, so we’re happy this way. Until an easy hot shower opportunity presents itself!
I will have two small incisions and a “tunnel” drilled into both, to meet in the middle, so a new ligament can be inserted all the way through. Where this new one will come from is a little questionable, as apparently I’m “too small to come with spare parts.” See why I like this surgeon? 😂
Grrrr…so sorry about the knee but…terrific graphics! Do your PT…
Thanks and thanks! I’m working on finding a PT right now, actually. I know it’s essential – thanks for the reminder. I’ll take all cheerleading here.