Curt's Pre-Op at the NNMC

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Curt's Pre-Op at the NNMC Current mood: drained So today was Curt's pre-op. What a time that was! The worst was trying to park. OMG, nightmare!!! We got there at 10. We needed to go to Radiology first to take some xrays. We're still in line to park in the parking garage and I finally tell him to get out and I'll wait and park the car. I sat there and NEVER moved up for 30 minutes!! People were getting out of there cars, honking, finally some MPs came and started to see what the problem was and directing traffic. Horrible. By the time I parked and got in Curt was already back out to go over to his ortho appt (in a different building than the hospital) So back we go to the truck after I JUST parked. Ugh, so aggravating. Anyway get to his appt about 20 minutes late which was no big deal. The doctor came in and we talked about the surgery. Apparently the doc is concerned with some of Curt's xrays and it looks like there could be a possible infection in his knee. If there is, that could cause complications and if they were to do a knee replacement with an infection it would end up infecting the new knee which is very serious to deal with and will end up in nothing else to do and no cure except to amputate. Curt of course was horrified to hear this. So they took some fluid from his knee (which looked painful and curt withered and clenched up in pain). Their gonna put it in a petri dish and watch it for a couple days to see if there is any bacteria or signs of infection. If so the surgery will have to be put off. They don't want to risk doing it if it could lead to him being worse off if infected. So we went over the incisions Dr. will make. He will have another new scar but he is gonna try to save as much of the skin as he can. With multiple surgeries like curt has been thru the DR. says the new incision needs to be at least 7 mm away from his incison scars right now. He got it up to 14 so thats good. Their gonna do a "special" total knee for Curt since the severity of his injury a regualar one would not work nor last. So the dr recommended what is called and this not might be correct terminology but--semi hinge knee-- it won't last as long as a regular one which is no biggie for the doc. Since Curt is still so young (and most people who get TKRs are old, over 60) and active his will wear down quicker. Espeically with this kind of KR. Anyway we then had to go preadmit, go to the lab, go to the pharmacy, all these places. It was ridiculous. We ended up not getting home till three. Ugh...neither of us had eaten all day so I was cranky, hungry, and still feel like I have been running a marathon all day. Not fun. I think thats about all. Surgery day is Monday. We won't know what time to be there until the day before. It will prob be 4 in the morning. Which is going to suck! Not looking forward to that. But after this we can move on and get on with our lives and hopefully learn in the next 6 months or so what our future holds. It sucks not knowing. He'll be on 60 days con leave. 8 weeks total rehab. After that his profile will become permanent and the MED board starts immediatly from there. Wish us luck. I'm so done typing. I'm drained and have no energy! Maybe I'll take a quick nap :) P.S. quick note I laughed when I first met the doctor because he was wearing white dress shoes and white pants. Which I thought was funny. Curt said "duh dacia, he's in the navy thats his dress uniform" I said oh! hahaha I'm so not used to seeing navy guys anymore so it was odd. I'm used to the Army way of things ;) I grew up by Great Lakes Naval Base and used to see navy dudes on a daily basis but its been um what 15 yrs since I lived in Zion haha.