snotsnot’s Profile

Close Accidents

AUG17,2006: i was driving a motorcycle but was stopped at a red light. got hit head on by a car that must have gunned it across the intersection and never saw me. double compound fracture of my left femur (titanium rod now inserted), and left knee destroyed (acl,pcl,lcl reconstructed, patella dislocated, head of fibula smashed), drop foot. miraculously the left leg was the only major injury. bike was totalled. 13 surgeries later, i consider myself lucky.

Treatments

Helping Others Somewhat Helpful

could not help anyone at first, but to listen to others' problems takes the focus off me for a change. things can always be better, things can always be worse.

Heparin Working / Worked

was on iv antibiotics (piccline)for several months at home. heparin was injected before and after each treatment. didn't feel like anything to me.

Hospitalization Working / Worked

i spent more time in the hospital during 2006-2007 than i did in my own apartment.

Ice Pack Somewhat Helpful

i use ice after prolonged activity, then rest right after.

Laughter Working / Worked

gotta have a sense of humor :)

Narcotics Anonymous (NA) Working / Worked

i've been involved in na since 1993

Physical Exercise Working / Worked

i am trying to get all the way around the pedals on a bicycle. i also wish i could get my weight equipment so i could work out my upper body. i try to take a short walk every day, with a cane and a brace. too much activity or too little makes the knee sore.

Physical Therapy Working / Worked

very painful at first, but now i can tell my leg is much stronger

Skin Graft Working / Worked

i had a skin graft taken from my thigh and placed on my lower leg to cover up a crater that was cut out from infection. it looks like lizard skin. ive been told to get a snake tattoo on top of it, it would look wicked real.

Socializing Somewhat Helpful

it is oh so important for me to have good friends around me. it helps to talk to people about what i'm going through, but sometimes people don't understand unless they've been there.

Stretching Working / Worked

relieves a lot of the tightness and stiffness.

Surgery Working / Worked

13 surgeries within a year. i had a titanium rod inserted into my left femur, and had more than half a dozen screws/pins inserted into my left knee, and 3 ligaments replaced. i had three separate infections during the course of the year too.

Vancomycin Working / Worked

iv antibiotics for infection. made me nauseous and lost appetite. also i have small veins, it burned going in, even on a slow drip.

Acceptance Too Soon to Tell

i have always been a very active person, and it is incredibly frustrating to be suddenly so limited in the things i can do. acceptance is a very slow process for me, but a necessity.

Arthroscopy Working / Worked

several arthroscopic surgeries for debridement of infections, and for removal of scar tissue.

Blood Transfusion Working / Worked

had blood transfusions after 2 of my surgeries, felt much better afterward, stronger.

Brace Somewhat Helpful

i wear a knee brace on my left knee, and while it does support, it also presses into sensitive spots and is not very comfortable.

Cipro Working / Worked

iv antibiotics for infection. made me nauseous and lost appetite.

Cycling Too Soon to Tell

i was a very avid cyclist before my accident, and i would love to get back on one someday

Heat Somewhat Helpful

i use heat for about 10 minutes before exercise to loosen things up.

Lovenox Working / Worked

i had to inject myself twice a day with lovenox. it is a blood thinner used to break up deadly blood clots. i don't mind needles and had no problem with it, although i ended up a bruised pin cushion by the end of it.

Music Working / Worked

i was very grateful to have my ipod with me at the hospital. music makes me happy :)

Nerve Blocks Not Working

i had nerve blocks in my leg after a couple of my surgeries to help with the pain, but they must have missed the nerve cuz i still could feel everything. and they can't just move them, so i was just screwed.

Positive Thinking Somewhat Helpful

tried very hard to stay positive through it all. was really hard at first.

Psychotherapy Somewhat Helpful

helps to talk to someone about what you're going through, and get some professional feedback. some of my friends just don't know how to deal with my situation and are not much help.

Reconstructive Surgery Working / Worked

i had to have 3 knee ligaments replaced/reconstructed, then had to have a skin graft later. the surgeries allowed me to keep my original knee (for now).

Remembering Not Working

i never lost consciousness during my accident, and all the way to the hospital. i used to have recurring memories/nightmares about them, and even had panic attacks, but i think about it less now, and when i do, it's usually much less traumatic.

Rifampin Working / Worked

treated infection with a couple different antibiotics, this one i had to take orally rather than intraveneously, and it made me nauseous, killed my appetite, gave me the runs, and turned my urine orange.

Self-esteem Considering

my self esteem is way low these days: i am learning to accept my new disability, i haven't worked in almost 2 years, i moved back in with my parents, lost a lot of my independence and ability to do the things i love to do, and that im good at.

Singing Working / Worked

cant sing worth a damn but i do it all the time. makes me happy :)

Traction Working / Worked

i used a continuous passive motion (cpm) machine for months after various surgeries. it was painful but not too bad. it increased the range of motion in my knee before scar tissue could really set in.

Vitamin E Somewhat Helpful

i used vitamin e oil every day on my surgery and accident scars for a good year. the scars are obviously still noticeable, but they are much softer than other scars ive had, and they are more faded.

Writing Somewhat Helpful

i found myself very isolated with the hospital stays, being homebound, and having no one to really talk to. journalling was my sole source of output for a long time, not just to chronicle events but release pent up emotions that had nowhere else to go.