When the doctor says he wants you to use the torture board for 2 weeks...you know it can't be good. It has now been 5 weeks since my surgery and my knee is not back to its full position. When I went two weeks ago they noticed it so they sent me over to the physical therapist. So now I've been seeing the PT 2x a week for the last 2 weeks and been making progress. Well today I went back to the orthopedist and he seem puzzled as to why I still couldn't straighten my knee fully out and lock it into place. He said 5 weeks out it shouldn't be like this, so he said I needed to spend the next few weeks on the "torture board" and it should straighten right out. In my mind I'm thinking, "Isn't this why you sent me to PT?" and I repeatedly told him that the PT and I were working on it and it was getting better. I really don't think he listened to me but rather had in his mind what he was going to do. Frustrated I waited patiently for the nurse to come in and explain how to use the board. Once she put the board on she noticed that my knee was almost there and she couldn't see the need for the board...at least someone was on the same page as me. I thought the doctor would come back in but of course he had moved on to another patient.
This whole process has been so frustrating b/c I feel like while the doctor is knowledgable, he rushes through your visit, not really taking the time to listen to you or really for that matter giving you an extensive look over. I really just want this process to be over so I can stop seeing him.
I now sit here wondering why would he originally prescribe the PT if he could have given me this device in the first place and saved me $40 per visit to the PT. Also I wonder does he not think the PT is doing anything productive so that he has to now prescribe this on top of PT? I wonder what the PT will think of this. Honestly I think I trust her more now than him. At least she takes the time to talk to me and have me do more motions to see what my knee is capable of.
Below is some pictures Jerm took of me in the torture device.
As you can see from the pictures, you strap your leg in and put the straps tight so that your leg lays flat. You are supposed to keep it in there for 5 mins. 10x a day no matter the pain. My leg is really not that far from being flat so it's not as painful as it could be but still its no walk in the park.
I'm sorry to ramble on but I really needed to vent! Thanks for listening!
3 comments:
I hope your leg feels better soon!! I will be praying for you to get off of the "torture board" soon!!
Again, I feel your pain, but not like you do. I remember recovering from having my knee scoped years ago.
:( Poor Shannon. I hope this is long over and I'm sorry you had to go through that. You look cute though:)
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