Where's Sobo??

[Meridian7750]

Last thing tonight, before I take my next round of drugs and hit the rack...

My last haircut and shave was on November 2nd, the night before The Election.
Ever wonder what a sobo looks like that hasn't had a haircut/trim in 16+ weeks...???
Behold the "before", from last night...
View attachment 834367

Saddam? Is that you??

 

[Mikej]

Greetings, all of you who I count as among my friends. First off, let me say that I am still alive... obviously.
I'd like to express my personal thanks to @Lilhigbee for starting this thread. Thank you, Brother!
And to @2Wheels4Ever for searching me out on the innerwebz. The Googlefu is strong in that one...

As to what happened... I injured my left knee 7+ years ago while deployed to AFG. The base doc gave me a bunch of corticosteroid shots back then that allowed me to carry on as if nothing had ever happened. Those shots lasted me for SIX years! Then, in November of 2019, I started to develop a hitch in my git-along in that leg and the pain started to come back. It steadily got worse, until on July 4 of 2020, I couldn't walk. I had to drag myself into the ER like Marty Feldman in Young Frankenstein ("Walk this way. No, walk *this* way..."). I ended up seeing an orthopedic surgeon later that summer who offered more steroids, or arthroscopic surgery to fix it. Since by now I had become a prepper, I didn't want to be reliant upon drugs, injections, or medications should the S ever HTF. So I opted for the surgery. That happened on December 9, 2020...

The knee part of the surgery went swimmingly, but I immediately noticed an intense burning and piercing pain in my lower leg and foot. It got worse and worse, and the leg swelled up like a telephone pole. The docs kept telling me the swelling was normal, and they kept asking me how my knee felt. I kept insisting that my knee was perfectly fine (I even slapped it back and forth between my hands like Mike Tyson working a speed ball), and this was after only 3 or 4 days post-surgery. A week after the surgery, I was in the ER due to extreme swelling and everyone thought I was gonna die of a DVT. Now, having made many, many long flights to and from halfway around the world, my company had warned me about DVTs and what sitting still for too long on long flights would do. DVT, for those who aren't familiar with the term, is deep vein thrombosis - a blood clot that could break loose and block the artery at the heart and kill you. Turns out it wasn't that, but they still didn't know why my foot hurt so bad...

More MRIs and ultrasounds later, they were still perplexed, or at least they played the part that they were. In the mean time, having nothing better to do but lay on my back with my foot in the air and read Wikipedia all damn day and night, I decided to get my online medical degree from Wiki U. What I read started sounding an awful lot like a tibial nerve entrapment, tarsal tunnel syndrome (TTS), or Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS). Kudos to @Certaindeaf for landing upon CRPS first. They kept trying to say is was TTS, and that they were not responsible for it, and that I could be "anatomically predisposed to this complication". Much discussion ensued, but I still believe the surgery center is responsible for my current state. You shoulda seen their eyes fly open when I finally busted out the N-word. No, not that N-word, ya ninnies! The other one - nerve damage!

So I've seen about 6 doctors now, had several MRIs, at least 2 ultrasounds, and a Nerve Conduction Study. Oh, was that ever fun! Read up on what a NCS is all about. Think electroshock therapy... They've now upped my dosages of hydrocodone and gabapentin and ibuprofen to ungodly levels, and I spend most of my day sleeping now. That's actually good, since early on (that first 5 weeks or so from 12/9/20 to 1/18/21), the hospital refused to renew my oxycodone and hydrocodone prescriptions and just left me with nothing while I was writhing and screaming in pain at home alone. Turns out, the hospital's policy is to refuse patients any opioids after 14 days post-op so that people don't get addicted to them and then sue the hospital. WTF??? Some friends convinced me to try my PCP, but I didn't think I could ask him to prescribe me anything since he didn't perform the surgery or see me. Turns out I was wrong. My PCP, Dr. Jim, who has known me for 30+ years, came through with a new Rx for hydro that quite literally saved my life. That's twice for him (the first time was when he spotted my newly-hatched melanoma during an annual physical 10+ years ago)!

So where am I at now? The pain management physiatrist who did the NCS says the results are leaning toward CPRS. She is not affiliated with the hospital or the surgery center. The surgery center is leaning towards TTS, since they (obviously) want to stay away from any sort of responsibility for nerve damage (IMHO). So, the surgery center injected my ankle and tarsal tunnel area with more corticosteroid on the 9th of this month. They said I should start to feel better in about two weeks. Two weeks was this past Tuesday, and I'm not feeling any better in my foot, which isn't good, and makes me think it's a case of CRPS. My pain mgm't doc, the woman who did the NCS, still thinks it's CRPS, in contradiction to the surgery center. She has upped my meds significantly from when I first started. The surgery center upped them twice since this all started, and now my pain mgm't doc has upped them twice more again. I'm getting near to the top of the scale with what I'm taking.

So, the corticosteroid isn't doing what the surgery center thought it would do, and my pain doc is topping me out on the opioids and nerve-quieting drugs. I hate to say it, but it's looking more and more to me that it's CRPS. If it is, then this is going to be pretty debilitating. I've already been out of work on short-term disability for 16 weeks, and have only 10 more weeks before major things start to happen at work. I can barely walk, use a cane in the house, crutches outside, and a wheelchair if I'm going any distance or have to remain upright for any length of time. I can't stand or even sit for more than about 5-10 minutes at a time before the leg swells up again and the real serious pain (the pain that the drugs can't combat) comes back. Then I have to lie down for hours to let the swelling go back down before I can sit or stand up again.

It's tough to fix meals, but I have a couple of friends that have come to my rescue in that regard, bringing me prepared meals and shopping for my basic necessities. My co-workers got together and got me $350 worth of DoorDash bucks, so that's also been quite a blessing. Looking ahead, if this doesn't get a lot better, I'm going to lose the ability to do a lot of the things that make Sobo Sobo. That would mean no more running, climbing, mountaineering, backpacking, hiking, skiing, kayaking, shooting (I should still be able to shoot paper from a bench, but no more running around a USPSA/IDPA course ), and a host of other fun stuff.

So, I'm s'posed to see the foot doc again on March 9th and discuss the (failure of) corticosteroids and what happens next, and the pain mgm't doc on the 22nd of March. If I can gut it out, I'll be back on this thread with an update, if'n any of y'all are interested. Right now, I gotta go lie down for about 3 or 4 hours...

Adios, Friends! Thanks for the well wishes; they're much appreciated.

Aw, DUDE.....Don't know what else to say. It gives ME some perspective though. I "Think", I have pain every day. All I can do is wish for you to get some normal life back.

 

[BrentN]

Aw, DUDE.....Don't know what else to say. It gives ME some perspective though. I "Think", I have pain every day. All I can do is wish for you to get some normal life back.

Damn Sobo, hang in there. Keep your head straight. This is as much a struggle for your mental, as well as physical health. Wish I was closer, but reach out for any needs, this community will have your back.

 

[Ura-Ki]

Holy crap Sobo, keep your head up, and don't be shy to reach out if you need anything!

 

[SonicBlue03]

Whoever DM'ed me a bet that he was a 'Rona victim owes me money.

I hope they figure it out and find a treatment plan that works for you. Horrifying when there's no clear reason they can point to and your quality of life is threatened. I'll keep fingers crossed your 2021 clears up and isn't just a continuation of 2020.

 

[chukar]

Cheese and rice, this thread is the essence of why I love this place.

Sobo, I'm glad that you are back and OK. Your presence is a positive and much needed one. If you need Planet Killer ingredients don't hesitate to send me a message!

 

[Flopsweat]

Saddam? Is that you??

View attachment 834533

Sadobo!

 

[Soli]

Wow. Read your post to someone close. She says: "Is he certain there is not an infection in there? People have had pain years after surgery and it ended up there was an infection at the site that hadn't been identified and treated. Second, has he had an auto-immune work up (an ANA test) done? Is this an autoimmune response? There are different treatments for that. Basically come at it from some different angles since therapies so far haven't worked."

Don't know you, but so sorry for your situation.

 

[BrentN]

Wow. Read your post to someone close. She says: "Is he certain there is not an infection in there? People have had pain years after surgery and it ended up there was an infection at the site that hadn't been identified and treated. Second, has he had an auto-immune work up (an ANA test) done? Is this an autoimmune response? There are different treatments for that. Basically come at it from some different angles since therapies so far haven't worked."

Don't know you, but so sorry for your situation.

That's what I think too, infection or compartment syndrome. But I'm no doc.

 

[1371JarHead]

Greetings, all of you who I count as among my friends. First off, let me say that I am still alive... obviously.
I'd like to express my personal thanks to @Lilhigbee for starting this thread. Thank you, Brother!
And to @2Wheels4Ever for searching me out on the innerwebz. The Googlefu is strong in that one...

As to what happened... I injured my left knee 7+ years ago while deployed to AFG. The base doc gave me a bunch of corticosteroid shots back then that allowed me to carry on as if nothing had ever happened. Those shots lasted me for SIX years! Then, in November of 2019, I started to develop a hitch in my git-along in that leg and the pain started to come back. It steadily got worse, until on July 4 of 2020, I couldn't walk. I had to drag myself into the ER like Marty Feldman in Young Frankenstein ("Walk this way. No, walk *this* way..."). I ended up seeing an orthopedic surgeon later that summer who offered more steroids, or arthroscopic surgery to fix it. Since by now I had become a prepper, I didn't want to be reliant upon drugs, injections, or medications should the S ever HTF. So I opted for the surgery. That happened on December 9, 2020...

The knee part of the surgery went swimmingly, but I immediately noticed an intense burning and piercing pain in my lower leg and foot. It got worse and worse, and the leg swelled up like a telephone pole. The docs kept telling me the swelling was normal, and they kept asking me how my knee felt. I kept insisting that my knee was perfectly fine (I even slapped it back and forth between my hands like Mike Tyson working a speed ball), and this was after only 3 or 4 days post-surgery. A week after the surgery, I was in the ER due to extreme swelling and everyone thought I was gonna die of a DVT. Now, having made many, many long flights to and from halfway around the world, my company had warned me about DVTs and what sitting still for too long on long flights would do. DVT, for those who aren't familiar with the term, is deep vein thrombosis - a blood clot that could break loose and block the artery at the heart and kill you. Turns out it wasn't that, but they still didn't know why my foot hurt so bad...

More MRIs and ultrasounds later, they were still perplexed, or at least they played the part that they were. In the mean time, having nothing better to do but lay on my back with my foot in the air and read Wikipedia all damn day and night, I decided to get my online medical degree from Wiki U. What I read started sounding an awful lot like a tibial nerve entrapment, tarsal tunnel syndrome (TTS), or Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS). Kudos to @Certaindeaf for landing upon CRPS first. They kept trying to say is was TTS, and that they were not responsible for it, and that I could be "anatomically predisposed to this complication". Much discussion ensued, but I still believe the surgery center is responsible for my current state. You shoulda seen their eyes fly open when I finally busted out the N-word. No, not that N-word, ya ninnies! The other one - nerve damage!

So I've seen about 6 doctors now, had several MRIs, at least 2 ultrasounds, and a Nerve Conduction Study. Oh, was that ever fun! Read up on what a NCS is all about. Think electroshock therapy... They've now upped my dosages of hydrocodone and gabapentin and ibuprofen to ungodly levels, and I spend most of my day sleeping now. That's actually good, since early on (that first 5 weeks or so from 12/9/20 to 1/18/21), the hospital refused to renew my oxycodone and hydrocodone prescriptions and just left me with nothing while I was writhing and screaming in pain at home alone. Turns out, the hospital's policy is to refuse patients any opioids after 14 days post-op so that people don't get addicted to them and then sue the hospital. WTF??? Some friends convinced me to try my PCP, but I didn't think I could ask him to prescribe me anything since he didn't perform the surgery or see me. Turns out I was wrong. My PCP, Dr. Jim, who has known me for 30+ years, came through with a new Rx for hydro that quite literally saved my life. That's twice for him (the first time was when he spotted my newly-hatched melanoma during an annual physical 10+ years ago)!

So where am I at now? The pain management physiatrist who did the NCS says the results are leaning toward CPRS. She is not affiliated with the hospital or the surgery center. The surgery center is leaning towards TTS, since they (obviously) want to stay away from any sort of responsibility for nerve damage (IMHO). So, the surgery center injected my ankle and tarsal tunnel area with more corticosteroid on the 9th of this month. They said I should start to feel better in about two weeks. Two weeks was this past Tuesday, and I'm not feeling any better in my foot, which isn't good, and makes me think it's a case of CRPS. My pain mgm't doc, the woman who did the NCS, still thinks it's CRPS, in contradiction to the surgery center. She has upped my meds significantly from when I first started. The surgery center upped them twice since this all started, and now my pain mgm't doc has upped them twice more again. I'm getting near to the top of the scale with what I'm taking.

So, the corticosteroid isn't doing what the surgery center thought it would do, and my pain doc is topping me out on the opioids and nerve-quieting drugs. I hate to say it, but it's looking more and more to me that it's CRPS. If it is, then this is going to be pretty debilitating. I've already been out of work on short-term disability for 16 weeks, and have only 10 more weeks before major things start to happen at work. I can barely walk, use a cane in the house, crutches outside, and a wheelchair if I'm going any distance or have to remain upright for any length of time. I can't stand or even sit for more than about 5-10 minutes at a time before the leg swells up again and the real serious pain (the pain that the drugs can't combat) comes back. Then I have to lie down for hours to let the swelling go back down before I can sit or stand up again.

It's tough to fix meals, but I have a couple of friends that have come to my rescue in that regard, bringing me prepared meals and shopping for my basic necessities. My co-workers got together and got me $350 worth of DoorDash bucks, so that's also been quite a blessing. Looking ahead, if this doesn't get a lot better, I'm going to lose the ability to do a lot of the things that make Sobo Sobo. That would mean no more running, climbing, mountaineering, backpacking, hiking, skiing, kayaking, shooting (I should still be able to shoot paper from a bench, but no more running around a USPSA/IDPA course ), and a host of other fun stuff.

So, I'm s'posed to see the foot doc again on March 9th and discuss the (failure of) corticosteroids and what happens next, and the pain mgm't doc on the 22nd of March. If I can gut it out, I'll be back on this thread with an update, if'n any of y'all are interested. Right now, I gotta go lie down for about 3 or 4 hours...

Adios, Friends! Thanks for the well wishes; they're much appreciated.

Dude hang on there . it only gets worse lololol, I have been going through the same thing with the VA,nobody at the VA wants to take responsibility for my botched knee replacement, it has been almost 2 1/2 years, lots of mri`s test etc etc, but nothing ever gets done...at this point im thinking of hsving my lower leg removed....ok brother take care of yourself..SEMPER FI Robert

 

[mrblond]

Last thing tonight, before I take my next round of drugs and hit the rack...

My last haircut and shave was on November 2nd, the night before The Election.
Ever wonder what a sobo looks like that hasn't had a haircut/trim in 16+ weeks...???
Behold the "before", from last night...
View attachment 834367

i have seen his mug somewhere before

 

[pharmseller]

You're better looking than I thought you'd be.

But it was an awfully low bar.

Here's to a quick and complete recovery.

 

[JohnnyMac]

I'm late to the party @sobo but I wish you luck in figuring that chit out and I'll drink a beer to your health. Maybe a 6-pack. But it's for you, not me.

 

[Flopsweat]

I'm late to the party @sobo but I wish you luck in figuring that chit out and I'll drink a beer to your health. Maybe a 6-pack. But it's for you, not me.

Every time I see your handle it reminds me to checkout Mac & Cheese with Johnnie Walker Smokey Links. I really have to try that.

 

[JohnnyMac]

Every time I see your handle it reminds me to checkout Mac & Cheese with Johnnie Walker Smokey Links. I really have to try that.

On the ship I work on, the Capt. calls me JohnnyMac n Cheese..... so you might be on to something there.

 

[sobo]

First off, many thanks to y'all for all of your kind offers of assistance and encouragement since I was last on here a few days ago. Hat tips to @Jonnyuma, @2Wheels4Ever, @Mikej, @BrentN, @Ura-Ki, @Flopsweat, and @JohnnyMac. I'm sorry if I missed anyone. If I did, please know that it was not intentional and I do appreciate the sentiments expressed. Now, for the rest of you li'l rascals...

Yowza. My orthopedic surgeon knew that I had CRPS two days after my surgery (a plate put on my clavicle) at the first post op visit and finding out about the pain/numbness/swelling...

Criminy! I think my surgery team knew I had CRPS (or at the very least, a trapped tibial nerve) within a week of the surgery, when I got rushed to the ER. They were very tight-lipped about saying anything about nerve damage until I mentioned it first. Then they went into full-denial-of-responsibility mode. I guess we'll find out...

Saddam? Is that you??

Many others in my circle have wondered the same...

Whoever DM'ed me a bet that he was a 'Rona victim owes me money.

I wanna know who that was. Bet against sobo, will he?

Cheese and rice, this thread is the essence of why I love this place.
Sobo, I'm glad that you are back and OK. Your presence is a positive and much needed one. If you need Planet Killer ingredients don't hesitate to send me a message!

I appreciate that, but they tell me that being on as much hydrocodone as I am, alcoholic refreshment is strrrrrrrictly verböten... <Sergeant Schultz accent>

Wow. Read your post to someone close. She says: "Is he certain there is not an infection in there? People have had pain years after surgery and it ended up there was an infection at the site that hadn't been identified and treated. Second, has he had an auto-immune work up (an ANA test) done? Is this an autoimmune response? There are different treatments for that. Basically come at it from some different angles since therapies so far haven't worked."

Greetings, Soli! OK, those are points that I had not considered, and that have not been brought up at any of my myriad visits to the doctors. As to infection, the knee (which was the site of the surgery) is totally fine and completely recovered. Had this surgery had gone normally, as over 2 million a year of them do in this country, I would never have dropped off the planet like I did. The issue is not my knee, but rather the excruciating and constant pain in my foot. All indications are that it is nerve damage. I will now need to broaden my online medical degree (awarded from Wikipedia University ) to include a course of study in autoimmune diseases, since I have only specialized in CRPS and tarsal tunnel syndrome at Wiki U thus far. The docs, upon finally admitting that I have nerve damage, were quick to suggest that I could be "anatomically predisposed to this complication." I thought that was a CYA and cop-out, personally...

Dude hang on there . it only gets worse lololol, I have been going through the same thing with the VA... ...at this point im thinking of hsving my lower leg removed...

OMG, don't do that, Robert! I do know how you must feel, and I was contemplating the same thing for about 3 weeks there, from Christmas Eve until the 3rd week of January. Wasn't my whole leg, but for several weeks I seriously considered shooting my foot off. I was out of pain meds, the hospital refused to Rx more, and I hadn't yet learned that my PCP could Rx me opioids to get through (which I asked for and got). I went so far as to remove my firearms from the living areas of my home and locked them all up in the safe in the garage. I was in so much pain, I wasn't sure what I might try to relieve it. It was a weird feeling, not having several pistols and an AR just lyin' around the house...

You're better looking than I thought you'd be.
But it was an awfully low bar.

Now that's phuq'n funny, I don' care who y'are!

All right, guys and gals, I've been on this foot for far too long getting this post out. I've got (yet another) appt. next Tuesday. We'll see what that obtains.
Until then, thanks again, one and all. This community is a great source of inspiration to me!
...sobo

 

[Flopsweat]

First off, many thanks to y'all for all of your kind offers of assistance and encouragement since I was last on here a few days ago. Hat tips to @Jonnyuma, @2Wheels4Ever, @Mikej, @BrentN, @Ura-Ki, @Flopsweat, and @JohnnyMac. I'm sorry if I missed anyone. If I did, please know that it was not intentional and I do appreciate the sentiments expressed. Now, for the rest of you li'l rascals...


Criminy! I think my surgery team knew I had CRPS (or at the very least, a trapped tibial nerve) within a week of the surgery, when I got rushed to the ER. They were very tight-lipped about saying anything about nerve damage until I mentioned it first. Then they went into full-denial-of-responsibility mode. I guess we'll find out...


Many others in my circle have wondered the same...


I wanna know who that was. Bet against sobo, will he?


I appreciate that, but they tell me that being on as much hydrocodone as I am, alcoholic refreshment is strrrrrrrictly verböten... <Sergeant Schultz accent>


Greetings, Soli! OK, those are points that I had not considered, and that have not been brought up at any of my myriad visits to the doctors. As to infection, the knee (which was the site of the surgery) is totally fine and completely recovered. Had this surgery had gone normally, as over 2 million a year of them do in this country, I would never have dropped off the planet like I did. The issue is not my knee, but rather the excruciating and constant pain in my foot. All indications are that it is nerve damage. I will now need to broaden my online medical degree (awarded from Wikipedia University ) to include a course of study in autoimmune diseases, since I have only specialized in CRPS and tarsal tunnel syndrome at Wiki U thus far. The docs, upon finally admitting that I have nerve damage, were quick to suggest that I could be "anatomically predisposed to this complication." I thought that was a CYA and cop-out, personally...


OMG, don't do that, Robert! I do know how you must feel, and I was contemplating the same thing for about 3 weeks there, from Christmas Eve until the 3rd week of January. Wasn't my whole leg, but for several weeks I seriously considered shooting my foot off. I was out of pain meds, the hospital refused to Rx more, and I hadn't yet learned that my PCP could Rx me opioids to get through (which I asked for and got). I went so far as to remove my firearms from the living areas of my home and locked them all up in the safe in the garage. I was in so much pain, I wasn't sure what I might try to relieve it. It was a weird feeling, not having several pistols and an AR just lyin' around the house...


Now that's phuq'n funny, I don' care who y'are!

All right, guys and gals, I've been on this foot for far too long getting this post out. I've got (yet another) appt. next Tuesday. We'll see what that obtains.
Until then, thanks again, one and all. This community is a great source of inspiration to me!
...sobo

Good to see you up for a little bit.

Time to put your foot down with these doctors. Sorry to be a heel, I'll shoe now before someone socks me or I get the boot.

 

[pharmseller]

Pain meds can really bind a fella up, are you pooping?

 

[Mikej]

Kinda' nice to see you joking around for a bit.

 

[sobo]

Pain meds can really bind a fella up, are you pooping?

I started a keto diet in the summer of 2018. I was warned to get stool softeners and to take them every day.
So yes, I haven't stopped taking the ducosate, and I've been releasing some pretty creamy behemoths into the wild all through this opioid mess.

Hey, @Joe Link, where's the TMI emoji...?