2015 July Sparklers - Are you having knee surgery in July?

[PamelaColorado]

Hello July Sparklers! I am scheduled for July 6th for a full custom knee replacement (Conformis). I've already rescheduled once and am basically terrified about both doing this AND not doing this. I am hopeful that after spending some time better educating myself, I will have a more positive outlook!

 

[Majic]

I am having mine 23rd July, it is my second. Although I know it will be quite a long recovery I am looking forward to getting it done, as it is now so much worse than my seven month old new one. Relax and look forward to the future.
Jackie

 

[bottomshollow]

I have brought forward this month's list so that you can easily see who your surgical buddies are.

Welcome to our latest and all July Sparklers!

Feel free post your surgery date in this thread, and I will add you to the list. Start a thread of your own in the Pre-Op Knee Section to post comments and share your journey toward knee replacement. Here's the link that gives you the instructions you need to do this: Starting a new thread and posting

01 July 15 jbrooklyn (bilateral)
06 July 15 PamelaColorado, Rob 68
10 July 15 Deeann
13 July6 15 mfb, Braunzie
16 July 15 iivesfam5
23 July 15 Majic (her second)
27 July 15 Cindy knits

 

[bottomshollow]

@PamelaColorado, you have been officially added to the July surgery list!

 

[jbrooklyn]

@iivesfam5: That daily knee pain is a mixed blessing, right? It hurts and limits our lives, and makes it very clear that this "extreme measure" (btkr) is warranted. I'm making similar preparations . . . will call insurance co. and docs tomorrow to see about ice machine. Leaning toward getting it. With btkr, I want to make life as easy as possible in recovery weeks.

What are your concerns going into this? I want to get home asap for my kid and dog . . . also want to be self-sufficient as soon as I can, because I'll be relying on visits from friends (who have their own families/lives) and my kid, at least till I can get around a bit.

I am really looking forward to being off from work for 3 months! Though I'm sure I'll be in lots of touch with colleagues while out.

Hoping my fellow July sparklers are all doing well.

 

[iivesfam5]

@jbrooklyn yes a big reminder!! I will be home in about 3 days..... my biggest concern is keeping the pain in check and the swelling down. I will be working from home as soon as I can. Prob after a couple weeks so I need to rest elevate ice as much as possible. How old is your son?

 

[jbrooklyn]

@iivesfam5
Wow, returning home in 3 days . . . I hope you have a comfy home and devoted spouse who will dote upon you. I'll be in hosp for 4-5 days.

My daughter is 11, but going on 40, kind of. She's great company, very responsible, etc. She'll be awesome, and I think the (somewhat drastically) increased responsibilities will be an occasion she will rise to with pleasure. I'm sure I'll be eating burned scrambled eggs a lot in July, made by loving 11-year-old hands.

 

[Rob 68]

Change in surgery date; OS office called yesterday and asked if I would be willing to come in a week earlier. Heck, yeah. Knew Knee Day now scheduled for July 6, which make Pam and me Kneemates.

 

[bottomshollow]

@Rob 68, your surgery date has been officially changed!

 

[mfb]

July 13 ltkr.....currently have a rthr Rothman Institue

 

[Braunzie]

OK. I'm in! Looks like my date is July 13. Kind of fitting that it's shortly after "Independence Day".. I'm looking for this to give me back my INDEPENDENCE!! RTKR... Haven't been doing the things I love doing for so long, increasingly so over the last couple years. And now, going to the office and back - with reduced housework - is just NOT cutting it for me. I miss gardening, hiking, walking trails and taking my cameras with me wherever I go to capture what I can capture. Yes, I'm sure I'll get anxious as the time gets closer, but I know there's a high degree of certainty I'll end up better than I am today. Don't want to be one of those people who say - I should have done it sooner.. Looking forward to sharing this "adventure" with everyone.. giving and getting support along the way! (And praying a lot too.. ) ...

 

[bottomshollow]

@mfb, you have been officially added to the July surgery list!

 

[bottomshollow]

@Braunzie, you have been officially added to the July surgery list!

 

[Braunzie]

ps... I didn't intend to offend anyone by saying I didn't "want to be one of those people who say - I should have done it sooner... " By hearing that so many times from people who have done this before, I've had the benefit from learning from their experience. I still have that little voice (sometimes big) inside my head saying.. "you can survive without surgery". Surgery is indeed an intimidating thing to face. But then I hear that other voice in my head saying.. "survival is not necessarily living".. That is the voice that I'm going with.

 

[iivesfam5]

@Braunzie welcome......I feel the same way and have to be reminded by my knees why I am doing this. I am doing bilateral full knee replacement 3 days after you so we can support each other. I miss hiking in the woods and just plan shopping without pain. I love to window shop or I used to..... now it is a list and in and out as quick as I can. What are you having done?

 

[Braunzie]

@iivesfam5 - Just my right knee for now, but I know the left is not far behind.. Looking forward to sharing our experiences..

 

[iivesfam5]

LOL - I reread your post this morning and saw you had posted RTKR - I was probably 1/2 asleep reading last night. Are you getting your house ready??

 

[Braunzie]

@iivesfam5 - not yet, but I will..

 

[beccab107]

Went to the surgeon today for my THR follow-up appointment and I brought my knee x-rays with me. He said could go on getting cortisone shots every three months (got first one last week and already wearing off) or go ahead with TKR. So now scheduled for July 2. I was so surprised since it took me 3 1/2 months to get the appt for the hip.
My hip replacement went beautifully. I was walking without crutches by the end of two weeks. I know TKR is more complicated but so looking forward to being pain-free and I am willing to do whatever it takes to get back to normal.
I'm also struggling with the probable diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis. My hands and arms are being affected but I can deal with this for now.

 

[Braunzie]

@beccab107 - Welcome! Everyone I talk to who either has or knows of someone who has had a knee replacement is very positive of their outcome and very encouraging that it will make a huge improvement. I'm looking forward to getting to a point where I don't have to be hyper sensitive to every step / move I make in an effort to avoid / minimize pain. Oh, and to go up and down stairs like a "normal" person!!! And to garden, and to hike, and to walk at the zoo, or the mall, or .....