THR Happy to be past the surgery

[Freyagirl]

Hawaii. It’s wonderful. We’ve been here a a bunch of times starting in my 50’s. Well now my husband is over 80 and I’m close behind. Fixing my hips did not make me younger. I rented a VRBO with a great saltwater pool and a calm beachfront. BUT the condo parking is a block away up a hill. The sidewalks are stumble stepping stones and the unit is three floors up with no elevator. It’s been a challenge. My dreams of swimming in the ocean went away after discovering that the sand is very soft and deep. Even the kids stumble in it. The pool is great, but a long hike over uneven ground. So, apparently, I’ve gotten older as my hips got better. So I’ve adjusted. I found a fun golf cart rum tasting tour and another golf cart tour of a huge botanical garden. I talked teenagers into dragging lawn chairs across the lawn to the edge of the beach for a great day of watching the surfers and the whales. We took a couple long car rides with beautiful ocean overlooks. No long hikes or surfing but I actually think that the warm, moist air is improving my creaky knees. It’s almost a year since my first hip replacement and I am grateful every day to be back on the road again.

 

[djklaugh]

@Freyagirl Sounds like a wonderful trip! Thanks for the up date -- it is wonderful to hear that you are enjoying life with new hips

 

[Freyagirl]

Home from Hawaii to a case of Covid. We are going through a long, cold spell in Minnesota. During my recovery I was out in bad weather and stumbled and landed hard on both knees. I was able to get back to my car and home and then realized I had really slammed the knees. I did my rest icing compression and elevation. After a few days, I realized I needed to see my ortho doc because the pain was pretty intense. My right knee definitely is going to need to be replaced. The left knee isn’t too bad and should recover. I got Cortizone shot in both knees and that has significantly improved the pain. I am hoping that once again the Cortizone shot can tide me over until the inflammation improves and the knee gets back to its usual annoying but not debilitating state. I just don’t feel like I’m ready to go through another long period of surgery and rehab. The ortho doc was delighted with how well my hips have recovered and I told he I almost never even think about them.

 

[Layla]

Hi Freyagirl,
It's too bad you had to come home to such cold weather and Covid after spending time in Hawaii.
How unfortunate about your knee, sorry to hear it. It is great news that your OS was pleased with your
hips / recovery. Fingers crossed the injection brings you speedy relief.
Enjoy the weekend!
@Freyagirl

 

[myglasshalffull]

Oh no, so sorry to read about your knees. Who needs more surgery?!?!
My right knee has been giving some issues, not enough to seek medical help, I usually just use compression sleeve & some bio freeze on it & it calms down. I did tear my meniscus years ago & had an amazing sports OS who recommended healing it on my own & not to have surgery. So I followed his suggestions & I did heal it. I had been doing power walking up some hills & that's how I tore it in first place.
Good luck, please keep us posted.

 

[Debru4]

@myglasshalffull I am curious about your meniscus tear and your being able to heal it yourself without surgery. I tore mine getting out of my car (no fall or trauma---just stepping out of my car!!) last year and the orthopedic doctor said letting it heal itself wasn't an option as it would not repair itself. I'm curious it this is a matter of location or severity, or just individual doctors and their preferences? Your thoughts?

 

[myglasshalffull]

debru,
Here's what sports OS told me. I'm not really sure of the severity of mine, I tore it from power walking up hills. It took me a couple weeks to go get an X-Ray & first OS place I went to the doctor was so rude. He says, "yeah you have arthritis in that knee & your are over 60 so you need surgery to repair the meniscus." Then points me to PT area & tells me to go get knee brace & other items that were totaling well over $200. I had a knee brace from CVS that cost me $20.
So I decided to try University Orthopedics in my area & I was given a sports OS, nice young doctor. He also had my X-Ray & I told him about my first go round. I had a rather large bubble coming out of side of my knee. He drained it (gross) & gave me a shot of cortisone & I felt immediate results.
His advice to self heal was 12 hours a day elevate & ice off & on, no power walking. So I followed his advice & it took about 3 months but it did heal. Eventually he scheduled MRI for it & I was good to go. Said I could start my walks again but no pounding the pavement uphill!
He said he doesn't like to rush into meniscus surgery because many times it just weakens another area of the knee & another tear is possible. Maybe I was just lucky, not sure but I didn't just sit for 12 hours I'd break it up & wore compression sleeve which helped a lot. Every once in awhile the knee bothers me but I ice, go back to compression sleeve & it usually resolves with 24 hours.

 

[Debru4]

@myglasshalffull Thanks for sharing your story. I did have the arthroscopic surgery as I was in severe pain and the injections, icing, resting as able, and other measures weren't helping. The 12 hours a day rest idea was never mentioned. But I also was told that the surgery itself likely would lead to additional arthritis and problems with the knee, which really is discouraging to think about. I'm not sure what other options I really had, but it was interesting that I was told the injury could not repair itself at my age, and yet you were given different advice. I'm glad you had such positive results!!

(Sorry to highjack your discussion @Freyagirl. I hope your knees are settling down, and that your hips continue to feel great. It's been 6 1/2 years since my hip was replaced and like you, I rarely ever think about it. In fact, within a year it just felt like it had been part of my body forever. What a gift!)