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Fusion Long ride to a successful Fusion

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....forward to Feb. 28th. That's when I've booked the fusion surgery for. Seeing Dr. K on Jan. 26th to ask tons of questions and get all the information specific to me. Quite honestly....I had a rush of relief just go over me!
 
Hi Audrey!

I have been racking my brain trying to remember which issue of Guideposts featured a man who was outdoors, "living life" with TWO fused knees! He was a professional photographer, and he went back to what he loved doing after the fusions. He was very inspiring!

I also talked to a lady at PT the other day who is 80, and she has one knee fused. She had polio early in life and so at the age of 40 she had her knee fused. She is at PT because she had the other knee replaced recently. She is doing quite well!:biggrin:
 
Sonja....I'm thinking this may be the article you are referring to:

broken link removed: https://www.guideposts.org/inspirational-stories/inspiring-story-photographer-mike-matenkosky-taking-pictures-wheelchair?page=0,0

It is a great story of someone overcoming an obstacle to find something greater in life. His photos are amazing.
 
Jamie,

That is the story! Thank you so much for finding it! It is so inspiring and I just had to read it again! :biggrin:
 
My OS has been wanting to fuse my knee for a while but I have knixed it so far. He says I will have a 3" difference. Please keep us all informed about what happens to you... I am very interested as this might be my only option eventually.
 
Hi Renatelynne! It looks like you have been through a very difficult time with all these surgeries. Why did your OS say your leg would be 3" shorter? Is it because so much bone has been lost through all the surgeries? (That's a cute doggie you have on your shoulder, by the way!)
You are the same age as I am, and at this time, I feel like I'm 80! Not that 80 is bad, but I've got a lot of years to live...actively! Fusion is the best decision for me. It's not right for everybody, and you have to really think about it and do your homework to see if it is right for YOU.
My OS put me in a cast last summer ( a removable one with lots of velcro straps). This showed me what it would be like to have my knee fused. I don't mind going down steps one at a time, nor do I mind getting into and out of a car. I've got that mastered, thanks to practice with the cast. I am in far less pain when I am in the cast, but as you can read from my posts prior, it's no picnic when I'm not wearing it, and I MUST take pain meds just to do simple things around the house. Going out to do errands and driving is out of the question if I don't have the cast.
I've adapted to sitting on the edge of a chair, rather than sitting completely in it, and I have a very comfy recliner that I am in when watching TV. Props the leg up very well!
It is harder to stand for a long period of time, as my left leg (the one with the cast) is shorter than the other, as my leg is slightly bent in the cast.
I cannot straighten, nor can I bend my knee more than 75 degrees at this time, and it's doubtful that it will improve. As you may have read, I also have RSD, so movement makes the RSD (nerve pain) worse. So....to heck with bending....life is better not worrying about how many degrees I have (or don't have) and wondering "how much pain am I going to be in today"?
I have a 16mm spacer in my knee right now. Do you know how many mm or inches your spacer is?
 
I would imagine he chooses to make it 3" shorter, Audrey. As I said earlier, there's no cut and dried method to this, each surgeon has his own notions about what makes a good fusion.
 
Snickers is my baby.... she is a yorkiepoo (1/2 yorkie 1/2 toy poodle). She sometimes thinks she is a parrot! *g

He says 3" shorter because of the diffrerence between the two bones to be fused. Audrey (from what I read) probably doesn't have that gap like I do. I have an xray that shows the spacer and the room it is taking up. I will see about getting it photoed and post it over where we post pics of our knee scars.

I'm glad you are getting some releaf from the cast and keeping your leg straight. I was in an imobilizer for a while but since I can't walk on the leg I could only tell things like getting into a car and sitting. I don't know what walking will be like. I could get into the car and drive and I could sit on the couch (sideways) or a recliner. Of course I could sit in my wheelchair since that is where I am most of the time anyway.

I think fusing is a good option for you if that is what you want to do. I'm glad you have something concrete to look forward to. I'm going to keep up with your posts just so I might have some idea what I might have to go through in the future if that is the way I have to go. I have talked to a couple of people around where I live that have fused knees and live life everyday with a few modifications. It sounds like a viable option. Just if you read some of my views on my pages, it wasn't an option I wanted to try before. I don't want you to think I'm in any way saying it would be bad for you or anyone else....
 
Yes, I have a 16mm spacer between the bones now. I'm assuming that's how my OS came up with the 1/2" to 3/4" difference in leg length after the fusion.
 
I know I speak for a lot of us when I say "I can't wait to kick 2011 in the butt and say GOOD BYE!!!! So many of us have been through so much this year. Many of us have had revisions that have made our lives better, and many of us are still coping with pain, stiffness, and questions about why our healing isn't going the way we expected. BoneSmart has been here for me, and I want to take this time to thank each and every one of you who have read, posted, thanked and continue to follow my story.

I am very hopeful and optomistic that my fusion will be a "happy" ending and that 2012 holds lots of promise for me, and for all of you as well!

HAPPY NEW YEAR! Luv, Audrey
:cheers_wine:
 
Can't believe it's the first of January, and there is no snow in Maine (only in the mountains). This is sooo strange! 40+ degrees too! Just got in from spending some very needed time at the barn with my ponies. No ice or snow, so I can get to the backyard "all by myself"! I'm a big girl now....ha ha....till it snows! :th_heehee:
 
Yes, it's warmish here too. Very bizarre. This time last year we were snowed in here good and proper!
 
Oh, Happy Day! I just talked to my friend's sister who is an OR nurse at Mercy Hospital where I've had the last 2 surgeries. She is going to assemble the same OR team for my upcoming fusion surgery!!!! She is the BEST! This makes me VERY happy, as they were all FANTASTIC! This is a definite stress reliever for sure! Thank you, Wendy!!!
 
I am so happy for you! Having a great surgical staff makes all the difference!
 
Having confidence in the future is big!
 
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