jennifer02
junior member
Hello. I have been reading your posts and decided to join. I am having the most difficult of times with my mom right now.
She had a TKR twice now in her right knee. She developed MRSA through her job (she's a nurse in a care facility) and the MRSA of course went right to the prosthetics. Naturally they removed it, cleaned it out and put in cement spacers. We were just told that they don't last and will eventually need to come out and a fusion will have to occur. My mother is a wreck b/c she is 64, should have died from this infection (it was more than just her knee it affected) and she has finally learned to walk somewhat with a walker on her cement knee with a knee brace. She is mostly in a wheel chair but is able to bend her knee and as I said, walk somewhat with a walker.
What she and I are afraid of is that after a fusion she will be worse off. I read horror stories on fusions but I'm sure there are good sides to it. They also recommended either a fusion or I believe they said some sort of brace. meaning, nothing in the knee and a permanent brace. I have no idea how that would work out.
She is scared to death either way. She has finally come home from the hospital after 6 months of being in there and now recouping but will soon have to make a decision. I have searched far and wide for answers and this is the closest I've seen and read on somewhat a familiar case. Any advice would be so helpful. She has gone to 3 orthopaedic specialists (including two from your clinic list) and all suggest fusion or the ladder. Its just a tough decision to make and both are so unsettling b/c doctors are so cut and dry these days that in the end we are completely freaked out about both. If any of you know any way to help shed some light on my situation I'd great appreciate it. thanks!!
Jen
She had a TKR twice now in her right knee. She developed MRSA through her job (she's a nurse in a care facility) and the MRSA of course went right to the prosthetics. Naturally they removed it, cleaned it out and put in cement spacers. We were just told that they don't last and will eventually need to come out and a fusion will have to occur. My mother is a wreck b/c she is 64, should have died from this infection (it was more than just her knee it affected) and she has finally learned to walk somewhat with a walker on her cement knee with a knee brace. She is mostly in a wheel chair but is able to bend her knee and as I said, walk somewhat with a walker.
What she and I are afraid of is that after a fusion she will be worse off. I read horror stories on fusions but I'm sure there are good sides to it. They also recommended either a fusion or I believe they said some sort of brace. meaning, nothing in the knee and a permanent brace. I have no idea how that would work out.
She is scared to death either way. She has finally come home from the hospital after 6 months of being in there and now recouping but will soon have to make a decision. I have searched far and wide for answers and this is the closest I've seen and read on somewhat a familiar case. Any advice would be so helpful. She has gone to 3 orthopaedic specialists (including two from your clinic list) and all suggest fusion or the ladder. Its just a tough decision to make and both are so unsettling b/c doctors are so cut and dry these days that in the end we are completely freaked out about both. If any of you know any way to help shed some light on my situation I'd great appreciate it. thanks!!
Jen