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Revision TKR Never give up, keep trying, don't settle - that's me, Bonnie

Hello BoneSmarties...do you remember me? I am not sure what drew me here tonight...maybe that is is Sonja Brekke England's birthday today. I posted a Happy Birthday to her in Heaven on her Facebook page.

After my 25th marathon in October 2017, I've done two more 1/2 marathons here in Houston and lots of training miles. My OS says that my knee is as strong as ever. In september 2018 I tore my meniscus in my real knee that after just healing from surgery on my arm for Melanoma - I am ok now - no cancer and my real knee is cooperating again. I did have Synvisc injections after the meniscus tear that they helped tremendously.

I still coach my walking group, I still work in Run Speciality. I lost my of my beloved dogs to cancer in January 2018 and I now have a new big puppy Emma - a Border Collie who soon will be 10 months old. Gracie the wiener dog is the boss. Two granddaughters now and a grandson on the way in 8 weeks, he will be my son's first.

Life is going pretty well and I hope that all is well for my old friends too.
 
Bonnie,
Wonderful to hear how well you are doing. Sorry to hear you lost one of you dogs. Happy your right knee has come around, and is cooperating.
Congratulations on you soon to be born grandson.
 
Yes, Bonnie, thanks to an e-mail notice I was alerted to your post.

Whenever I see the phrase “Rest Assured”, I think of that beautiful soul. Thank you for the reminder post.

Glad you are well. Nice to see @Pumpkln posting, too. I’ve been meaning to get on and add to my thread with a big goal at hand, but February was bad and March just getting back. I did walk 11 on the flats yesterday and did a decent 12 mile hike today with good climbs. Only 88 miles to go.
 
@Pumpkln and @trailspud so nice to see friendly faces pop up in replies, it has been much too long! Good job @trailspud on the miles, we certainly have good months and bad months...I took one month off with two sore knees - last run was February 15 until last weekend when I did 7.75 miles and 5.50 miles today. I am finishing that REST is a good thing!! I joined a gym too so I am lifting only non mileage days. Which 100 miler are you going to do? I have friends who do Western State and Leadville.
 
Bonnie!! So good to hear from you and that all is well! Thank you for the reminder about Sonja's birthday … I so miss her positive attitude and can do spirit! @trailspud - good job! You are ready to do the Camino de Compostela in Spain - 11-13 miles each day - some hills - last 100 km of the Camino into Santiago! We have done it twice since I got my "new parts."
 
It’s the 40th Anniversary of the Wasatch 100. Special division for those who were there in its first decade. We get 40 hours to finish. I finished that race 9 times from the mid-‘80s through 1998.
 
trailspud said:
Yes, Bonnie, thanks to an e-mail notice I was alerted to your post.

Whenever I see the phrase “Rest Assured”, I think of that beautiful soul. Thank you for the reminder post.

Glad you are well. Nice to see @Pumpkln posting, too. I’ve been meaning to get on and add to my thread with a big goal at hand, but February was bad and March just getting back. I did walk 11 on the flats yesterday and did a decent 12 mile hike today with good climbs. Only 88 miles to go.
Click to expand...
NightQuilter said:
Bonnie!! So good to hear from you and that all is well! Thank you for the reminder about Sonja's birthday … I so miss her positive attitude and can do spirit! @trailspud - good job! You are ready to do the Camino de Compostela in Spain - 11-13 miles each day - some hills - last 100 km of the Camino into Santiago! We have done it twice since I got my "new parts."
Click to expand...
Very nice. Actually going to do that section of the Camino in June w/wife and oldest daughter. I’m planning on walking a bunch extra during breaks and after the day is done.
 
It will be pretty hot in June - but such a wonderful section to do! It will be lovely to share that with your bride and daughter. What a coincidence. My hubs did the "middle" 200 miles with a friend last year who hadn't prepped right - he was doing the entire Camino. By the time Joe met up with him, his feet were, as Joe termed it, like hamburger meat. But he plugged on and finished the entire walk in 5.5 weeks.
 
Bonnie, So glad to hear how well you are doing. Sounds like your life is going pretty good and with new grandchildren how exciting for you. How special you remembered Sonja’s birthday! Maybe that’s a sign of good faith. Best to you! Nancy
 
So, to see you Bonnie and Nancy on the same page brought back all kinds of memories. Bonnie, I am so glad to hear that you are doing well--you fought the good fight and won. Can you make sure that that great surgeon of yous is on our new Surgeon locator? He seems like someone not to be missed!!

And Sonja too. It is hard to believe that she is not with us, she always seemed so young and full of life to me. She also fought for her life and mobility. I had it easier, but still, it is a hard journey to get to a new, Pain free zone with your knees. Nancy, I know that you are not there----YET. Be like Bonnie and never give in.

Bonnie, your story is so inspiring that I hope you visit us more often---there are many who need to hear a story like yours. So many people feel like they cannot post when having problems---but, this is the place for support with problems. It is hard when you do not have the textbook recovery, but harder still if you give up.

Bonnie, what happened differently with the new surgeon that changed your life so radically? My own surgeon removed extensive adhesions especially around the knee cap 2 years after my surgery on the left knee. He put in a bigger spacer as he thought it was possible that the small amount of laxity in my knee had encouraged the adhesions to form. I did a very programmed recovery that took months, but aside from an occasional velcro ripping sound from my knee, I have not had any problems, which is a huge relief.

It occurred to me recently that I had more bleeding in that first knee---the little drain filled up three or four times and I think that was a big reason for the adhesions, but my surgeon did not want to agree with me.

It was really good to hear from you and to know that you have resumed running, which was/is such a big part of your life. Kelly
 
Hi Bonnie,
It's lovely to hear from you again.
I'm glad you're doing well - you certainly deserve a good outcome after your long journey.

Thank you for reminding us about Sonja. I still miss her.
 
Bonnie so good to hear you are doing so well. I think of you from time to time and wondered how you are doing. Like the others the e-mail alert let me know you posted. Thanks also for the reminder about Sonja.

My knee is doing well but a little like you the human one is getting jealous!:heehee: So awesome to hear you are running again. I've been hearing about press fit knees lately instead of cemented ones. I may have a new knee in my future but for now it's doing well.

Sorry to hear about the loss of your dog. I hope the new puppy helps heal the pain. My sweet Meekie died in November of 2017 from renal failure at the age of 20. He is the one in my posting picture. I adopted two little flame points Orientals a months later. Wow it has been a long time since I had kittens. Real eye opener. But we are getting close and they are sweet and cuddly when they slow down enough for me to hold them. They were a year old in October 2018
 
Bonnie,
@RunA42K
I stayed up all night reading your thread! Could not put it down. Your journey easily ranks up there as one of the most inspiring of all time. Your “ tag line” says it all - you are truly an example of a “ Never give up” attitude in living your best possible life.
One thing has not been clear to me as I approached near the end of your postings: do you credit most of your difficulties previously ( repeated scar tissue , etc.) to a metal allergy and is your last revision successful because of a specialized implant that addressed your allergy ?
Or do you attribute it to the water therapy mostly?
Or maybe both of the above as well as that amazing attitude of “ not settling”.
Would you feel free to say the name of your last surgeon and if he is also in Texas? I am in Pittsburgh, but I swear st this point I am ready to go just about anywhere if I can get a revision that will help me this time.
Also : how do you personally come down on the place of physical therapy in recuperation? What is “ too much” and what is “ too little”.
Would be very interested in your answers!
And CONGRATULATIONS on a job well done!
Kathy0427
 
Marathons and half marathons, oh my! I was never a runner, couldn't run a quarter mile ever in life, so you runners have my admiration. Nice to hear you're doing well!
 
Kathy0427 said:
Bonnie,
@RunA42K
I stayed up all night reading your thread! Could not put it down. Your journey easily ranks up there as one of the most inspiring of all time. Your “ tag line” says it all - you are truly an example of a “ Never give up” attitude in living your best possible life.
One thing has not been clear to me as I approached near the end of your postings: do you credit most of your difficulties previously ( repeated scar tissue , etc.) to a metal allergy and is your last revision successful because of a specialized implant that addressed your allergy ?
Or do you attribute it to the water therapy mostly?
Or maybe both of the above as well as that amazing attitude of “ not settling”.
Would you feel free to say the name of your last surgeon and if he is also in Texas? I am in Pittsburgh, but I swear st this point I am ready to go just about anywhere if I can get a revision that will help me this time.
Also : how do you personally come down on the place of physical therapy in recuperation? What is “ too much” and what is “ too little”.
Would be very interested in your answers!
And CONGRATULATIONS on a job well done!
Kathy0427
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@Kathy0427 Hello Kathy, please forgive my late reply, as I have not been on Bonesmart for quite some time...but that means that I am doing well and just living life. I am sure by now that you’ve addressed any issues with a new doctor and it is too late for any help from mine but if it does help anyone else out there I thought I should answer you albeit late.

I credit most of my difficulties due to the metal allergy. The scar tissue growth was off the charts when I had nickel replacements and then of course every time I’d have another surgery that would spur more scar tissue growth. Kinda like the dog chasing it’s tail.

Water therapy helped me tremendously early on when traditional Physical Therapy left me stuck and not going any further but even with water therapy my knee eventually has settled in with only 90 degrees ROM and sometimes I have to push to get to 90, but I can do it.

My surgeons name is Dr. Robin Goytia with Texas Orthopedic Hospital here in Houston, Texas. I have met many people over time since 2015 who were having significant problems and referred them to Dr. Goytia, and they’ve had surgery performed by him with good outcomes. He fixes problems!!

I still deal with the leg length difference that I was given with my 1st revision. Hip aching, back hurting, buying shoes one size too big so I can wear a lift inside the left shoe, and if the shoe is not deep enough it hurts by big toenail. But I am doing the best that I can with what I have got and it is not in my nature to ever give up.

I will keep doing 1/2 marathons as long as I am able. Since the last revision in 2015 I’ve done about 10 1/2 marathons and one full marathon (my 25th). I have another to do on January 19, 2020. My biggest fear in life is falling down on my TKR knee because if my knee does not bend, will I break my femur or tear off my quad muscle? I try to be as careful as I can during my races.

I have an OS who I see for my real knee. He told me a year ago that no doubt I’d need it replaced in 10 years or less. He’s done snyvisc injections on that knee and PRP (Platelet Rich Plasma) and that has given me new life. It works!! I find that using a CBD balm topically on both of my knees does wonders.

I guess that if I end up with another knee replacement then you will see me on here all the time again!

@Jamie, thank you for opening up my thread again. I’ll try and do better with checking in.

Love to all my old friends on here and to the new friends that I have not met just yet! ♥
 
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@Jamie I just saw the post that you made about a trial for osteoarthritis here in Houston. I just submitted my name.
 
Bonnie,
Thank you for the update, happy to hear how well you are doing.
Let us know if you are accepted in to the trial in Houston, I am sure it will be an interesting experience for you.
All the best in your upcoming race on the 20th.
 
@trailspud I do think of her often and you are right, she does deserve a mention. She was so caring and giving to everyone. I got to know her on a special level where as she lived in Texas and although not in Houston, her sister lived near me and when she‘d come to visit I’d get to see her too. She came to my store and I have pictures there and we had a fun lunch together with pictures one day too. She was one of those people that you hardly see but they feel like a best friend that you’ve known a lifetime. RIP Sonja @RestAssured!♥️
 
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