Bilateral TKR SusieShoes' New Knees

[SusieB]

Eight and Half Months: Funerals and Gratitude

My father-in-law passed away at the nursing home yesterday afternoon. Though he was 94 and suffered from severe dementia to the point he had forgotten how to walk or swallow, and no longer knew anyone by name, his passing was unexpected. I will be scarce for a few days as the family gathers and grieves.

My most recent post was about how I returned to being more of myself after having BTKR. In the long scheme of things, most of our problems turn out to be temporary. His weren't. When I think of the amazing surgery that gave me a pair of working, functional and pain-free knees, I think also about FIL and how there was nothing medicine could do to keep him from being lost to himself and us.

Often, when FIL would see me walking on my new knees, he would express hope that someone would "fix" him also. I pray someday there will be a "fix" for dementia. Until then, though, I will be happy that joint replacement exists and is such a great help to so many.

Sorry for your loss! I too feel
Like you... this is a bump i. The road for me
I will be fine! It’s just going to take
Time! I pray for those who have bad diagnoses and have that dark cloud hanging over their head! This is nothing compared to what others are enduring everyday!!!

 

[Thesoutherncook]

Hi SusieShoes! I've been away for a long time but just caught up on you. I know what a struggle it was with your FIL. I'm sorry for your loss, but know that you lost him to the disease long ago. We know he is whole now and that is a blessing.

Sounds like your knees are doing great! Congrats! I'm having ( totally unexpected) THR in June, so I'll be on the other side!
Hugs,
H.

 

[SusieShoes]

Ten Months: New Normal Knees

So here I am at ten months out from having both my knees replaced. Let's just say that in the last month I have been very, very happy I had this surgery. Why? Because I have been running up and down stairs and walking long distances all day long for a lot of reasons, none of which have to do with me directly, and which activities have made me very useful. I have shoveled driveways clear of snow and carried heavy cases of water across parking lots. All of those things would have been agonizing a year ago. This year I have no pain at all.

The knees are troopers and I have immense respect for the technology and surgeon responsible for them. We live in an age of wonders.

I wish I had more to say, but I've said it all in other posts. The knees do keep getting better and better!

 

[Celle]

Great report, Susie!

 

[Babushelen]

I enjoyed reading your post @SusieShoes. My condolences on the passing of your FIL. My FIL also passed away from Alzheimer’s a few years ago. It is a cruel disease. They are gone a lot sooner than their bodies give out.

How awesome that you were able to dance with your grandson. I can’t wait to be able to take my granddaughters to the zoo and walk the entire zoo without having to leave early because of pain. You and others who have had bilaterals are my heroes. I remember when I went for my consultation my OS told me both my knees were bad but he wanted me to at least have one “good” leg to stand on. Although not good per se, I guess he did not want me to have to deal with 2 operated knees. Having gone with what I have with just one TKR, I’m glad I only did one. I don’t think I would have been able to cope with two TKRs at three same time. So my hat goes out to you and the others.

I have been noticing the pain on my non surgical knee of late. I guess because although I’m dealing with the usual stiffness and pain on my RTKR when I bend my knee too long or when I’m sitting too long, the arthritis pain is gone. I’m starting to use my cane to take the load off of my arthritic knee (lol).

 

[sistersinhim]

 

[jboles]

Thanks for the info on hypertrophic scars. My left knee looks like yours. A scar on my abdomen from old fashioned gallbladder surgery looks like it too. Except it’s white now, took several years to turn white though. My right knee looks better than my left knee, it will be interesting to see if it winds up looking like the left.

 

[Hood1980]

@SusieShoes so happy you shared your 10 month update and are doing so well! I have “lost” my thread so I haven’t updated in a while, but am not doing very well. My 12 week follow up is on Tuesday and am dreading it already.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[SusieShoes]

@jboles, about 10% of people have our kind of scarring. The scars do get pale, so eventually will be less visible. I would rather have very skinny scars like those Mr. Shoes gets. Nearly invisible. Not mine. Thankfully, one of the benefits of getting older and wiser is knowing that visible scars don’t detract from much of anything. If I’m doing it at all correctly, when I interact with people, they’ll be looking at my face, not my knees.

 

[SusieShoes]

@Hood1980 , I see Jockette has reunited you with your thread. I’ll come over there to visit. Try not to fret about your upcoming follow-up. You might be surprised at how well you’re doing. Let’s hope for that.

 

[Needhope]

Susie... I just finished reading your entire thread. Quite inspiring and entertaining I must say. You sure do have a way with words. Thank you for sharing your recovery story with us. You truly are a gem. Hugs.

 

[Rjack09]

Susie,you are a treasure on this site. So awesome to hear you’re close to graduating with honors!

 

[robhunt3]

hear hear...another fantastic success story that gives us all hope. Thank you for your ever present support Susie, it has helped me so much.

 

[SusieShoes]

@Babushelen, I'm sorry you also had to deal with the ordeal that is dementia. It really is a terrible way to lose someone.

You will get to enjoy a visit to the zoo with your granddaughters! One of the great pleasures of my life now that I have two new knees is being able to walk around a village, or take the grandchildren to the park, and not have to sit while others play. I'm looking forward to touring botanical gardens again and visit Europe to see castles.

 

[jaschembra]

Glad to have caught your 10 month update! You have had a pretty good rock star recovery, but that is because you took control and listened to your knees. Great job! I'm glad you're able to enjoy them so much. I was sorry to learn of your father n law's passing, sounds like he was a good man.

 

[Jockette]

Have you been to the botanical garden in Cleveland? It’s very different from Longwood Gardens. It also has a really nice children’s area, complete with treehouse with benches and books to read.

 

[SusieShoes]

Thanks for the tip! Sounds like a perfect place to take my grandson next trip to Cleveland! I love Longwood Gardens, especially now that I can actually walk around it. The world really opens up again for people who can walk.

 

[Jockette]

There’s also a big butterfly room!

There is a woodsy outside area that I really liked. I bet that would be great in the fall. I was there early September so the leaves were still green.

 

[jboles]

The world really opens up again for people who can walk.

I think what you said really sums up life for people with bad knees. It started about 7 years ago for me, I had arthroscopic surgery on both knees, synvics injections in both knees and fluid drawn off with cortisone injections. Finally, you just stop moving. Now my world is starting to become a moving world again. I so look forward to reading your posts so I can dream of better days to come.

 

[Needhope]

@jboles i couldn’t agree more about bad knees. Mine have been a lifelong battle with subluxing patellas since I was in my single digits. I couldn’t play with the other kids because my kneecaps would slide out. I tried my best to keep up with them, but my knees told me otherwise.