Revision TKR Third and final surgery all done

[Nigella2]

@kayow11. I lurk on here reading and find comfort in finding out how others have coped and have only commented once before.

I think you have been through a lot and should allow yourself some slack.

Quite a few people only speak about good aspects of TKR and not any struggles they have encountered.

I don't believe everything is perfect for some people.I think they are not telling the truth or else they don' t see the truth.

You know the person my neighbour knows who took 4 dogs to a dog park with a very rugged area a week after a TKR...

A good example is a family friend we saw recently who always brags about her TKR recoveries

This person commented on my not being able to go downstairs normally but they couldn't bend their knees enough to sit on a barstool type chair and walk with a stiff gait. Their TKR S were done 4 years ago.Mine was just over 4 months when they came to check in with me.

All that being said I am glad I had this done and my other leg is being done next month.I just want it over with so I can go on with my life.

Please be kind to yourself and stay positive.I noticed that you usually encourage other people to try to positive.It certainly isn't always easy.

I wish you better days in the near future.




P.S. I didn't list the good the bad and the ugly for me personally but you can read it in my one other posting.

 

[Nigella2]

PSS. I realized even though I have only posted twice I am under two names.

Melanie 1 and Nigella 2

Maybe I should practice more.

 

[Jockette]

@Melanie1 What you posted to Kayow11 was very encouraging. Would you like to have a thread of your own? We would love to get to know you better and learn more about your recovery. If you need help with that let me know.

 

[Desertgal]

@kayow11 i understand you completely. We have battled a fight that was stacked against us from the beginning. When the medical profession fails us, we say “ why me?”. But I believe, regardless of why we are where we are now, we have a better future ahead. We just have to get over this next hurdle. I refuse to get negative. I believe a positive attitude is the piece of the puzzle that gets us over the hump. I feel you believe that too. My husband is an attorney. Although his practice is Estate Planning, his reaction to watching me go thru this ordeal is to take down my original surgeon. I just want to walk like a “normal” person. It has been a struggle to get him to understand I just want to go in to my revision with a positive mind set and not spend my energy on the past. As to walking currently, I have a 20 degree flexation, I do not walk normally. But I still have hope for a better future, what ever that might be. I can only get better!! And, I hope you hang on to your positive thoughts. That is what will get you over your “ hump”.

 

[kayow11]

@Melanie1, thanks for your encouraging post to me. It helps me when I am reminded by others that I've been through an awful lot in the past 14 months and I am expecting a lot from myself. My chiropractor said, I've been to hell and back. Somehow that makes me feel justified in being disgusted at times.
I did lots of research and checking out the right surgeon and other peoples outcomes to total knee replacement, for a year or two before I ever had mine done. I felt assured I would do really well because I'm in good health and eat great, and exercise regularly.
My first knee probably would have done a little better if it was trying to recover on its own without the complicating factor of the other knees two surgeries, right afterward. But I guess we'll never know.
My biggest problem and challenge started when I had my other knee done three months after the first one.
It all began with a crooked and misaligned knee that I had to walk on for six months before I could have a revision. This caused several other problems and they have not all resolved yet.
Could you start your own thread so several of us can speak to you and you respond to us? I don't see when you had your surgery, and I don't know where you posted before, so please don't be a stranger. We all would love to know you better.
@Desertgal, thank you also for your kind words, thoughts, and sharing your experiences. I think you have posted before on my thread, but I have not read your personal posts so I apologize for being ignorant of your issues.
I see you are having a revision next month. Did you end up with a crooked misaligned knee ? And what do you mean that you have 20° of flexation? Can you only bend a mere 20°?
I am only at 85 to 95° between the two knees, and that is difficult for many tasks and functional activities. Both physicians mentioned to me about having an MUA, but I absolutely refused it because I wasn't convinced it would solve my problems. I would just be starting over with pain and misery, plus I didn't want any more anesthesia due to short term memory loss from the three surgeries I had so close together. I sure hope and pray I get more range of motion when this is all said and done.
Speaking of your husband being an attorney, I have just recently decided to check in to attorney stuff some, to see if I even have a case. I tried dealing with the clinic directly where my original surgeon works, to resolve this issue and possibly receive some compensation for their surgeons mistake and all the problems it has caused for me, but they are ignoring me. I assume I need to deal with a malpractice lawyer? Anybody know?
But you are right, we have to just keep a positive attitude about our situation and our life. I keep reminding myself that everything could be so much worse, and at least I have two legs and can do a little bit of walking. Thankfulness is the biggest helper and friend for my mind and spirit. It keeps things in perspective and that is what I need since I like to deal with realism and practicality.
I had to chuckle over your comment about your husband wanting to take down your surgeon. I think our spouses go through a whole different trial when we are in misery.
There is a scripture that says, hope deferred makes the heart sick. So yes, encouragement is a valuable tool.

 

[Desertgal]

Yes, you read it right. My flex was measured at 20 degrees when I went to my new surgeon. Basically a peg leg. Yes, my prosthesis is in crooked. Plus, I just learned last week I am allergic to nickel, cobalt, gold, and some suture material! So I never had a chance at success from the very beginning. But I am hopeful still for a better outcome, once all of this nastiness is removed from my body. I just wish it was sooner.

 

[kayow11]

Are there alternative prosthetic knee replacement parts that don't contain these metals you're allergic to? That's crazy! I feel bad that you have allergies to all of these metals. It has been poisoning your system for a year.
I don't think that's my problem but we all have something Going on that isn't very normal for most, and is giving us trouble. Do they have a solution to help you?
Did they tell you how far off your knee angle is? Originally I was more bow-legged, but after that surgery, I was knock knee, 10° Over corrected past straight.

 

[Desertgal]

No degrees mentioned. The tibial component has “ internal rotation”. It just has never lined up properly with everything else. As to what implant will be used, I am still in discussion on this. I am going ahead with a blood test too to determine better metal allergy tests since the one last week was just the patch test. Stay tuned!

 

[kayow11]

Hello bone smarties!
I haven't posted for a while, mostly because of two reasons. I have tried to have my grandkids over a lot in the month of August and do some fun things with them that I am able to do, and the truth is there is not much news to tell.
I feel my standing and walking ability is about the same as before, actually the last two to three months or so, Stairs are still difficult and seem the same too, and quite honestly I am so tired of talking about it and thinking about it, that I needed to take a break.

I did see a new physician last week who is a lymphatic and vein specialist. She didn't do any formal testing but with my symptoms and past issues, she came to the conclusion that I have bad veins mostly contributing to my swelled legs, I.e. Venous insufficiency.
Next week I plan to go back to my original vein ablation doctor for ultrasounds to see what he thinks. He thought my deep veins weren't that bad.
She also said the vein and lymphatic systems go hand-in-hand so one affects the other. I have noticed that my right leg which has my almost 15-month-old TKR, is still giving me the most problem. I don't know if it's bursitis or the knee itself that just isn't healed enough, or the vein and lymphatic issues that rule and reign, or all of them.
She feels none of my leg veins are very good either which would explain why I have extra swelling in both legs but especially that right older leg.
She also said the only way to deal with it is to manage the problem by compression, keeping my weight down, and exercise to move the fluids back up where they are supposed to be, and not pool in my legs.
I have tried to do all of these things but I do still need to lose 10 to 15 pounds. The exercise is beyond my control. I still definitely have many limitations with this,. And I have been using compression every day all day for 15 years.
I am still needing to ice and elevate to give my legs some relief if I've been on them too long, according to them. Regarding my last surgery five months ago, I feel I have recovered well from that. My left arch in my foot still can give me trouble though. But I do feel that these three surgeries in a 10 month period, Have really knocked me down and I have not recovered at all from that yet.
I just got on this site two days ago to try to catch up with two or three people to see what's going on with them but this is the first time I decided to post.
Talk to you all a little later.

 

[Jockette]

Always nice to hear from you!

 

[jboles]

Good to hear from you. I hope you were able to enjoy some time with your grandchildren. Even if the activity is limited, grandchildren have a wonderful way of lifting our spirits. Three major surgeries in 10 months would take a toll on anyone. I had back surgery and both knees in 18 months and that was a lot.

 

[sistersinhim]

Good to hear you're doing OK and are adjusting well to your limitations. Not all of us get perfect outcomes, and I'm one of them, but as long as we are better is what we aim for!

 

[kayow11]

I would not say that I am better yet. The bone on bone pain hurt, but my legs still hurt just as much, only in a different way. I'm still not at the point where I was before any of my knee surgeries.
That is the sad and discouraging part, but I still am hopeful that will change in my future. I just don't know when.

 

[Jockette]

Same here!

 

[sistersinhim]

It is so discouraging to not having the outcome you were hoping for. But, you have time on your side! There's plenty of time for more healing and less pain for your knees.

 

[SusieShoes]

Seeing you here again gave me a big smile. I just saddened to hear you still haven’t gotten to a place where your new knees are better than your original ones. That’s why we all have this surgery and it’s disheartening to realize not every surgery has a stellar outcome.

You’re so right about how having multiple surgeries in a short time (and one year is a short time in medical terms) knocks down your energy reserves. You need to replenish — emotionally as well as physically — and just let nature do its magic, or at least its best. You may still see a lot of improvement, but it won’t appear overnight and in the meantime it’s important to nurture your spirit.

Just know there are people here who really are happy to see you and care about you.

 

[Hood1980]

Hi @kayow11. Thanks for the update as I am always happy to hear from you. I understand what you mean by needing a break sometimes, not just from BoneSmart, but from all things knee replacement and recovery related. It can become so overwhelming and depressing, for me at least. The grand kids are the best way to escape IMO. [emoji6] I got to take a cruise vacation with mine the end of August. Of course I couldn’t do everything I wanted to, but I sure enjoyed watching them and continued to pray to be able to get back to that lifestyle! I [emoji1374][emoji1374][emoji1374] that you will be able to fully recover too!


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[kayow11]

Thank you, fine people, ladies in particular since that is who is on here mostly, for all the kind and encouraging words. Where would we be without hope?
I truly am counting on the future being different for me. But as @sistersinhim and @SusieShoes /USER] said, it won't be overnight, as I know this because of how long EVERYTHING has taken so far.
Dwelling on the, what if, doesn't seem like a good idea. I need to assume that in GOD's timing, I will have more improvements. As one lovely person said just yesterday, there is still plenty of time for healing. My body has its own time frame and I have had to accept that it isn't the norm. I also need to be "thankful in all things" as HIS word tells me to be.
It sure would be nice to get more bend. My knee bend has not changed in months. 90 to 95° is all I have in either of them.

It is such a blessing and comfort to have such good KNEE friends, even if their greetings are from a far. :hugzz: :friends: :yes!:

We have our 12 year old grandson for the next three days, so looking forward to making some memories, and good connections, with him. We have had 6 cute grandkids over the past 2 months, visit us. I try to do that each summer for something special.
Will check in here next week. The weather has been so gorgeous here! I love September! :flwrysmile:

 

[kayow11]

@Jockette, A few times recently I have read that your knee bend is continuing to, or should I say, finally improving. That is encouraging to hear for me. Maybe it's still coming over here do you have any idea how far you're bending?

 

[Jockette]

At my one year check up, sitting in a chair I bent my leg myself to 122, and with more effort 126 and a bit more effort he called it 128. I always wonder if he exaggerates the highest number for his records. I suspect he did that at my 4 month check up, my most painful check up of all. He really hurt me that day. That was the last time I got up on his table, and I didn’t let him bend my leg at the next 2 appointments.

But at that one year check up I wasn’t real comfortable maintaining that bend for more than a few seconds.

So just because I could get there didn’t mean I could stay there, so I don’t really consider it as an accurate number.

Today I can get there and maintain it, so I guess I would consider my bend maybe 125-ish. I haven’t been measured since 3-13-18.

It is still very painful for me to go down steps foot over foot, I cannot put weight on my operated leg while it is bent.