Revision TKR Totally recovered at last!

[jarabas]

It seems reasonable to finish your course, let your benefit and disability kick in and then go ahead.
My 91 year old dad always tells me, "Most of the things I've worried about never happened so I learned to stop worrying." You won't be stuck in a chair because you don't want to be stuck in a chair!
My prediction for your future:

 

[New England Librarian]

@newlybionic I have been thinking about what you are facing and what it must feel like. You are approaching this so thoughtfully given what a hard time you have had and how angry you must feel. I love jarabas' vision of your future - I second that supportive vision! Next time will feel like a breeze compared to this one. Hoping that all the tests come back negative and you can move forward as soon as your benefits and disability start.

 

[Glamg1979]

Hi Marion, can't even imagine what you are feeling and thinking. I believe the sooner you do it will be better. Must be such a relief to you that your boss is understanding!
I am sure it is so disheartening to see your knee and ROM deteriorate but I think you have found your new OS and the revision will be highly successful.
Praying you are infection free so that you can proceed with the surgery when you are able to get disability. Know it is a lot to handle but at least you have been down this road before and know what to expect.
If you have to go on disability do you think you would temporarily qualify for assistance such as food stamps (SNAP)? you have worked hard and paid into the system, so hopefully the system will help you.
Check in on you later today. ❤

 

[Thesoutherncook]

How wonderful that your new boss is so understanding. That must give you some peace over this decision.
I don't think any of us will willingly go through this again BUT knowing what you know now, it will have to be somewhat easier. ( Says she who has OS appt today to discuss #2!!!!!) We have to look at the long term. My Grandmother lived to 102 and I feel the same as you. I don't want to be sitting in a chair for 40 years! We are too young! We have things to do, places to go and people to meet ( a Bonesmart road trip??). Take a step back and try to make an objective decision. You KNOW you have lots of prayers, love and support from this "family". Now, if we could just figure out how to send casseroles over this site.....

 

[newlybionic]

@Thesoutherncook Pretty soon we'll have the capability to send casseroles through our phones.

Thanks everyone for your support it does help a lot. No one understands the rehab of a TKR if they haven't had one before. I do now now a lot more than I did the firest time. Not sure it's better or worse.

 

[jarabas]

Yeah, right-- knowing more isn't such a blessing sometimes! After my heart surgery there was a period when
my surgeon was concerned he might need to re-operate. I remember thinking, forget it, just kill me now. Two years later I can't actually remember how I felt. You'll make it through this, 5 minutes at a time. Just worry about the next 5 minutes and try to let the rest go.

 

[hawk2go]

I'm willing to make a road trip with casseroles. I used to do it for my mother. I live with a chef!

 

[GottaGo]

@newlybionic You were of great support to me as I still go through this coming up on week 7. I have to agree as soon as it's economically feasablile (if your knee allows it) the sooner done the sooner put behind you. I can't imagine so I won't try. But know you are in my thoughts and especially my prayers.
Hang in there, this too shall pass. You can do it!!!
It's what you told me and by golly it applies to you to!!!!

 

[KarriB]

I'm just praying the pain isn't too bad as you make decisions and continue working. My left knee was certainly sore after going back to work yesterday, so I can't imagine with your long hours.

 

[newlybionic]

@hawk2go Where do you live in PA? Are you a PA native or a transplant like me?

I'm sitting here and my knee feels like irs on fire. It's a very strange feeling. I have started to limp so noticeably that my patients keep asking me if I'm okay!

My oldest had a MRI done and it does speak to some possible problems in a spinal cord and suggests a MRI OS the brain be done. I would gladly take her fear away from her if I could. She goes back to see the neurologist on Monday. While it's good for patients to get test results I don't think it's best to not explain them at the same
time. I don't think she will really have a serious medical problem but she is upset about it and also now worried about me.

I got a text from my middle daughter today saying she will take me on a cruise after I get my knee redone. The girls bought me a cruise when I turned 60 and I loved it. I definitely will have something to look forward to. Any bonesmart friends ready for that road trip?

 

[KarriB]

Wow! What a treat from your daughters! You must have raised them right!

 

[Glamg1979]

Hey I'm up to a road trip! Well maybe not quite yet, it is going to be awhile, but I love to travel and meet new (old) friends. And by old I do not mean chronological but old in the sense we have been chatting for months
Sorry your daughter is having a scary time of it and I know just what you mean by wanting to "make it all better" for her.
My daughter is putting out fires daily and they just keep coming, divorce with 2 special needs toddlers stinks. But I know she will be OK.
Any news about your blood work yet? ❤

 

[newlybionic]

@Glamg1979 I didn't see any results at the end of the day on their website. I'm off tomorrow so I'll send them a message if I don't see it by early afternoon. They respond to email messages so quickly I'm just totally amazed with them. It's such a big difference from my old OS. Would you believe they still haven't forwarded my records to the new doctor yet? The new doctor didn't seen surprised by that either.

If anyone knows of another person going for a TKR in eastern PA please personal message me as I don't want anyone else to share in my problems.

 

[Glamg1979]

Unfortunately with all you have been through I am so NOT surprised they haven't forwarded your medical records.

 

[New England Librarian]

Marian it's great to see that you can still make a joke or two! So sorry to hear about your daughter's test results; I am sure she is quite frightened. Hopefully it won't be anything serious. Your daughters do sound absolutely lovely.

 

[newlybionic]

I am so very blessed to have three wonderful daughters and two great sons-in-law. They all are very special and wonderful people.

As for joking I've got to do that to keep my sanity. My family knows that when I stop joking that I'm not feeling very well. I want to keep the all the parts of this knee as a momento. Maybe a necklace?

 

[Celle]

Marian, when I had my revision, I asked to have the old hardware to keep. They gave me the femoral and tibial components, as well as the part of the broken spacer that they'd retrieved.

I found it interesting to look at them and to see the pattern of wear, where the two metal parts had rubbed on each other after the spacer broke.

I had thought that I might have the parts mounted in clear plastic as an ornament, but after a few months I decided they weren't a thing of beauty and I threw them away.

 

[sistersinhim]

newlybionic, you have gone through so much, so much more than anyone should ever have to. I have been praying for you. I am facing both knees being replaced this year, but now, because of your experiences, I'm afraid to have them done. What if I have an incompetent doctor like you did?! These TKRs are life-changing, and we expect the change to be for the better, not the worse. Your previous doctor should be ashamed of himself!

 

[hawk2go]

@sistersinhim - my TKR has been life changing for the better. There are risks with all major surgery. @newlybionic's experience is on the spectrum of recoveries but so is @jmdearras. A close friend is recovering from staged bilateral TKR, done a week apart. At 5/6 weeks she can already see a positive difference from her pre-surgery capabilities. Would I do this TKR again - you betcha! It took 6 months of recovery but I'm planning the right knee as we speak. Like Newlybionic, I didn't want to be relegated to a chair while life happened around me. As the car guys say "your mileage may vary" but do your research and weigh all the factors before deciding.

 

[newlybionic]

@sistersinhim Please don't let my experience stop you from going ahead with your surgery. As @hawk2go said there can be risks to any surgery. I probably should have done some more research on my doctor. I was seeing a partner of his for years and when he said it was time for a replacement I went ahead with it even though I really didn't know the surgeon at all. I only talked to him about 10 minutes if that much before the surgery. If you know your doctor, he is board certified and he takes the time to talk with you to answer all your questions then I wouldn't be worried. I just didn't do enough homework and I'm paying for it now.

Fortunately my blood tests show that I don't have an infection. So I don't need to act on anything immediately. I went to my regular doctor today to ask for tramadol. He hesitated to give it to me. I was really surprised. I told him that I had no pain meds a little more than 2 weeks after surgery and he said that's when you should be cutting back on them anyway. I asked him how do you think it would feel to have your bones sawed off and metal spikes driven into them and then all the muscles moved and affected by the surgery and he had no answer to that. He wanted me to go to another OS for another opinion. I've gone to the doctors within his 'hospital' group and I didn't like them at all. I'm just so frustrated with everything. He did give me the prescription though.

I did get the cd from my new OS of my Xrays but I have no idea how to post them. I'll have to find the power corded for my laptop to get it up and running. Any techies know how I can upload it to this forum? It's a PC.

The medical records company from the old OS sent me a form to fill out if I want a hard copy of my surgical records. Of course there was a bill for $30 to get them. Is it worth it? They were supposed to send them to new OS for free.