Hi, FrankR.....welcome to BoneSmart. You and I are practically neighbors here in the Kansas City area. Who is your surgeon (just curious)?
Interesting that your surgeon asked for a sonogram. I've not heard of that before. Usually just an xray is adequate before scheduling surgery. If you're in pain now, you're probably going to have to endure several weeks more of that before your surgery date. Are you taking anything for the pain?
It's not that you'll do anything horrible if you continue to walk on a very painful knee. You'll get the joint replaced with surgery. But it is possible to continue to wear down bones and make the surgery a bit more time consuming....nothing that the surgeon cannot handle, of course! And, of course, you want to go into surgery with the least amount of inflammation possible in your knee tissues. So, I advise you to continue using the walker and to try and stay off your knee as much as possible. Try icing for the pain as well as medications. Reducing pain will reduce inflammation.
Here's some pre-op information that might be interesting for you to read:
New BoneSmart members like you are in various stages of their journey to joint replacement. Making the decision whether or not to have surgery and preparing for surgery can be easier once you have done your research and know what lies ahead. Here are some tools that can help you decide what is best for you.
If you are at the stage where you have joint pain but don't know for sure if you are ready to have surgery, these links may help:
Score Chart: How bad is my arthritic knee?
Choosing a surgeon and a prosthesis
BMI Calculator - What to do if your surgeon says you're too heavy for joint replacement surgery
Longevity of implants and revisions: How long will my new joint last?
If you are at the stage where you are planning to have surgery but are looking for information so you can be better prepared for what is to come, take a look at these links:
Recovery Aids: A comprehensive list for hospital and home
Recliner Chairs: Things you need to know if buying one for your recovery
Pre-Op Interviews: What's involved?
Regardless of where you are in the process, the website and app My Knee Guide can help you stay organized and informed. The free service keeps all the information pertaining to your surgery and recovery in one place on your smartphone. It is intended to be a personal support tool for the entire process.
And if you want to picture what your life might be like with a replaced knee, take a look at the posts and threads from other BoneSmarties provided in this link:
Stories of amazing knee recoveries