OT - Knee Replacement

[lynnl]

I'm going in first thing in the morning, 0500L, to get a new left knee. Got a new right hip back in October, and that worked out well; hoping this one goes as well.

I'm dreading the next couple of weeks, from both the pain perspective and the serious inconvenience. I've spent the last two or three days staining, finishing, and installing a handrail along the stairs. There was already one down the full length on the left side, but only partial one down the right side, where it will be sorely needed. ....get it? Sorely. ha..ha

[wierdscience]

I could save you some money, just bought a pack of those carbide tipped sawzall blades 🤣🤣

If you could handle a hip replacement, from what I have heard a knee replacement isn't as bad. In any rate, all the best and here's hoping you have a speedy recovery!

[danlb]

Good luck. I've met a lot of folks who have had it done and many are ecstatic about it.

Funny side note... The most common socket used to hold the bone to the prosthetic is a Morse Taper. Really!
Dan

[Jim Stewart]

Best of luck, Lynn. All my friends and relatives that have had knee replacements are delighted with the result.

Morse taper? At least it's not an R-8.

-js

[Dave C]

My mother in law had both knees done at the same time and was thrilled with the result. She was a tough one who never complained. So if she was in lot of pain she didn't tell anyone.

[lynnl]

My mother in law had both knees done at the same time ......

Yeah, if both knees need it, might as well only endure the ordeal once. Though you would be potentially doubling the risk of something bad developing. But I've encountered several who've mentioned either having, or knowing someone who had the double replacement.

Thanks all, for the encouragement!

[Corbettprime]

Had the right knee done last fall, waiting for the covidcrap to end so I can get the left one done. Main thing, follow your physical therapist instructions. Very happy with the right knee, but the left is killing me. Good luck , you won't regret it.

[lynnl]

Had the right knee done last fall, waiting for the covidcrap to end so I can get the left one done. ................

Yeah, This was originally scheduled for 20 April, but was cancelled due to virus concerns. I coulda' been mostly mended by now. My hip recovery was pretty much done after 3 or 4 weeks, tho they didn't give me the full green light til 6 weeks..

Actually Nth Ala hasn't been hit too hard by the virus, compared to S. Ala. The difference between Huntsville and Mobile is day and night, an order of magnitude, actually. The hospital (very near me) has been like a ghost town, until the last two or three weeks, when normal operations resumed.

[Tundra Twin Track]

Good Luck in the morning,hope all goes well!

[nickel-city-fab]

Look on the bright side, the hospitals have good drugs. I'm sure you'll be OK, the tech is so much better now days.

[PStechPaul]

My left knee replacement in 2017 was the fourth and so far last of four orthopedic surgeries, starting with right hip replacement in 2013, then cervical and lumbar spine surgeries in 2015 and 2016 IIRC. The knee replacement was more painful than the hip, while the spine surgeries were the scariest. They tried to get me to leave the hospital only on the third day after knee replacement, and my nurse friend had driven me halfway home when I said I could not realistically take care of myself and so I was re-admitted and then went to a rehab facility for ten days, during which I had good PT and recuperated quickly. By week four of home self-care and biweekly PT, I was cleared to drive, and I was ahead of average recovery guidelines as measured by knee extension and flexion. It took about 4 months to feel really comfortable, and now it feels almost perfect. I still can't do full squats, but I am able to get up off the floor without assistance or pulling myself up using furniture or other objects. That is a fairly good assessment of a good recovery outcome.

[Randy]

And mind your pain medication schedule. Don't get behind. If you do it takes several miserable hours to get the pain back under control.

[CCWKen]

It all depends on the doctor(s) you have. Some are good, some are better. I had my aortic valve replaced (full open heart surgery) and I went home on the third day after. It probably would have been sooner but they wanted to make sure my repaired stomach ulcer, done three days earlier, was ok too. I had some pretty nurses come visit about three times a week. I was already on my own when I got home so that only lasted two weeks. All they did was take my vitals and make sure I was taking my meds. The only pain I had was when I coughed or sneezed.

[danlb]

It is amazing what they can do now. I had open heart surgery in '99 to repair (not replace) a valve and they sent me home 4 days later. I walked around the block the next day. By now Lynn is in recovery and doing well! ***

Dan
*** Power of positive thinking.

[old mart]

I had my second (partial) knee replacement on the 10th Feb, just before the lockdown. In on the Monday and out on the Wednesday. Because of the CO19, I only got two physiotherapy sessions. I can bend the original full replacement 118 degrees from straight and the new partial one 130 degrees. Glad to have much less pain now, none at all when walking, but the new one still gives discomfort when in bed. I can now walk about over slightly rough surfaces, which I was afraid to do before.
Lynnl, best of luck with your operation, you should soon notice the benefits outweigh the aches and pain of the old joint.