Pre Knee Surgery 😬

[Loopy]

Well, prep has started for scheduled knee surgery next Thursday the 29^th. Last week had EKG done. Yesterday had a pain shot (Iovera) that they say lasts like 3 months. Had numerous numbing shots, each time before they added the Iovera shot. The numbing shots were quite painful. 😬 But the end result today was I walked Bandit with ease. 

 

Anyway, now this morning I get a phone call from the Ortho clinic that they faxed the EKG to my primary doctor. (I had the lab send her the information as well last week). They wanted me to make an appointment with my doctor to find out if she considers going ahead with the surgery, because it showed “abnormal”. Whatever that means. 🤷‍♀️

 

I managed to get in at noon (Eastern) today.

[Miss Bea]

That is awful. Knees problems. My husband had it done earlier in the year. It’s a good knee, but the one Jehovah gave, irreplaceable. But, he is not in pain anymore. 
The operation. They did it at Coon’s Institute, about 6 hours south of us. 
He was walking within hours after the surgery. The sign in his room said, “Well fed, and out of bed”. Their motto.

It is a fantastic clinic. The night of his surgery, I stayed in a, “motel room”, on site. 
I’m hoping your knee adventure will be comparable to his. 
And, he does not miss those shots. 

[Precision]

Hi Linda, hopefully everything is going well, and they can get you in for surgery.

 

My father has been putting up with his knee pain, after a physician removed his cartilage a few years ago. 

He does stretch and leg raise exercises every morning to keep his knees in shape and to avoid a full replacement surgery.

As a part-time lumberjack, his daily regimen has kept him out of the hospital so far.

 

In the meantime on YouTube, there are some excellent Physical therapists,  who explain and show different exercises and techniques to hopefully avoid knee surgery. 

 

[Loopy]

The result of the doctor appointment was…I’m cleared for surgery. My doctor had me do another EKG. She said she’s confident that everything is fine. She said it might have been me. I think she might have meant maybe I was anxious or something that caused the machine to think there was something wrong with the front of my heart. 

 

That does make a lot of sense to me. Never had an EKG before, or go thru all these medical visits.
 

Yes, I watched some of those PT videos. There’s also a couple doctors from Canada that has videos.. 

 

But with no meniscus, it’s now bone on bone and Osteoarthritis. Cortisone shots are useless.

 

But I’ve still been pushing thru it walking my dog every day. 
 

Since it’s only me to mow the lawn, shovel and blow snow, I need both legs to get me thru all that. 

 

 

[Hugh O'D]

Hope all goes well Linda, we don't realize how much we use the knees until they start hurting, then we notice constantly. 

[Loopy]

Ok I didn’t want to start a new page. 🤣🤣

 

Had surgery 9/29 Thursday. Home same day. All drugged up. 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
 

Friday I was climbing the stairs to go to the bedroom, etc. I’m still climbing today…freaked out a few sisters at first. 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

 

This past week I had 3 therapy sessions that went very well. Working on extension forwards and backwards and the muscles in leg and hips.. Also got the back of the knee touching the table on the second session. Course the 3rd session we worked on that again as even I could tell that when I got on the table/bed I couldn’t feel the table at first.
 

J J the therapist was very surprised that one day shy of a week from surgery that I got (with his help, naturally) very good extension. So I’m positive for a great outcome.

Now if I could just catch Bandit before he steps on/walks on the leg/knee I’d be even happier. 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

 

 

 

[CHecker]

That is very good news!!! I'm si happy for your progress. 🧡

[Loopy]

Saturday afternoon started out reasonably warm and sunny. Friends gave me a Walker (with wheels) to keep out by the front porch as my walker is a bit heavy to bring up and downstairs for sisters. Plus starting Monday I will be taking the bus. 
 

Anyway I digress. 🤣

 

I decided to try taking my little dog for a short walk. Got him ready and we headed outside. Grabbed the Walker and off we went. Really just a half block to the corner and back home.

 

A little while later we did a repeat to the same corner, but this time I had mail to put in the outside Dropbox at the post office just across the street from there.

 

If anyone told me I would be doing this a week from surgery I would think they were 🥜🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

 

 

[Hugh O'D]

Really glad it's going so well for you Sister Linda. If you'll excuse my being selfish a workmate may need both knees operated on, severe arthritis, and if so your experience will be a real encouragement. 

[Qapla]

So glad to hear how well your surgery went.

 

I have knee issues, but they tell me it's not bad enough to for "treatment" - I just have to deal with the pain with aspirin.

 

My SIL is supposed to have some type of new "gel" injected into her knees to see if that helps - am waiting to see how well that goes

 

 

[Loopy]

54 minutes ago, Hugh O'D said:

Really glad it's going so well for you Sister Linda. If you'll excuse my being selfish a workmate may need both knees operated on, severe arthritis, and if so your experience will be a real encouragement. 

O dear! I met someone while walking Bandit before surgery that had both knees operated on at the same time. Nope! Wouldn’t happen to me. Be walking with both legs stiff legged. I think steps would be out of the question. 
 

41 minutes ago, Qapla said:

So glad to hear how well your surgery went.

 

I have knee issues, but they tell me it's not bad enough to for "treatment" - I just have to deal with the pain with aspirin.

 

My SIL is supposed to have some type of new "gel" injected into her knees to see if that helps - am waiting to see how well that goes

 

 

Yes, if she can get quite a few months with that gel that would be great. By the time I had x-rays and then saw the actual doctor weeks later he didn’t think it would work for me. 
 

Brother John if aspirin helps you that’s great. So no cortisone shot yet? 🤔
 

 

[Qapla]

Since my pain is intermittent (arthurites) they feel that aspirin is the best treatment for now

 

 

[Loopy]

Br. John I’m sorry you suffer from arthritis. It’s so common and painful today. Your knee will definitely let you know when it’s time to up your game as far as pain relief. 😬
 

When you do, check about that gel stuff cause I hear it lasts longer than cortisone shots. 
 

 

[Loopy]

Today’s therapy went up a couple notches.

 

First thing was I put on a type of stepper where you sit down and push with your legs. Aced that one. He even put it went up a notch or two and believe me I felt it. I as spooked when he mentioned going on a machine. 🤣🤣🤣🤣

 

But as time went on we went to another room where there was a set of 4 actual steps. I was able to climb them up and down. (Thank Jehovah for railings 🤣) Downward was a little tougher but did it a few times. But I never thought I would accomplish stairs already.

 

Just can’t seem to get rid of that little knot on the upper right side of that knee tho. That’s what is hindering better progress.

 

For anyone having any kind of physical therapy, not just the knee, go at it with a positive attitude, accept any accomplishment no matter how small. 
 

As I tend to be quite negative about myself this really has me pumped. 

[Loopy]

I hope this picture doesn’t bother anyone. But actually the knee looks very good. I think the horizontal lines are pen marks.

 

Got the top bandage off today at my 2 week post op checkup. I had the Physician Assistant today. Will see Doctor at my 6 week checkup in 4 weeks. 
 

She didn’t want to take off this other bandage and disturb the scabbing. It’ll work it’s way out when I get it wet. 
 

I also had 1 small bandage above the knee and 1 below. Asked about that today and she said it was for the robot who assisted in the surgery. 😳

 

 

[Hugh O'D]

6 hours ago, Loopy said:

 

I also had 1 small bandage above the knee and 1 below. Asked about that today and she said it was for the robot who assisted in the surgery

I sympathize with the robot wanting things clearly marked. Really glad you're having good progress and hope it continues.