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Getting a New Knee After Africa Trip

Discussion in 'Fred's House of Pancakes' started by jerrymildred, Jul 29, 2021.

  1. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

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    I mentioned this on my thread about going to Africa. (Going off grid in Africa - Again! | Page 3 | PriusChat) Someone suggested starting a new thread. I was already thinking that way myself, so here it is with my replies to some of @edthefox5's insightful comments.

    Here's what I wrote yesterday on the Africa thread:
    I honestly didn't know it was that bad. It has bothered me for about nine years but was never a major issue. When it started locking, that got my attention. I apparently have a fairly high pain tolerance.

    My wife just went through this in November with the same Dr. and hospital. They treated her great. On the nerve block, I had that when I got the titanium plate in my wrist. They made me so loopy that afterward, while I was waiting to go to the OR, I kept asking when they were going to do the nerve block. My wife kept telling me that they already did it. I'd go, "Oh yeah. I can't feel my right arm." Then a few minutes later, I'd ask her again. :ROFLMAO:

    Yes, they did the same with the wife. She still has the little scars from the fixture that held her leg for the robot assist.

    What I usually have to watch out for is that I resist the temptation to do more therapy than what I'm supposed to do. :whistle: I get in a hurry. But my wife will keep a sharp eye on me. Having already had nine screws run through my wrist and a plate put under all the tendons, etc. in the wrist, this won't be my first rodeo with post-op pain. Your advice is spot on.
     
    #1 jerrymildred, Jul 29, 2021
    Last edited: Jul 29, 2021
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  2. ETC(SS)

    ETC(SS) The OTHER One Percenter.....

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    Sounds like ETF5 has all of the bases covered....

    Unusually for a phone mechanic, I still have all of my OEM suspension parts - but then I didn't spend my 20's and 30's hooking poles.
    Many of my contemporaries have baseball stitching around their knees, and we have a couple of techs with non-OEM parts made by Stryker or DePuy.
    Since my body is past the 130,000 mile point in Prius years, I'll probably be going to the fender and body shop before long.
    The right hip and elbow are already making ominous noises.... :unsure:
    BUT.....No EGR or head gasket problems! :)

    So...yeah.
    I'll be following along.... :D
     
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  3. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

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    Yeah, first was the jumping out of trees and off of houses as a kid along with all the other jumping and running stuff. That must be why I have the big lumps under my knees from the Osgood-Schlatter disease I never knew I had till this surgeon pointed it out. Then high school football which gave me the huge scar on the right knee. Then track in college. Then 18 years of 12-hour days on my feet making aluminum cans. I still try to walk at least four miles a day. I've never been more than 25 pounds over what I should be, but I sure have put on the miles in 68 years.
     
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  4. ETC(SS)

    ETC(SS) The OTHER One Percenter.....

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    I used to complain when I was in the military that they made us run for miles when the longest ship we had in commission was under a quarter mile.....buuuuuut they wouldn't listen.
     
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  5. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    mrs b has two bionic knees. never an athlete or overly active. unknown causation of severe arthritis.

    both surgeries went extremely well. she went from barely being able to walk, to 3 miles a day no problem.
    very little post surgery pain medication.

    all the best jerry!(y)
     
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  6. farmecologist

    farmecologist Senior Member

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    Yep..my father in law had both knees...and a hip done! He is 91 now and his last knee was done in his high 80s.

    Amazing how 'routine' surgery like this has become. (y)
     
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  7. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

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    When my wife had hers done last November, it was almost like an assembly line as patients went through the progression of phases from admitting to preop to surgery, etc.
     
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  8. farmecologist

    farmecologist Senior Member

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    It was also that way as well when I got my....uhh...vasectomy a few yeas ago. The guy that did it has done thousands of them...multiple a day.
     
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  9. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    i need a cataract done, hope to find someone with that kind of experience, and a good track record
     
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  10. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

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    My wife had both of hers done. It went well and she's pleased with the results. But we're kind of far from Boston. o_O

    They says it's no big deal but I shudder at the thought of someone messing with my eyes. I think I'd rather have the knee replacement even if it does hurt more. :(
     
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  11. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    agreed. i've had two shouder surgeries and 4 vitrectomies. shoulders were much easier and less nerve wracking!
     
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  12. tochatihu

    tochatihu Senior Member

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    Four eyes
     
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  13. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    that's what my doc said, he lied
     
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  14. Ronald Doles

    Ronald Doles Active Member

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    My sister is 71. She got to the point that it pained me to watch her walk. She had a knee replacement about a month ago.

    She was always very active and 2 weeks after surgery she was attempting to walk around the block. Her therapist cautioned her against doing too much and advised her to stick to the prescribed therapy schedule.

    Now that she is about a month out she walks with a slight hint of a limp. She said that she has no pain at all while walking and the only pain is an ache at night. Most of the restrictions are gone now. Her leg extension is near 0 degrees. I didn't realize that you needed therapy to obtain full leg extension. Her range of motion is now about 100 degrees and improving.

    You mentioned that you thought that your knee problems were due to activities as a youth. My 70 year old brother had a successful knee surgery this Summer and I have been putting off getting something done with my knee. My suspicion is that our knee problems may be part hereditary and part life experiences as there are people in their 90's without knee problems.

    I hope that your surgery is as successful as theirs and look forward to hearing how it goes.
     
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  15. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

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    Thanks for the kind wishes and shared experiences everyone. I just got a call from my primary doctor with an appointment for his pre-op. So, everything is now on the calendar. I have clearance from the cardiologist, and dates for hospital pre-op, primary care pre-op, COVID test, and finally surgery on August 18.
     
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  16. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    plenty, of priuschat time :cool:
     
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  17. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

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    It's definitely a good diversion. We'll see how long it will be before I feel up to it and have time between all the therapy and icing. :confused: Proper rehab after a TKR is a full time job for the first several weeks.
     
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  18. tochatihu

    tochatihu Senior Member

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    Ice machine or plain old baggies?
     
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  19. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    mrs b had a machine in the hospital, and special packs at home
     
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  20. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

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    Same as Mrs. Bisco, I expect. The hospital used the machine for my wife. We have a fairly large variety of the flexible ice packs. We wrap a towel around the knee to protect the skin, then the ice pack, and then another towel to hold it in place and provide a little insulation.