Not sure if anyone cares ... but as a two time survivor of this, thought it might help someone to decide to do it or not, or, just give them a clue what to expect.
This one was different from the first. With the first one, I could hardly walk with a walker on the day of the surgery, two hours later. The reason was i Had a bad knee and a new surgical knee. Both in pain, but, for different reasons. With this surgery, I walked the halls several times a day, mainly out of boredom. The last one I was gone from home 12 days, this one I was home after two.
I keep trying to compare home+4 days this time and last ... I need to remember to have a common reference. For example, home+4 last time was surgery+16, Home+4 this time is surgery+6.
Okay, what should you expect? Gonna be some pain. Given. Before and after pain are quite different. After surgery there are weird things your body could go through. Last time, my quad on the operative leg went into something called "Protective Muscle Syndrome" (Why can't they just say the quad locked up). My right quad basically was flexed for 8 days. But, it felt really good when it released ...
. This time I brought Thera Worx (cramp "cure" that works for me), but I had no muscle issues. The more I talk to docs, the more I realize they really don't understand the body, or at least mine. They are clueless about this muscle syndrome. No idea what causes it or why it goes away.
Other things that could happen, I woke with some pretty good soreness in my jaw on the right side. like I'd been hit (I'm betting my doc got tired of my lip ... LOL). I was told with a spinal, you can get some "unforeseen" nerve pain.
Anyway. Where am I at surgery+7. In my home I am walking with a cane that clamps around the forearm and my hand supports my weight on a grip. This goes on the opposite side of the "new" knee. When I walk, the new knee and cane move out together. The the "old new" knee. This forms a triangle base and is pretty stable.
When I go out into public. I used a wider than normal walker. And I use it like a cow catcher or brush guard. Basically, it is there to tell the public to get out of my way ... LOL.
I do therapy, with a therapist twice a week ... and twice a day every day at home. Knee replacement and knee surgery in general, the success is directly proportional to the amount of work you put in. After 11 knee surgeries, including 2 replacements, I finally get this .. LOL. Foot Ball was not good to me.
So what's next? Monday the 11th, I get the 36 staples out (most of these replacements are done with what they call a zipline. From what I understand, it's a zipper looking thing they glue to your skin that wears off in like 2-3 weeks). Since I'm allergic to the adhesives in steri strips, they decided to not take the chance and go old school with staples. No reaction to them.
Two weeks after that, I get X-rays to ensure the spike on the new joint pieces are "cured in place" (they actually pound the joint pieces into the bone with epoxy). After that, another week or so of therapy and at the one year point, have a check with X-rays again ... my doc does annuals from then on.
So what are my expectations? Next week, driving the truck and doing the ceramic paint sealing on the bike. Week after that ... maybe riding short rides. And start installing the accessories on Jessica so by mid March, I'll do my first meander ride on her. Maybe just a mesquite ride .. will be warm there.
All in all, this one seems to be going better. It's nice to be able to count on the solid knee. So in a nutshell .. that's the update.
If anyone is contemplating this or has questions, PM me, we can discuss it or talk on the phone. So I hope that helps someone
This one was different from the first. With the first one, I could hardly walk with a walker on the day of the surgery, two hours later. The reason was i Had a bad knee and a new surgical knee. Both in pain, but, for different reasons. With this surgery, I walked the halls several times a day, mainly out of boredom. The last one I was gone from home 12 days, this one I was home after two.
I keep trying to compare home+4 days this time and last ... I need to remember to have a common reference. For example, home+4 last time was surgery+16, Home+4 this time is surgery+6.
Okay, what should you expect? Gonna be some pain. Given. Before and after pain are quite different. After surgery there are weird things your body could go through. Last time, my quad on the operative leg went into something called "Protective Muscle Syndrome" (Why can't they just say the quad locked up). My right quad basically was flexed for 8 days. But, it felt really good when it released ...
. This time I brought Thera Worx (cramp "cure" that works for me), but I had no muscle issues. The more I talk to docs, the more I realize they really don't understand the body, or at least mine. They are clueless about this muscle syndrome. No idea what causes it or why it goes away.Other things that could happen, I woke with some pretty good soreness in my jaw on the right side. like I'd been hit (I'm betting my doc got tired of my lip ... LOL). I was told with a spinal, you can get some "unforeseen" nerve pain.
Anyway. Where am I at surgery+7. In my home I am walking with a cane that clamps around the forearm and my hand supports my weight on a grip. This goes on the opposite side of the "new" knee. When I walk, the new knee and cane move out together. The the "old new" knee. This forms a triangle base and is pretty stable.
When I go out into public. I used a wider than normal walker. And I use it like a cow catcher or brush guard. Basically, it is there to tell the public to get out of my way ... LOL.
I do therapy, with a therapist twice a week ... and twice a day every day at home. Knee replacement and knee surgery in general, the success is directly proportional to the amount of work you put in. After 11 knee surgeries, including 2 replacements, I finally get this .. LOL. Foot Ball was not good to me.
So what's next? Monday the 11th, I get the 36 staples out (most of these replacements are done with what they call a zipline. From what I understand, it's a zipper looking thing they glue to your skin that wears off in like 2-3 weeks). Since I'm allergic to the adhesives in steri strips, they decided to not take the chance and go old school with staples. No reaction to them.
Two weeks after that, I get X-rays to ensure the spike on the new joint pieces are "cured in place" (they actually pound the joint pieces into the bone with epoxy). After that, another week or so of therapy and at the one year point, have a check with X-rays again ... my doc does annuals from then on.
So what are my expectations? Next week, driving the truck and doing the ceramic paint sealing on the bike. Week after that ... maybe riding short rides. And start installing the accessories on Jessica so by mid March, I'll do my first meander ride on her. Maybe just a mesquite ride .. will be warm there.
All in all, this one seems to be going better. It's nice to be able to count on the solid knee. So in a nutshell .. that's the update.
If anyone is contemplating this or has questions, PM me, we can discuss it or talk on the phone. So I hope that helps someone
