Scantlings

After 10 arthroscopic knee operations on my left knee, it finally seems to have had enough.

Despite assurances from the head of the department at Hopkins that I don't need a knee replacement, it looks like I'm headed that way in a March. The timing sucks - No Bermuda race etc, but if I wait until September or even July, my wife will either divorce or kill me (justifiably). Sorry to vent. Just feeling shitty.

Ugh, I have a buddy that has had several arhtro's (maybe 3 or 4??) but no replacement yet..he is 63 I think, and still tells me it hurts a lot. He does the A2B on Pursuit usually. Right now he is retired (his wife is semi-retired so they occasionally need Internet access) and they are cruising around the country in their RV. I suspect they will be back here for the next one, but he sold his own boat, and as far as I know only races on Pursuit at present.

I had both shoulders rebuilt due to rotator cuff tears before I was 40 if it makes you feel better...but my knees are holding up OK at 50. I don't run 5Ks and stuff anymore, but I try to walk and bike several miles per week.

Hang in there Joel...and if you do get the surgery and are not familiar with compression ice water therapy (i.e., renting a unit during rehab like Game Ready) I highly recommend it. 10 years ago, my insurance did not cover it, but at $10/day for a month out-of-pocket to rent it for a month on the 2nd shoulder vs the first shoulder without it. It was worth every penny in terms of the recovery.

If the alternative weren't so bad....

Glad to hear it worked.

My son used the Game Ready when he repaired his ACL (for the second time). Well worth it.

I am lining up for my second hip. The first one was so successful I am eagerly looking forward to it. But then again I will soon be 74. Better living through modern medicine.

Thanks guys!

This is supposedly 'minimally invasive' outpatient surgery. I'm going to let me crew know what is going on, but I'm hoping to do A2B, even if I spend most of the time as navigator.

Joel

That's a good attitude, Joel. Navving to Bermuda is better than sitting on shore!

Kim, I had a friend who at around 73 had his 2nd hip done after he'd already had hip #1 plus both knees replaced. Sadly, his body, nor the replacement parts aren't really what gave out. He fell off his boat and drowned a couple years ago when cruising by himself.

That sure beats having a heart attack (like my cousin at 46) or getting smashed into by some a$$hole on a highway somewhere. (RIP, Irving!)

Oh man, sorry to hear this Joel. But great that you'll still be able to do A2B! And heck, if you can't vent here, where can you?

H B wrote:………Kim, I had a friend who at around 73 had his 2nd hip done after he'd already had hip #1 plus both knees replaced. Sadly, his body, nor the replacement parts aren't really what gave out. He fell off his boat and drowned a couple years ago when cruising by himself.……

Well, that sucks! But as you say, there are worse ways to go.

kimbottles wrote:

H B wrote:………Kim, I had a friend who at around 73 had his 2nd hip done after he'd already had hip #1 plus both knees replaced. Sadly, his body, nor the replacement parts aren't really what gave out. He fell off his boat and drowned a couple years ago when cruising by himself.……

Well, that sucks! But as you say, there are worse ways to go.

Yeah, I only knew Irving for a few years thru work, but I wish I'd met him years earlier. My daytime moneymaking gig is DoD Contractor, but it was nice (and a bit rare) to find another sailboat buddy at work. He was a cool and interesting character. I want to be him when I grow up, except for maybe live a little bit longer than he did, but retire earlier. He built a beautiful house on about 10 acres in Virginia and the only reason he was still working was to pay off the house. Laura and I keep in touch with his widow and send her a Christmas card.

I'm set for March 10. My blood work was good. Still need a physical and EKG.
They tell me it will outpatient.
Gives me 11 weeks to recover, and about 5 weeks to get the boat ready for the race.

Joel

Good luck and swift recovery, Joel. I don’t know anyone with a knee replacement who regrets it. Janell is due for two of them, but says they’ll have to catch her first.

Benno von Humpback wrote:Good luck and swift recovery, Joel. I don’t know anyone with a knee replacement who regrets it. Janell is due for two of them, but says they’ll have to catch her first.

Thanks Eric! Hopefully I can be a model for Janell.

Are you still on track for tomorrow?

If so, good luck!

TheOffice wrote:I'm set for March 10. My blood work was good. Still need a physical and EKG.
They tell me it will outpatient.
Gives me 11 weeks to recover, and about 5 weeks to get the boat ready for the race.

Joel

GOOD LUCK TO JOEL TODAY!!! I believe today is the day.

Oh I see you predicted it too, Avram. Well done!

The meds should have worn off well for him to give a report tomorrow...just gotta keep this thread up at the top so he does not get distracted.

Sorry posted my update in the What are you doing this weekend thread. Surgery went well and I was home by 3:00

Got achy this afternoon so I took 5 mg of Oxy- first in 12 hours. Tomorrow is the post surgery shower. Always a welcome event!
Thanks for the support!
Joel

Glad you're doing relatively well. From what I understand, it's upward and onward from her on.

TheOffice wrote:Sorry posted my update in the What are you doing this weekend thread. Surgery went well and I was home by 3:00

Got achy this afternoon so I took 5 mg of Oxy- first in 12 hours. Tomorrow is the post surgery shower. Always a welcome event!
Thanks for the support!
Joel

Sweet! Way to go!

What's a shower?

Well DAMN! I got another hip replacement the same day (March 10) and I have to wait a week for my first shower. Can not get the pico vacuum pump wet.

kimbottles wrote:Well DAMN! I got another hip replacement the same day (March 10) and I have to wait a week for my first shower. Can not get the pico vacuum pump wet.

Poor wife, married to a stinky old guy like you. I feel sorry for my Admiral sometimes. She'll say: "Really, didn't your mother teach you to shower every day!!??!!

BeauV wrote:

kimbottles wrote:Well DAMN! I got another hip replacement the same day (March 10) and I have to wait a week for my first shower. Can not get the pico vacuum pump wet.

Poor wife, married to a stinky old guy like you. I feel sorry for my Admiral sometimes. She'll say: "Really, didn't your mother teach you to shower every day!!??!!

My excuse is we live on tank water…

It’s not much of an excuse though, our tanks are three quarters full after the driest summer in 40 years.

When I first retired the best thing was I went a whole summer without wearing socks ….

Kim,

Hoping for a fast and complete recovery for you! At least you know the routine.

Joel

Day 10 report

Making slow progress. PT is basically range of motion exercises. I can go from almost straight to almost 90 degrees. I'm trying to cut back on Gabopentin during the day because it knocks me on my ass.
Hardest thing to do is sleep. I am taking 5 mg Oxy at bedtime. I strained my hip flexor, so I have to ice and massage it.
Bandage comes off end of the week.
5 weeks to boat launch!

TheOffice wrote:Day 10 report

Making slow progress. PT is basically range of motion exercises. I can go from almost straight to almost 90 degrees. I'm trying to cut back on Gabopentin during the day because it knocks me on my ass.
Hardest thing to do is sleep. I am taking 5 mg Oxy at bedtime. I strained my hip flexor, so I have to ice and massage it.
Bandage comes off end of the week.
5 weeks to boat launch!

I feel your pain, literally!

Three weeks since the surgery, 3 weeks until I can resume normal activities a/k/a sail!

Recovery is going well (or so I'm told) Graduated from the walker to a cane a week ago. I can bend the knee over 100 degrees and can straighten it completely sometimes. I'm riding an exercise bike without resistance and doing my other exercises, with PT 2x a week. Still using ice and taking gabopentin, celebrex, tylenol and baby aspirin. Getting more sleep!

Kim, Hope your rehab is successful!

Thanks for all the support everyone!

Joel

TheOffice wrote:Three weeks since the surgery, 3 weeks until I can resume normal activities a/k/a sail!

Recovery is going well (or so I'm told) Graduated from the walker to a cane a week ago. I can bend the knee over 100 degrees and can straighten it completely sometimes. I'm riding an exercise bike without resistance and doing my other exercises, with PT 2x a week. Still using ice and taking gabopentin, celebrex, tylenol and baby aspirin. Getting more sleep!

Kim, Hope your rehab is successful!

Thanks for all the support everyone!

Joel

Today is also three weeks since the left hip replacement. I can do the cane sometimes, but the walker is still best. Doing my PT and getting a little better everyday. I also hope to get down on the boats sometime in the next three weeks. Glad you are doing well Joel. I guess we are now surgery buddies. Cheers!

Last weekend I was skiing double blacks at Taos. Last night I tripped going down the stairs, luckily I just suffered a sprained ankle, could have been much worse, Beth is out of town so I might still be laying there leaking awkward fluids.

It was stupid inattention, I was walking and reading my Kindle.

Laying here elevating and icing, feeling like I got old and stupid in 4 days.

Rob McAlpine wrote:Last weekend I was skiing double blacks at Taos. Last night I tripped going down the stairs, luckily I just suffered a sprained ankle, could have been much worse, Beth is out of town so I might still be laying there leaking awkward fluids.

It was stupid inattention, I was walking and reading my Kindle.

Laying here elevating and icing, feeling like I got old and stupid in 4 days.

At least the feeling old will pass in a few days! :) Good to hear it was not worse! I hope you put some of that ice in good scotch. Works much better than in an ice bag.
Never got past skiing blues, but never skied deep powder. I've got a feeling my skiing days are behind me. At least I can use the helmet if someone has to up the mast at sea.

Rob -- I'm really glad it wasn't worse. Due to being exposed to a group of folks who then tested positive for the VID, I was sleeping in our upstairs guest bedroom up to last night. Hitting the head at night coming downstairs in the middle of the night was what I now consider a "high risk" moment. I grip the handrail and focus. I had a similar nearly-bad fall to yours. Scared the S**T out of me. Now I pay attention. What happened to our nimble athleticism? I guess it faded a decade ago. (mine did)

Stay well, and I'm really glad it isn't worse.

Thanks Beau, sobering for sure. I was trying to keep from hitting my head on steel railings or fetching up had against the wall at the bottom. I lay there assessing for about 10 minutes, figuring the difference between "hurts" and "injured".

My cell phone was back up the stairs, but the ice and ibuprofen was on the floor I was on. Took a good 30 minutes before I could gather icepacks, water, and get up to bed. I ended up crawling up the stairs.

But nothing like Ish and his broken leg.