Knee replacement

[BeauV]

I think Dr. Munn nailed it. Unless there is a popular vote, which universal single payer might win, there is absolutely no way it will happen. One need only take a brief read of the donations made by the insurance companies to understand why. What we are really talking about is putting some very large and profitable insurance companies out of business. These companies are actually owned,in large measure, by pension funds. Effectively legislating them out of business would have massive financial impacts, I fear we'd have to simply buy them and distribute the value to their shareholder (many of us). By comparison, this would be massively more disruptive financially than nationalizing the railroads or airlines.

While I don't necessarily disagree, subsidizing large publicly held companies by raising costs and increasing complexity for the entire country is to me a bad case of "too big to fail." They are held by pension funds because they are profitable and seen to be safe. In my mind, guaranteed stability and profitability without risk should earn low returns, not double digit returns on the back of taxpayers. The market would adapt and, if transitioned in a reasonable, the market would adapt and the investor capital wold find new homes.

Enough political drift. Bull. Happy to hear your recovery is going well.

Larry, I couldn't agree more. We'd probably need to Marines to take care of the transition, but certainly needs to be done. Agreed, enough Pole-A-Ticks. BV

[Bull City]

Drove today for the first time, just a little drive around the neighborhood today. Everything was fine. Tomorrow I think I'm going to take my paddle board (prone, not stand-up) out for a spin. A daysail may be on for later this week. Hubba-hubba!

[Orestes Munn]

That's great news, Bull!

[BeauV]

Drove today for the first time, just a little drive around the neighborhood today. Everything was fine. Tomorrow I think I'm going to take my paddle board (prone, not stand-up) out for a spin. A daysail may be on for later this week. Hubba-hubba!

Hubba Hubba is right, actually a Yabba Dabba Dooo may be in order soon!

[LarryHoward]

Great news. Reminds me of driving on the 3rd or 4th day following my partial replacement (which is a lot less intrusive than a full replacement). On my way to rehab when an old biddie ahead of me pulled to the right as if she was going to drive into a parallel parking space that was open. Imagine my surprise when she got to the curb and then came hard left in an unsignaled U-turn. Reactions overcome rational thought and I slammed on the brakes with my rehabbing right leg.

Great recovery but be careful. That stop was more pain than my worst kidney stone.

[Ish]

Great news. Reminds me of driving on the 3rd or 4th day following my partial replacement (which is a lot less intrusive than a full replacement). On my way to rehab when an old biddie ahead of me pulled to the right as if she was going to drive into a parallel parking space that was open. Imagine my surprise when she got to the curb and then came hard left in an unsignaled U-turn. Reactions overcome rational thought and I slammed on the brakes with my rehabbing right leg.

Great recovery but be careful. That stop was more pain than my worst kidney stone.

Ater getting out of hospital following some major repacking of original bits after ski demolishing, I was on my way down the stairs on my crutches, and missed a step. I spotted the landing dead on. I think that set me back about 12 weeks.

[Bull City]

Ish and Larry, Ouch and Ouch.

Thinking about it, my right leg has survived a spiral fracture of the tibia and fibula while skiing in college (1968); ACL rupture and reconstruction (1988) and now the knee replacement (2015).

The surgeon sent me a copy of "operative note," sort of like the ship's log. Parts of it read like the Yankee Workshop. A sample: "Lug holes were drilled to set rotation." Very interesting until you remember that he's talking about your feckin' knee!

[Bull City]

Driving is going OK. I haven't done any trips more than 20 minutes.

I took my prone paddle board out for a short spin on Thursday. It felt good to get some aerobic work and to be on the water.

I went sailing with brother-in-law, Steve, yesterday: first post-op sail. I was expecting a leisurely 8 to 10 knots, but it was a good bit more. We reefed. It was going to be more physical than I was in the mood for, so we went in. This week is looking good: mid 80s.

[Bull City]

It's been just over 7 weeks since surgery. I think I'm pretty much over the knee replacement. I had a second follow-up appointment with the surgeon. They took x-rays, said everything looks great, and come back in 10 months. I have a few more PT appointments. My flexion is 120+ degrees; the goal is 130. Extension is almost full. Glute and quad strength is coming along. Walking is such a pleasure now. I've been sailing a few times.

I am sooo glad I had this done. I almost chickened out a couple of times, and then decided to stop thinking about it, and just show up at the scheduled time and place. It was a good decision. I was worried about the post-op pain, risk of infection, and the PT. Post-op pain was minimal; infection risk is always out there; the PT is painful, but doesn't last long. The benefits have been tremendous.

If any of you folks are considering this, I encourage you to do it.

[Jamie]

Always nice to hear a good outcome. In my past life I used to work for a company that sold knees and hips.

[Tucky]

Congratulations- good to hear.

[LarryHoward]

Nice to hear a good report. Seems a textbook positive outcome. Nice.

[Orestes Munn]

Excellent!

[BeauV]

Bull, this is great news! No more referring to you as "Gimpy." Glad it all worked out. B

[kimbottles]

Everyone I know who has had a knee replacement wonders why they waited so long.

[Bull City]

Went surfing this past weekend, and went for first solo sail with new knee today. All went well.

[Bull City]

With approval of surgeon and PT, I started "light" soccer today: a little easy running and kicking a ball with one of my buddies. It felt great to move about and work up a sweat. I followed it with a long ice session. Some soreness, but it feels good.

It's amazing how getting back to your former, cherished activities can improve your outlook.

[Ish]

My surgeon had to suddenly retire from doing surgeries for some reason. Hopefully it wasn't lethal.

So my place in the waiting list is being held while they look for a replacement.

[Bull City]

Ish,

That is a bummer. When is your date? Are you having one or two done? A few pieces of information regarding my surgery:

1) I had a spinal block rather than a general. I was sedated, and don't remember anything, but there was no hangover from a general anesthesia. I definitely recommend the block.

2) When I came to, I had a catheter in my thigh which was dripping a block to the nerve that handles knee pain. This came home with me, and we were instructed to remove it on the second day - no problems.

3) For pain management, I was taking three 5mg oxycodone every three hours, and two 325 mg Tylenols every six hours. This really worked well. Over a few weeks, I tapered down.

4) Make sure you stay ahead of the pain, and don't try to be a tough guy. I followed instructions, and experienced very little discomfort, although it meant setting an alarm to take the meds at night. In 1988, I had an ACL reconstruction, and while the outcome was good, the hangover from the general was awful, and the pain management was not very good.

Please keep us posted.

BC

[Ish]

The knee is done, I was discharged after one night in the hospital. The physio and some of the nurses were amazed that I was lucid right out of the OR and that I could get out of bed by myself and get over to the bathroom with the walker. Hurts like hell, but it's tolerable. It's best right after a Dilaudid, I'm using Tylenol in between for a little more pain control.

So the next stage, recovery, begins in earnest. I had 90° ROM right off the bat, it can only get better.

Edit to add: Thanks for all the good wishes in other threads, all that good karma flowing my way helps a lot.

[BeauV]

GREAT news! Good to have you back and doing so well!!

[Orestes Munn]

Excellent! Glad it went well and I wish you a speedy and low-pain recovery!

So, are we to take from your report that the lucidity is an improvement over your pre-operative baseline? Remarkable!

[Ish]

Excellent! Glad it went well and I wish you a speedy and low-pain recovery!

So, are we to take from your report that the lucidity is an improvement over your pre-operative baseline? Remarkable!

Sometimes, if I dig deep enough, I can find a pool of rationality that is fairly convincing. Most of the time I don't bother.

[JoeP]

Glad to hear you made it through ok and that the fix seems to be working. Best wishes for a full and speedy recovery.

[LarryHoward]

The knee is done, I was discharged after one night in the hospital. The physio and some of the nurses were amazed that I was lucid right out of the OR and that I could get out of bed by myself and get over to the bathroom with the walker. Hurts like hell, but it's tolerable. It's best right after a Dilaudid, I'm using Tylenol in between for a little more pain control.

So the next stage, recovery, begins in earnest. I had 90° ROM right off the bat, it can only get better.

Edit to add: Thanks for all the good wishes in other threads, all that good karma flowing my way helps a lot.

Don't be too surprised if you go backwards on ROM after 3-4 days when the site swelling is at its worst. I was 95 degrees 24 hours after surgery (partial replacement) and 4 days later and after a weekend off of rehab, back around 80 degrees and then worked back up just fine. Physio and surgeon gave me the "Oh yeah. Forgot to tell you that happens a lot."

They did tell me the initial ROM is a good indicator of a successful surgery and well aligned implant.

After the first week, they gave me a young, good looking lady Physio. Hope you get the same.

[SloopJonB]

Great news Ish.

Those amazed nurses likely weren't aware of your normal level of rum consumption.

[Cherie320]

Congrats on the good initial startup. Stay with the physio. Not too much, but enough to keep getting better. Pat

[Orestes Munn]

Excellent! Glad it went well and I wish you a speedy and low-pain recovery!

So, are we to take from your report that the lucidity is an improvement over your pre-operative baseline? Remarkable!

Sometimes, if I dig deep enough, I can find a pool of rationality that is fairly convincing. Most of the time I don't bother.

So, you were trying to impress them. Makes sense.

I have told this story often, but when they rebuilt my C-spine, they had to wake me up in the OR while everything was open and see if I could move and feel all 4. Later, the doc came out to tell my wife they had closed and she asked, "How's he doing?" The answer was, "A little too well."

[Bull City]

Good on ya, Ish. Soon you will be dancing and pirouetting without pain.

[Ish]

Thanks, everybody. I know there are going to be ups and downs, this morning was a little harsh but right now I'm feeling pretty good. Enjoying a Purdy's chocolate easter egg. Num.