I had a knee replaced in 2002-on the opening day of the SLC winter Olympics. It did great, until I crashed on my bike and trashed the hip on the same side. I now wear a stainless steel plate, with the accompanying screws and pins, in my hip (resulting in a leg about 1 inch short). These go well with my chromium cobalt, titanium and ultra-high molecular weight polypropylene knee. The other knee is getting progressively worse-has been bone on bone for several years, and I am now feeling it when I ride my bike... I talked with the physician's assistant to the Dr for whom I see many rehab patients. I gave him permission to take a look at my most recent x-rays. He noted that my left knee is trashed, my right knee replacement part is loosening, and that my hardware in the right hip is loosening.
So, decisions to make. Have the left knee replaced soon? Get the right hip hardware removed and consider having a hip put in to give me back my leg length and proper rotation? Do anything with the right knee, or wait for the prosthesis to loosen more? And, to top it off, I think I would like to switch Drs--I really like my original knee replacement Dr, but I see great results from this new one. They work out of the same office, so how do I switch without offending the old Dr? Does it matter?
Maybe I will just live with things the way they are. Don't feel like I am ready for any major surgeries yet.
Strange thought--while growing up, playing ball, going through young adulthood, my legs were my strongest attribute, by far. I still bike, hike, work, mow lawns.
the PA noted that I am an extremely highly functioning individual, considering the hip/knees I have. Perhaps I will just keep functioning and let things be.
A pain-free hike would be nice, however....
Friday, September 19, 2008
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
6 comments:
It's easy for me to say to get it all fixed so you can take that pain-free hike, but it would be much harder having to make the decision and go through the rehab myself...
My only wonderment is...if you wait, will the rehab take longer because you will be a few years older? Or will it not make much of a difference? Is surgery inevitable? More questions, no answers. Wish I could just wave my wand and make it all 20 years old again.
I wonder if I can find a wand like the one that Lindsey mentioned...
These are hard decisions. If you're asking us to give you the answers... I'm going to inform you that you are the most well-informed person for these questions.
I don't think it matters which doctor you go to. What matters is that you feel confident with the doctor, and I'm sure that the old one will understand and probably still has plenty to do...
what'd I say? "well-informed?" What's that supposed to mean?
Uh...I think you know what I meant and you probably know what word I'm searching for, but my iq has dropped 25 points for wearing a baseball hat.
Sounds like a tough decision. I too wonder if the surgery is inevitable and if it will give you more mobitliy and less pain than I say the sooner the better.
There is no time like the present. However, I'm sure the recovery isn't going to be fun.
I too wish I could give you your old knees back.
You can come rehab at our house...I'm sure Oscar and Poppy and the new little sprite will keep you on your toes.
I was just thinking of what hike we could take Sat. but after that blog lets not. My legs are hurting just from reading about yours. We could ride our bikes up to Pullman. That last leg around Lewiston would be darn interesting.
Post a Comment