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Thread: Total Knee done Aug 16

  1. #31
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
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    Atlanta, GA
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    Quote Originally Posted by Brad Barnhart View Post
    My mother just had her right knee done the end of July, & healing has been a slow process for her.
    Kind of off the subject a little, but, I drove OTR 35 years. In 2009, I came in off the road w/flu like symptoms. Body aches, head ache, etc. but the pain was gettin' worse all the time. When I parked the truck in our yard in hoxie, Ks., & the mechanic & the owner of the truck seen the shape I was in, they got my clothes bag & paper work out of the truck for me, got me in my pick up, & headed me home. Normally it's about an hour & 15 minute drive home. It took me over 3 hours bcause of the pain & bein' sleepy. my bride had the law lookin' for me, the boss had the law lookin' for me. When I finally got here to the house, I didn't know my wife, our dogs, nothin'! The last thing I remembered was parkin' my truck in the yard, talkin' to the boss. I kept askin' my wife what she done with my truck. I couldn't see the runnin' lights, or hear it runnin'. Couldn't smell diesel smoke from it or the reefer cyclin' on the trailer! I was lost! My wife took me to the ER, & by that time I was nearly unconscious. They toted me into the ER, run my vitals, & the Sawbones on duty decided to do epidurals in my back for pain, instead of IV. She stuck me 4x & missed everytime. So she ended up w/IV & morphine in my left arm. The testing began. They tested me for everything they could think of. It finally came back I had viral meningitis. I laid in that hospital for 8 months. Lost the use of both legs, & partial use of my left arm. With tons of therapy, I had to learn to walk again, & build the strength in my left arm.

    This lead to two major back surgeries, about a year of therapy, & the news of 3 more back surgeries to go. I spent a lot of time healin', & tryin' to walk & move on my own. Big mistake. I'm able to walk & get around on my own now, but have severe limitations. No longer able to work, so I spend my time in the wood shop til the pain gets to me.

    I didn't mean to hijack your thread, but the point I'm tryin' to make is, let your body do it's work during your healing process. You'll heal faster, & more efficiently. Mind what your Sawbones says, & heed every word. They've got the education. My apologies for the length. Get back on your feet soon!
    Dang, Brad-what an ordeal!

    Fortunately, such a tragedy has never been visited upon me.

    As far as my knee goes, I started my regular home program in earnest yesterday. Takes 55 minutes in our bonus room. Along w the PT's regimen, I do the exercise bike; started w 6 minutes, and add a minute every day.

    My flexion is good.

    The PT that I have is very good. I mean she is great.

    Maria (PT) and I started about a year ago-before surgery, trying to get through this w/o procedure.

    I told her then---I am not going to be the guy that, when I leave, you all laugh and say "Can you believe he came here (to Physical Therapy) to do stuff that he coulda done @ home?!"

    So, when I show up, have already done all the stretching, exercising, rolling, etc....So, then, we get into the advanced stuff. Including the soft tissue massage--man, that feels sooo good.

    All is well; supposed to resume my role in Society Oct 2 (my job).

    Currently am doing some carving, and looking over a buncha jigs trying to decide on one to make.
    David
    Confidence: That feeling you get before fully understanding a situation (Anonymous)

  2. #32
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    Hi David,

    How was your range of motion before surgery and how is it now?

    0 degrees is straight (most people can go slightly negative but 0 is the target)
    90 degrees is a right angle (just being thorough)
    120 degrees is what you need to rise from a dining chair without pushing off

    It's unlikely that you will ever be able to squat again.

    I had my knee replaced and I have a LOT of experience with rehabbing range of motion, both flexion and extension. I went through about 3 years of PT to get full range back.

  3. #33
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
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    Time is still on your side but less so that it would have been 20 years ago.

    The good thing about waiting is that, as you age, you lose the ability to feel pain. That's why replacement surgery goes easier on older patients. You are entering that sweet spot.

    But don't wait too long. Make sure that YOU choose the time for the surgery so that it best fits your life. Don't let the knee choose it. In my case, I put it off and the knee locked up one day and that was it. Had a replacement not been available, I would have accepted amputation. The pain was that bad.

    I forgot to mention that I would do the replacement again in a heartbeat.

  4. #34
    Join Date
    May 2015
    Location
    St. Francis, Kansas
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    yes Mr. Dave, to say the least, it was an ordeal. The amount of pain drugs bein' pumped into me on a daily basis then, the daily epidurals, not to mention the oral narcotics for pain were unreal. My body is paying for it now. Since the meningitis, I'm not able to handle the heat, don't do well in the cold. My taste buds have changed. Physical limitations are extremely less than what they used to be. The list goes on. And after the two back surgeries, I'm not able to sit for very long, my legs give me more issues, but I learn to do deal with it for the most part. There ain't much they can do for me. At this point, I'm living w/out pain meds unless things get out of hand. Like I said, my wood shop keeps my mind & hands busy, & gives me new challenges with each project. I've met several people here online that help me a lot, too. Thank you for your kick back. keep in touch. I have a fb page Sawdust Haven that has our projects on it. Have a look see & let me know what ya think. Have a fine evening. Brad.
    Sawdust703

  5. #35
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    Atlanta, GA
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    Quote Originally Posted by Roger Feeley View Post
    Hi David,

    How was your range of motion before surgery and how is it now?

    0 degrees is straight (most people can go slightly negative but 0 is the target)
    90 degrees is a right angle (just being thorough)
    120 degrees is what you need to rise from a dining chair without pushing off

    It's unlikely that you will ever be able to squat again.
    I have, on a good day, now ~115* flexion, full extension.

    I am going to be able to squat-you can count on that.

    My surgeon is/was excellent, and I have the Conformis implant-customized according to a CT of my knee; I have already been through thick and thin trying to PT my way out of this to avoid surgery. I am fully confident of a bright future of pushing planes around, standing @ my sharpening station, and yes, squatting....w/o crying the blues about knee pain.



    Quote Originally Posted by Roger Feeley View Post
    Time is still on your side but less so that it would have been 20 years ago.

    The good thing about waiting is that, as you age, you lose the ability to feel pain. That's why replacement surgery goes easier on older patients. You are entering that sweet spot.

    But don't wait too long. Make sure that YOU choose the time for the surgery so that it best fits your life. Don't let the knee choose it. In my case, I put it off and the knee locked up one day and that was it. Had a replacement not been available, I would have accepted amputation. The pain was that bad.

    I forgot to mention that I would do the replacement again in a heartbeat.
    Yes, it was rough. No anatomic deformity, though.
    David
    Confidence: That feeling you get before fully understanding a situation (Anonymous)

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