Next Monday, the 17th, I am having knee surgery. I have both rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis, which really started kicking me in the knees this Spring. I had x-rays a couple of weeks ago and the doctors determined that my left knee was "surgical". I could have got by with steroid injections for a while, but since your knee cartilage doesn't grow back I opted to just go ahead and get a new knee!
I am told that the surgery takes about an hour, with a spinal block instead of general anesthesia. They make a 5 - 6 inch incision in the front of your knee, replace the joint and sew you back up. They put you on some kind of motion machine afterwards that keeps flexing your knee while you lie there for some hours in pain-killer/sedative heaven. The next day you start walking (with support) under the steely eyes of a neo-nazi therapist who tortures you regularly for the next two or three days, then you get to go home and take the motion machine with you for about a week.
I am generally happy to be having the surgery because my darn knee has started to hurt like a summabitch and if I turn suddenly with all my weight on it it sometimes gives out and staggers me, like when I fell down in front of Humpty Dumpty. So yay for a new knee! Then again, turns out I was quite fond of my old knee. So I have some ambivilent feelings too.
I am bummed because this means I will not be driving up to North Bay to meet Lightz and Bravey and Breezy in a couple of weeks, but glad that I did not make reservations (which Tom and I almost did!) to go to Jamaica in October with two other couples. I want to get the surgery over before winter so I won't have to deal with snow & ice and coats & gloves while I am up on canes or crutches or whatever the fuck it is I will need for a while.
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10 comments:
*pout* Just *pouts* all around this blog.
*pout*
*yikes* Knee surgery sounds scary, but I guess the end result will be great in the long run. How long does complete recovery take?
Yay for making your knee better. Booooo for making your plans null.
*hopes for a speedy recovery*
Good luck! I hope everything goes well.
MTW, when I asked that question the doc said I should be getting around fine by Thanksgiving. The official recovery time is "varies".
I don't understand why a 26-year old needs knee surgery. At least you've checked out all the alternatives and you know that you really "kneed" this. Once the surgery is over, will your baking be better, you know, the kneeding part of it?
Best of luck with the surgery Swami! That sure is a long recovery time.
Well. I hope the surgery goes well for you!!! It's too bad you won't be able to do the fun stuff before winter though.
Ack! The thought of knee surgery skeeves me out. *big hugs*
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