a comic-book knee

[sergebroom]

Last year, Sue had some surgery done to one of her knees, but, even after all this time, it was still bothering her. She recently had a followup with her surgeon, who agreed that this was not as it should be, so he scheduled her for an MRI. That was done on Monday. The doc called her yesterday with the results: a knee brace might help, but it looks like she'll have to have the whole joint removed and replaced. If that's the case, she might take advantage of the situation and ask them to put some comic-book device in there, something like an adamantium claw. Seriously though, I am a bit worried. Sure, my mom had her hip joints replaced and she's over 70. It shouldn't be worse for someone 30 years younger to have one knee taken care of. It shouldn't.

Comments

FWIW.

[txanne.livejournal.com]

My mother has two bionic knees and rejoices in them daily. She was entirely sedentary when the first one was done, and even so she didn't have any trouble at all.

Re: FWIW.

[serge-lj.livejournal.com]

How long did it take her to recover? Of course, as Fragano pointed out below, age is not necessarily a factor. Still, I should ask. Sue's doc won't be able to take her in earlier than 6 months from now, and if it's done right then, I don't want her Holidays to be a miserable time. On the other hand, her knee would finally stop bothering her and the sooner that's done, the better.

Re: FWIW.

[txanne.livejournal.com]

She had her second one done in the summer, and went on a cruise in mid-December, able to wander contentedly around Chichen Itza. The first one took longer to recover from because she was in terrible shape. But even so, she said that the post-surgery pain was much less horrible than the arthritic pain.

Re: FWIW.

[txanne.livejournal.com]

Would you like my mom's email address?

Re: FWIW.

[serge-lj.livejournal.com]

Thanks. Knowing Sue, she'll probably take you up on your offer. Let me mention it to her.

[fledgist.livejournal.com]

These things are independent of age, Serge, and the technology is now well established. I wouldn't worry.

[serge-lj.livejournal.com]

I shall try.

[fledgist.livejournal.com]

Excellent.

[fidelioscabinet.livejournal.com]

Yikes! That is Not Any Fun At All.

[serge-lj.livejournal.com]

I remember how much pain Sue was in after last year's surgery. At least, this time, they wouldn't shove her out the door as soon as the procedure is done. They'd keep her in for 3 days and I suppose that, should things be more painful then than is normal, they'd keep her in longer. One can hope so, anyway.

[sajia.livejournal.com]

My good wishes to both of you. I hope the surgery is as hassle-free as possible.

[serge-lj.livejournal.com]

Thanks, Sajia.

[evilrooster.livejournal.com]

Give her my best wishes.

[serge-lj.livejournal.com]

I will. Thanks, Abi.

My naughty knee

[susankrinard.livejournal.com]

Thanks for all the words of support. I really appreciat them, especially since I'm so seldom able to visit blogs or update my own.

I really want to stop limping, get back to mild aerobics, do the things I used to do. if the replacement will do it, I'm all for it. The main thing that bothers me is that once again i will be prevented from exercising for some time. I'm only now back into it after nearly a year away due to pain and trying to figure out what would work without hurting my knee. We ended up buying an exercise bicycle, which I don't enjoy ... but hey, I don't have a lot of choice.

Re: My naughty knee

[kouredios.livejournal.com]

Good luck to you, Sue. And Serge, take good care of her!

Re: My naughty knee

[serge-lj.livejournal.com]

But of course.

Re: My naughty knee

[tania-c.livejournal.com]

Sue, good luck with the knee. I know plenty of people who are much more active after getting their knees fixed, as they aren't in pain anymore.

Even if you aren't exercising, you probaby will be in some form of PT, which is certainly movement.

Exploit Serge for all the fetch and carry that you can, just because!

Re: My naughty knee

[serge-lj.livejournal.com]

Woof!

[etumukutenyak.livejournal.com]

My mother-in-law, or the person who would be my MiL if we could marry..anyway, she had a knee replacement just over a year ago. Even though her mind was already deteriorating with dementia, she still felt a great relief of pain when the arthritic knee was gone. She's more mobile now than she was two, three years ago, even as her brain speeds up its self-destruction.

Proper post-op rehab will do wonders for the recovery, but even an elderly recalcitrant patient will regain mobility so your wife's prognosis is great.

There, there. She'll do fine. Agatha will not be mad at her.

[serge-lj.livejournal.com]

Agatha will not be mad at her.

Of course she won't be. She's a cat, and she'll like us as long as we keep feeding her and as long as our bodies remain warm.

[miltonthales.livejournal.com]

I've occasionally thought about having that done myself to repair my own knee. From what I've read/heard and from what my fellow commenters say, it doesn't seem too outlandish an idea anymore.

Best of luck, Sue.

[serge-lj.livejournal.com]

Thanks. I'll tell Sue. I think I was more nervous about the whole concept than she was. In fact, she wishes she didn't have to wait at least 6 months to get it over with.

[diatryma.livejournal.com]

A girl on my street had arthritis from about five years old. Last time I saw her, she had two hips and a knee replaced and was walking again-- she'd been in a wheelchair for years. The other knee may have been replaced now, and she's on the list for shoulders once they figure out how to do them.

I don't think an adamantium claw would be appropriate. A gauge of some sort might work. Pedometer?

[serge-lj.livejournal.com]

A pedometer. or maybe a lightning generator to strike down miscreants. Then again I think we'll settle for a knee that does what a knee is supposed to do. Thanks for the encouragement, Diatryma.