joint replacement

snipped-for-privacy@aol.com wrote in news:1105140045.899072.152000 @c13g2000cwb.googlegroups.com:

Personally, I haven't yet, although it is in my future also it seems. I do have a co-worker who had this done year before last, in both knees. He was up walking around very quickly, but again no stairs. He was out of work a total of about 6 weeks.

knees.

Both at once?

Engineman1

knees.

Both at once?

Engineman1

It probably depends on the person, but my stepmother had this done and two weeks later she and my dad were dancing on a cruise ship. I suspect that since it's only 7 steps it won't be too long before you are back in the shop.

"RoyJ" (clip) He says I'll be able to walk the next day but no climbing stairs. (clip) ^^^^^^^^^^^^^ I guess knees are different from hips. I had my right hip done a little over a year ago, and I was out of the hospital in four days, and climbed a flight of stairs (with crutches) to get into the house. It is done by using the good leg to do the weight bearing and lifting. I don't see why a knee would be that much different, unless it has to do with range of motion. I would certainly do what the doctors say. I have been told that knee surgery recovery is more rapid than hip, but the therapy to full recovery is longer and more painful.

So far, I have never met anyone who has been disappointed with either kind. They usually say, "I only wish I had done it sooner."

Metal content: My surgeon gave me the ball part of the hip joint, and I made him a cane, using it as the head. He uses it as a pointer when he lectures other doctors on the process, and I guess it's good for a laugh.

snipped-for-privacy@aol.com wrote in news:1105147472.636355.160030 @f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com:

Yes, both knees the same day.

snipped-for-privacy@aol.com wrote in news:1105147472.636355.160030 @f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com:

My wife busted her knee up falling off of a ladder Nov 2003. She had to have surgery, it busted the top of the lower bone (knee socket and lower bone) into 4 major pieces they put a plate on the lower bone and several screws to hold it all together. Although she was up walking with the aid of a walker the next day (no pressure), it was several weeks and a *lot* of physical therapy before they would let her step UP on anything. Not quite the same as a knee replacement though, had to allow time for the bone to heal back together.

A close friend had both knees done about ten years ago. They were redone about a year ago... He loves them... lost the pain and gained the mobility...

I had a hip pinned with three six-inch screws when I broke it. They are surgical stainless steel, and do not set off the airport metal detectors... I tried and actually leaned my hip against the frame as well as walking through.

I asked the doctor that removed them if I could have them, and after they went through cleaning, they gave them to me. They are hollow with a flat topped thread and quite unusual looking. I originally thought it might be worth making a .170 caliber pistol or a pellet gun but the hole would have to be reamed up some and the wall thickness would not be enough. JHbs

I have experience with knee pain. I had it for the last several years and attibuted to running. I run since the age of 12. The pain did not go away with my 50 lbs weight loss in 2003, and continued, perhaps slightly less. Since after my weight loss (eat less, exercise more) I was hungry most of the time, in Jul 2004 I adopted a low carb diet (at normal weight) to just be less hungry. Lost no extra weight, but I am less hungry. I am at normal weight, see

however, to my amazement, after giving up grains and potatoes, my knee pain is gone. I can now enjoy daily running, something that was impossible before.

i

My mom (87) has had 3 hip replacements and both knees. My two older brothers have both had a hip and knee replacements. (60 & 65 years old) One did both knees at once when he was 55, and he recommends it). I am patently waiting my turn ( as I sit here rubbing my knee! )

They make you walk the next day. You will spends hours on a stretching machine the first few days.

If you do one at a time you should be able to manage stairs with crutches. But it still can be scary.

While still on crutches from her third hip, my mom fell trying to make her bed. She broke her leg and arm going down. Even though she had live in helper, she was to proud to ask for help.

Don't let pride, ego, or deadlines make you attempt something that you may not be ready for. Listen to your doc's advise.

In all cases, everyone was sorry they waited so long. They went through a lot of suffering they didn't have to. But I can't relate, It's going take a lot more pain before I beg them cut my knees off. However, I know it's coming soon....DAMN IT

Good luck, and take it easy,

Randy

My, my. What one can find in a newsgroup. I love it.

I am getting ready to consult with my doctor about dysbaric osteonecritis in my hips. (Look that up in your Funk & Google ...) I was dreading it, but now, it doesn't seem such a hill to climb.

I had major heart reconstructive surgery two and a half years ago. (CABG X

5, AVR)* I was dreading it, but was only off work three months. A shoulder surgery kept me out two years previously. It is amazing what can be done now with hearts, hips, and knees. And with a high 90s degree of success.

If metal would just cooperate as well as flesh ..........

Steve

• Coronary Artery Bypass Graft of 5 arteries, Aortic Valve Replacement

YES!!! I had my left knee replace mid December 2003. Age 60 at the time. No cartilage since age 6. 54 years of pain but they won't do the surgery until about my age since knees only last about 7-10 years, at present, and you can only repeat the operation 2-3 times.

Best thing that ever happened to me. Up the first hour after the operation. Three days in the hospital and then home with crutches. Since I used crutches for years as a child, I had no trouble going up and down the stairs in our 3 story home.

BE SURE that you take advantage of every possible physical therapy appointment that is offered to you. You will have to learn how to bend the new knee (stiff from all the surrounding swollen tissue) and you should try to get as much bend (120° would be wonderful) as possible. For me P.T. went on for 3 months, twice a week.

I swear that I have no inkling that I have ever had an operation. I can't say it feels this way or that, because I DON'T FEEL ANYTHING!!!! It is great!! Imagine, after 50 ± years being able to get out of a chair and walk right away. Previously, I would have to get up, straighten the leg (very arthritic), and then painfully start liming for about 30 steps. After that it would loosen up and be better.

Imagine going to sleep at night and not being in pain.

Please go have it done! If you write me personally, I will give you my phone number and we can talk about it.

Ivan Vegvary, Oregon

My good friend Bernie had two hip joints replaced.

Bern had a deburring business. They deburred everything from snowmobile skids to heart valve parts -- including the stainless steel hip joint devices. When the surgeon came around to see how he was doing, Bern said, "oh, I'm doing fine -- but I found this thing under the covers, what the hell is it?" and showed the doc a hip joint device he'd brought or had someone bring from his shop.

Life is far too short to be taken seriously!

We have friends in So. Ca. that the husband was a coach. His knees went out a long time ago and fix after fix - finally do both the right way... He figured, well if I'm laid up for xx days - might be just one set.

I think he was a glutton also - and had a fix in a wrist done at the same time. Tough guy for sure. Now he and his wife are retired in the snow way down south!

Martin

Forgot to mention that all turned out well. He was back to speed-skating at Aldrich Arena before long. When he checked out it was sudden lights-out while riding his pretty-fast sled (snowmobile) about 100 miles north of the Canadian border. Riding a fast sled thru frozen wilderness ain't quite like riding an eldercare scooter. It can be one hell of a ride. He went out with a wind-smeared grin.

I'm not a sledder but I rode one of Bern's sleds, him en pointe on his sled while he was checking me out as suitor for his daughter. Oh Son, that was one hell of a ride! Character check: he punched his sled and shot out of sight while going downhill on an approach to a frozen lake. He knew the terrain, I didn't, thought that being tossed into a tree would not be cool so I carefully crept that terrain at a sedate and careful 50 mph.

Shot out onto the frozen lake, yee haw, time to ditch wimp and go fast -- but where the hell is Bern? Uh oh. Chop throttle, do a findyerbuddy 360. That sneaky devious alert cunning and sly old bastard was hiding behind a point. I found him. He grinned big. I didn't know that ride was a test, but I guess I passed.

Daughters do what daughters will do, but a Dad does enjoy discovering that the man who seems to be winning his daughter isn't a complete asshole.

We should all be so lucky, checking out while doing what we enjoy doing. His buds had to smuggle his bod back into the US, easy peasy with fast sleds. Many miles of snow-covered border between Rainy Lake and northern Idaho. I suspect they did the body-smuggle into Montana but they never said and it doesn't matter.

Why would they have to smuggle him?

There was a guy a couple years back who did the same thing in the opposite direction (his mom died enroute back to Toronto from Florida). He just drove back, didn't say anything about i to the border guy, and pulled up outside a funeral home when he hit town. Made a bit of a fuss in the papers; but there wasn't really much they could or should have done to him.

You wouldn't *have* to, but the police would have to get involved in order to determine that it wasn't foul play, they'd have to find a doctor to produce a death certificate and then the body would have to be shipped back by some officially sanctioned means. Probably insurance (if they had it) would cover the costs, but they'd be tied up for a day or two waiting for all the formalities, for no real benefit to anyone.

Best regards, Spehro Pefhany