Surgery- out of commision for a couple weeks or so.

It's that time again. Time to get my knee replaced, left one this time.
Last Thanksgiving I had the right one replaced. Back to work three weeks later. Doctors and Therapists told me I was abnormal. Normally it takes 2-3 months to recover, and 8 weeks for therapy. I was done with therapy in 4 weeks, we'll actually 3 but they didn't believe my results and held me for another week. Therapists told me to stop talking to other patients, my results were not normal... I attribute my speedy recovery to the Marine Corp. Being an Infantry Machine-gunner (M60) muscle pain was an everyday occurrence. No pain, no gain!!! Ironically the 3,000 miles a year in full combat gear probable lead to my current condition. But I would gladly do it again...

Honestly, I can't wait. I am bone on bone. That means every step my bones grind against each other. Every time I kneel down or shift my weight while standing I can feel the bones grind and pop against each other. Simple things, like standing hurts. I will never run again, however I will be able to backpack, ride a bike, and walk again. I'm stoked, I miss backpacking and hiking. To be honest, my bad knees didn't stop me much. Recovery took longer.

I can't wait, they will replace one pain (bone on bone) with another (muscle) and that one will go away.

I go under on Tuesday first thing, should be home by 1pm. Yes, out patient surgery. Before I go home I have to walk up and down a couple of steps... Yep, I have to walk on the new knee before I can go home, like an hour after I wake up.

Pray for a speedy recovery.

PS- I'd gladly give up the drugs for a beer, but the wife would kill me. :hatchet:

They have really improved the process, or the new parts on these surgeries. When I had my knee done, the incision was about 10" long, inpatient for 4 days and no pt until I could bend 135°. Glad you are getting this done and youhave plenty of activities to look forward to! Thanks so much for your service and best of luck

Prayers sent for success and another speedy recovery!

:pray sent!!

First of all thank you for your service and good luck on the surgery i know your pain on the bone on bone I've had 8 surgeries on both my ankles the right one has been fused 2 times and my left one has a full ankle replacement bone on bone hurts


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Prayers sent for a speedy recovery! I agree with "Vic" about the technology.
A great "BIG THANK YOU" for your service! Get well soon! Dave

Good luck and a speedy recovery! I also had one done about a year ago and it wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it was going to be. I was home the next day. Not to say that it was a piece of cake, but compared to the pain I was in all of the time, it was worth it. The new knee is about the only part of me that doesn't hurt...LOL!

Good luck to you again brother! And thanks for your Service!

Thanks All!!!

My next door neighbor in TN had his done. 85% of the cartilage was gone and he was playing golf, good golf, 3 or 4 days a week. His recovery wasn't as fast as yours and he had it done during the cold months so he wouldn't hurry the process. Point is I was close by through the process with him. I pray for another recovery like the last one you went through. I bet you'll be fishing before you know it. Godspeed brother.

sent

Prayers sent

Prayers sent. You are amazing to be able to heal like you did on the first one.

Thanks All.

I have been dealing with bone on bone pain for along time. It doesn't stop me from working, it just requires more sitting time after I get done. I'm not one to take pain drugs. To me, the pain is the body's way of telling me to slow down before I break something.

Doubt I will feel up to communicating during the next few days. Vicodine tends to knock me out and plug me up. Honestly, that is the worst part about the whole thing, constipation...

Post up them home remedies for constipation... Keep it clean, this is a PG site. :popcorn

Hello All,

Surgery went great. I got home about 1ish, and have been resting since. Woke up from my nap and ate a Bluegill fish dinner the wife made that couldn't be beat.
Kudos to the doctors and nurses. They did a great job. Special thanks to my wife, she has been awesome. I got a keeper.
Thanks to Crappie.com members for the prayers...

Hope for a very speedy recovery

Glad to hear the surgery went well...now take your time and heal up!

I've had my right done and need the left done but my recovery was nothing like yours! I hope this one does as good as your first one!

Glad everything went well hope for a speedy recovery


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Glad your surgery went well. The fish will have a little time to grow bigger while you recover. Get well soon.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Blackhawk19

I've had my right done and need the left done but my recovery was nothing like yours! I hope this one does as good as your first one!

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I hope it goes as well too. Sounds like your recovery time was normal.
Had several at the doc's office tell me my recovery times were not typical. My therapist called me an unusual man and told me not to talk the other patients. I was giving them a false sense of recovery. Doc even told me not to expect the same time/type of recovery. He told me one always takes longer than the other. I told him, Good I'm hoping the first was the longer time frame. He shook his head and laughed, and said don't count on it.

I did every thing they told me to do. Do the heel pumps, stretch the quad muscles, get up and walk a litte bit ever couple hours, and I am starting to slightly bend the knee. I keep ice on my knee 24/7, unless going to the bathroom to pass all the water I am drinking. I think I have 4 medications I take. 2 pain meds I take every 6hours, rotate those on 3 hours cycles. Something to fight infection, and something to soften my stool .

My wife has been fantastic, makes sure I take my meds, helps me get up and down. Stuffs pillows inder my knee to elevate above the heart. Plus she made a batch of home-made vegetable soup for lunches this week. Also bought a whole bunch of food to soften the stool. First bowel movement after the last surgery was brutal. Felt like I was trying to pass a diamond the size of a baseball.
Honestly, what works best for me is a few beers. However I can't drink while on pain meds.:cheers2 :dono

"Doubt I will feel up to communicating during the next few days. Vicodine tends to knock me out and plug me up. Honestly, that is the worst part about the whole thing, constipation..."

Prune juice, miralx, and a lot of extra water. Worked for me. And that thing about not mixing pain killers with a beer is over rated...!

Hello All,

Quick update. I think this will be a speedy recovery again, thanks for the prayers. I was concerned until this morning. My swelling was tremendous through yesterday. I put on 12 pounds since the morning of surgery, all in my knee. Last night the swelling went down considerable, now only 4 pounds heavier. I can hobble around the house again. Plus I passed the brick two days ago. Last night I knocked the pain meds back to one pill ever 3 hours, still rotating between Tramadol and Hydrocodone.

I hit the major milestones and the rest will be easy. Thanks for the prayers.