Day 12 - Taking it easier

Yesterday was a busy day, with not very much resting time. So today I decided to take it a bit easier, and rest more. I almost succeeded.

I am reaching a point of frustration. The scab on the incision is tight and annoying. I am very tired of the bandaids on the 4 removable stitches..nine more days of those! Last night when I pulled the old bandaids off to replace them, my skin came with it in a couple of spots..Ouch! Now I have to try to turn or trim the bandaids so those spots can heal. 

I am tired of baby stepping up and down the stairs--of elevating my feet--of not being able to bend my knee fully---silly me!! I forget it has just been 12 days since I got this new knee. 

This frustration is to be expected. My therapist told me that the first two weeks the improvement was fast and exciting, and then it hits a plateau and slows down. I am not sure if this is the source of my frustration, I think I am just being impatient.

On the "up" side of things, I got out my flute today, and found that I could play so much better standing up! I truly enjoyed myself. I am again discovering things that I didn't realize I had "lost" prior to surgery! My sound is much better with my weight on my left foot--how long has it been that I could not stand with my weight on that foot....or even balanced between my feet?

Tomorrow is another workout with my physical therapist... Have some questions prepared..Onward!!

Day 11: Sabbath

Today was a big day. I attended church services, which means walking and sitting and standing. It was good to see everyone, but I definitely felt tired..home and an ice pack, feet elevated above heart for 30 minutes.

Then we were off to the theater. We were lucky to get a seat in the last row, with no one in front, and no one next to me, so I could get my leg up during the evening. (This is theater in the round.) we took a quick walk though the parking lot during intermission, which felt good.

The scab on my incision is getting annoying. Not quite itchy, but it is stiff. I so want to rub something into it to soften it, but I  know I must not. It needs to heal completely, without anything on it. There are absorbable stitches, which are covered with strips of tape, and glue the tape has begun to peel. I am glad that I can clip the loose edges of the tape as it lifts up. 

I have spent the last 2 weeks wearing shorts, as I cannot stand having clothing rub against the incision scab..today was tough because I wore a skirt.

Tomorrow I plan on a lot of resting!! I will still are a walk, I just don't know if I will try to increase my distance.

My goal is to do a full circuit of our block by Tuesday. That's about 500 feet more than now. The full circuit is 1/2 mile. Once I can do that comfortably, my next goal will be to double it to a mile a day.

Days 9 & 10

Yesterday, my iPad didn't like Blogger, and trashed my entire post. There is something very quirky about it. Sometimes I finish a post, and it vanishes without a trace. Other times it refuses to let me start a post, but most of the time, it works. And there seems to be a length limit on posts on the iPad. I get so far, and then the screen will not scroll any further...weird. I still don't feel up to sitting at the computer, at least not for very long, so I am working on the iPad almost exclusively.

The last two days are a bit of a blur. I had physical therapy on day 10, each time I learn new things about my body, and gain forward motion. I asked my therapist why the knee is so stiff and hard to move: Answer: intracellular swelling. The build up of fluid within the joint! So the cure is to keep pressing, and to try to keep the lymph moving.

There is NO WAY I could push my knee as far on my own! Soooooo thankful for the help of a terrific therapist.

I increased my walk each day, but have not slept well, making me tired. I am getting very tired of the stitches and the incision...they are a bit itchy. Yeah. That means healing...my dear husband says "Fatigue makes cowards of us all" - I am feeling a bit cowardly. Tomorrow is a big day: church and out to the theater in the evening! (Season tickets). 

Day 8: A Day of Delightful Discoveries

Today I have made the most wonderful discoveries, and the most wonderful progress! I am full of wonder, like a small child discovering things for the first time. 

So lets start with the mundane: walking. Isn't it amazing how we take walking for granted? Today I have "graduated" - I am now placing full weight on my leg, and only carry the cane around for assurance in case I get a little wobbly. 

I had an appointment with my physical therapist this morning, and the focus was on gait, stride, posture and self-confidence. I am almost embarrassed to admit that fear was my biggest problem: I was afraid to put full weight on my leg, even though there were glimpses where I thought maybe it was ready. With the assurance of someone else,  trusted, and the leg did not let me down. 

A few days ago that I was doing things that I had not been able to do for weeks and months. Today I made another thrilling connection: the muscles of my upper back have been negatively affected by my knee. 

For the past 3-4 months, I have needed to sit in a chair when I practiced my flute, because my knee would get too tired standing. For the last 9 months I have been struggling to hold my shoulders back and low, the flute parallel to the floor, and neck in a elongated, but relaxed. I thought my muscles had gotten too sloppy, that I had lost muscle tone and needed to work weights to rebuild.

Today I sat in a chair, but with a valid reason! I am still at possible danger of blood lots, so need to be moving or elevating the legs. So I set up 2 chairs face to face, with my legs on one....and...SAT UP STRAIGHT EFFORTLESSLY!!!! Shoulders back, flute level, neck relaxed and up.....without even thinking about it!! 

And my TONE!!! My TECHNIQUE!!!  Absolutely ASTOUNDING!!!!

I had no idea that my knee was dragging my music down.  Feel like today I received all the results from the last 9 months of practice! Everything I have been working on clicked into place. And the very best of all....at my lesson my teacher said: "THAT'S the beautiful full tone I have been looking for...full and round, instead of thin." Music to my ears..in more ways than one.

Yes, today was delightful. 

But here's the thing: remember that old song, "Mama Said There'd be Days Like This"? Yeah. This is a high day, and MY I'm always said every high day will bring a corresponding low, be prepared for it, and you can work through. So I am going to savor today, tuck it in memory so that I can bring it out to she'd a bit of light to travel though low days that will surely come.

Onward! 

Day 7

This is the first day I have been on my own for part of the day. I am now able to put full weight on my leg, at least for a moment. I suspect that I could do it longer, except for the fear! 

Being able to go about in the house with a cane instead of crutches makes things much easier, since I can carry something in my free hand, so it's easy to fix a simple meal or get a glass of water. 

I also got in a good practice session on the flute, and for the first time since 3 weeks before surgery, was able to practice while standing (for about 10 minutes). So sweet! It was such a delight to focus on my music instead of the tiredness/weakness/pain in my knee!

My incision is healing nicely, but it is starting to feel a bit itchy. I am keeping it covered with soft gauze, even though it is "dry" and I was told that I did not have to cover it once it was dry. 

Compression stockings, I am happy to say, are not so uncomfortable as I had imagined! Too bad they don't make them beige or in colors..I am not crazy about going about with white legs. Then again, white DOES go with everything. 

I am eager for tomorrow's workout with my physical therapist. It is amazing how very hard it is to lift my leg...or bend my knee ... I am discovering muscle imbalances I never knew I had! 

Days 5 & 6

(Saturday & Sunday) Whew! Busy days!!!

So, for the past two days, I have been happily discovering a ton of little things I could not do even a week ago. I really had no idea how much I was restricted in activity! For the past two weeks, I have not been able to come down the staircase without putting all my weight on my hands and swinging from step to step, placing barely any weight on my left leg. It is truly amazing, 4/5 days after surgery, and I navigate those same stairs...baby stepping, I foot at a time....with almost no weight on my hands!

Something you might not know: I learned this from teaching step classes: going DOWN steps is one of the hardest things you can do to your knees!! That's why in most gyms, it is considered illegal to go forward off the step in a class. (Teachers still do it..why? It makes the class fun. Students encounter it in other classes and ask for it.) 

So I have known for a long time, that you can back down a staircase and it is easier on your knees. I have even done it a few times! The parking garage staircase in Old Town Pasadena where I go for my flute lessons is especially wicked. I have been backing down it for two weeks!!

Anyway, go to my 30 Day Project page for the stats--suffice it to say that every day it gets better. I am beginning to be tired of sitting and lying down. At the same time, I am just plain tired. My very wise daughter pointed out that this recuperation is the same as being pregnant. My body is working very, very hard, even if I am just sitting. 

As I write this, Monday morning, it is exactly 7 days since I got this knee. My progress is astounding and awesome. I am truly grateful that I found myself in the hands of a competent orthopedic doctor who made a correct diagnosis and offered a solution. I am grateful that I am in a position to cover my share of the expense. (Hopefully I will still feel this way as the bills start to roll in...)

GOALS FOR THIS WEEK:

1. Graduate from crutches to cane
2. Go to Old Town Music Store to have a flute lesson
3. Increase my daily walk to 1/2 mile
4. Increase the flexion in my knee as much as my therapist feels possible. 

Day Four - Friday - Physical Therapy Begins in Earnest

I am losing track of counting the days, so now I am adding a day of the week...it is hard to believe that this is only 4 days after surgery!!! Each day brings noticeable improvement. According to Sally, my Physical Therapist, that quick change continues for a couple weeks, then you hit a kind of plateau, so I am going to take advantage of feeling and enjoying every little accomplishment. 

Sally came today, and this was really our first "workout." When she was here on Wednesday, she took baseline measurements of the swelling, how long it took me to navigate a short walk, discussed my plans and goals.

I think the success of physical therapy is the same as that with a personal trainer or coach: your personality and style must match in such a way that you work as a team. Sally is perfect for me. She treats me with respect for my knowledge/experience as a trainer, and still maintains the "alpha" role.

Today's big event was our session, which to me feels like the first "real" workout. First she assessed my knee, and gave me a bit of a massage on that leg. Then we accomplished one task: lying on my back, "good" (R) leg bent and "bad" (L) leg extended. Lift L leg up 12 inches, hold, lower slowly. No sweat, right? HAH! At first I could not lift the leg by myself. but by the 5th and final lift, I did it on my own. Our discussion during this time gave me insight to how much I can do, the difference between good pain and bad in this circumstance, and other exercises I can do on my own. 

As soon as I was up on my feet I noticed that me knee felt freer movement and less stiff. I walked across the room with about 90% weight on my new knee. Sweet! I took my daily walk, and increased the distance to 440 feet. I now have 117 degrees of flexion (bending) of my knee. Getting up and down from sitting no longer requires me to slide the leg forward straight, but I bend it (slowly). Later on I walked out in the yard and had my grandson water some dry areas. Progress!!

Addendum: this blog would not be honest without a few negatives: I am getting bored with moving so slow. My leg is starting to itch, and my skin is tired of the bandages. (I have a long gauze strip, with sticky edges all around that cover the incision...2 more days of this, unless the incision is still oozing. And 4 bandages to cover the 4 stitches that will have to be removed in 10 more days. These all require daily changing.) I am awful sick of sleeping on my back. 

Day Three

I was worried that I did too much yesterday. My doctor told me I would know if I did too much by the way I felt the next day. That makes sense: As a fitness professional I often told students/clients that they would feel a workout 24 hours after it was completed. I really felt like my knee was weaker when I got up. But as the day moved along I found that was not the case.

I have started charting my daily progress in terms of distance walked outside and trips down and up our stairs. So I won't duplicate that information here, please click the 30 Day Project tab for those.

I have cut my pain pills in half, that way I don't feel light-headed and drowsy from them. I am being very careful to listen to my knee and take a pill as soon as it starts to hurt even a little bit. 

I got on the floor today!! By using a small step-stool in front of the couch, I was able to carefully lower myself down in two steps, using the same technique as a triceps dip. It was so nice to stretch my legs out on the floor. Before surgery, there was about a 2 inch gap between the back of my knee and the floor. Today it is about half of that. Sweet. I also have observed that when my knees touch, the space between my ankles is about half as much as before..an indication of how much straighter the leg is..Yay!

DISCLAIMER: I would NOT recommend that anyone should try to get to the floor this soon after surgery! I am very strong, and know my body better than most people do. I was VERY, VERY careful not to put any pressure on my knee!! But it was an important goal for me. I cannot sit flat on our bed because the "mattress" is tubes of water, and therefore not flat. And I love to sit on the floor!!

Oh, and yes, I did manage to get my flute out..only for 10 minutes, which I spent on scales.it was quite satisfying.

Days One and Two After Surgery

DAY ONE: April 16

Busy day! My surgeon saw me first thing this morning, and told me "that joint was pretty trashed, so it was ready for replacing!" The nurses removed the Foley catheter and the femoral one. My thigh was still numb for the next few hours. 

I saw the physical therapist, and walked in the hospital hallway with crutches: "Baby stepping down the hall...."   I did not need the brace, and no buckling of the knee. Then we worked through the exercises I am to do twice a day. Then later in the afternoon, a second session to be sure I could go up and down steps..(we have 5 TALL steps on our porch, then 16 the staircase to our bedroom).

The trip home was exhausting..then greeting the doggies and settling. Yummy Anderson's Split pea soup for dinner...and now to try to sleep.

DAY TWO

The first thing I noticed this morning was that I could put a little more weight on my leg. The day has been very busy, with a visit from my at-home physical therapist and the home health nurse. 

I have discovered that male nurses are really pretty terrific. I think I still had a hard time seeing men in this role which I see as nurturing...not a typically male trait. Anyway, the men who have cared for me have been wonderful. 

I am pretty tired, and very likely have been up too much during the day, so plan on an early bedtime. The highlights: a walk next door to say hi to my neighbor (I have been told to walk outside daily); the first bowel movement (kind of like being a 2-year old---"Mommy, I made poo in the potty!" --but seriously, this is an indication of the body returning to normal, and important; having a gorgeous bouquet delivered from 4 of my friends. Speaking of bouquets, my neighbor brought me the most lovely flowers cut from his garden yesterday!

My knee flexion sitting on a chair is 93% - not too bad, and swelling circumference compared to the other knee is about 1 inch. Going to spend more time resting tomorrow, to allow the swelling to go down if it will. Meanwhile, lots of flexing of the ankles throughout the day helps. The most difficult thing right now is transitioning from sitting to standing and vice versa. I have to move very slowly and help it along with my hands to support. 

All things considered, I feel 300 times better than I did on Sunday!  

Goals for Day Three

It's 5:30 am and I got up to "take care of nature" and decided I need a pain pill. I am supposed to have a bit of food on my tummy with those so I munched some nuts, and took a bit of a walk back and forth in my parlor. The walk felt good, but it's more of a limp, and there is more pressure on my hands than yesterday. I am not surprised. But I am awake...rats!

The reason I am not surprised is that I know I did not get as much horizontal time yesterday as I should have...it was really quite busy! So I have decided to set some goals for today. As long as I can't get back to sleep just now, I might as well take advantage of the time. So here we go:

1. Rest more.
2. Watch the clock and try to stick to the "2 hours down and 2 hours up" rule.
3. When I walk, try to establish an even, natural pace.
4. Get out my flute and practice my scales....even if I have to do it lying down!!
5. Go through all the exercises that were given to me at the hospital.

Other Miscellaneous 5:30 am thoughts:

• Pain Pills: I am a person who doesn't usually take the things. I have a very high threshold, so that 1-10 scale always throws me off. I don't think I have ever had pain above a 5...But this is a whole new experience, and I want to follow the guidance of the expert medical people who I have put in control of me. They tell me not to have pain, but take a pill whenever I feel any pain at all...even if it is just a "1" on the scale. Yesterday I took a pill (generic form of Norco) a half hour prior to physical therapy, and I felt it kick in--a bit light headed and floaty--not pleasant if I was going to be up and about! I think maybe they are a bit strong for me, so I asked if I could cut them in half. Answer, Yes! So now I am taking 1/2 a pill, and that seems to do the trick. Nice
• Other articles/plans for this blog: 1. Study up on how to use the "Pages" feature to make the blog more useful. 2. Start an article/post that describes the things I wish I had known prior to surgery. 3. Research some more helpful links. 4. Promote it so that people who are suffering with miserable knees can have some hope. 5. Take  some photos and post them here and/or on Facebook.
• The flute. My friends, (whom I suspect are the main readers at this time), all know about me and music. For those who don't, here's a quick connection. I also have a blog titled Flute Solo Music, and a Youtube channel of the same name. I play the flute and write music for flute. It is the window to who I am, the basis of my being. If I could put all my other responsibilities in life aside, I would spend hours daily playing, writing, listening to flute music. So up above, when I put play some scales on my goal list for today, it's because I can do that while I am lying down, so it can be a restorative activity, not an energetic one.

Moving my 30 Day Project Notes

So.  It would appear that I cannot have multiple posts under the page tab. That is going to make daily posts kind of tedious. So I will move them over to here....but probably not for a few days.

One addendum to my DAY TWO notes. I successfully took ten "normal" steps today. That means even weight shifting from leg to leg, swinging the right (non-surgery) leg forward naturally instead of sliding it up to stop next to or barely in front of the left. PROGRESS!!!!

Ready for Surgery

Today is the last day of catch-crunch-grind--of sudden gasps of intense pain followed by hours of aching. Today is the last day my knee is getting worse. Today is the last day of waiting....

How do I feel? Mostly, at peace. Relaxed. Prepared. Ready.....well, and maybe just a tiny bit nervous, which goes away with a deep breath.

My focus today is to be rested; hydrated, but not saturated; fed, but no heavy foods. I plan to spend some time today to do a personal Yoga class. 

           (It's a funny thing about me and Yoga...after teaching it two nights

           a week for 10 years, then once a week for 2 more, you would think 

           that I would continue on my own. I am such a class person, though. 

           I find it nearly impossible to do Yoga for more than 20 minutes by

           myself, but as the teacher I could easily teach a 2-hour class!)

Today I will just see that my muscles are stretched an relaxed. I will eat some potassium rich foods: potatoes and bananas....also for the muscles. I will do the last load of laundry, and put fresh, air-dried sheets on my bed. I will try to organize things...although that is not my forté, I will still try.

I will eat my main meal mid-day, probably around 1 or 2 PM, then a lighter protein-rich dinner. (Eggs, oatmeal with fruit and almonds). I will drink a glass of milk, and two glasses of water between dinner and 10 PM. I will drink one more glass of water before bed or midnight, whichever comes first. (I seldom can sleep before midnight, but will try, And I am not allowed food or water after midnight.)

I will pack two bags: one that goes to the hospital with me in the morning, and one my husband can bring to me after I am out of surgery. 

Tonight I will do an antiseptic wipe of my entire body....one of the weirdest aspects of surgery in this advanced age: the do-it-yourself pre-op preparation.

     -I have been given a packet of 6 antiseptic wipes. 

     -I will shower as normal, then wait an hour.

     -Next I open a package, wipe a spot on my forearm and wait 15 minutes      
     to see that there is no reaction.

     -After that I follow specific instructions to wipe the antiseptic over 
     (practically) every inch of my body. 

     -Then let my skin dry, get on pajamas and go to bed.

Tomorrow I rise at 4:00AM, move about a bit, maybe a few more stretches, (I may decide to take a short walk!), then off to the hospital. 

Onward! Into the future! This grand adventure takes off! 

I will be back to the computer as soon as I can, and begin posting my progress daily. Check the tab at the top of the page marked "30 Day Project" for daily updates. 

Two Days Left

Today I found out more about what will happen on Monday. I was given a time to report to the hospital - 5:30AM! Even though I am not a morning person, I am pleased. I doubt I will sleep very well the night before, and I would just as soon get up and get on with it!

I talked to the nurse and she explained the procedure:

--no food or water starting midnight the night before
--antiseptic wash the night before (details later on that one!)
--bring snacks, ID, Insurance card, not much else
--after checking in, I will see a nurse, get an IV, talk to the anesthesiologist, see my doctor...

She told me I will be having a spinal block, and that when I wake up I might not feel my legs. I had that experience before, so no worries. I will also receive a femoral catheter which deadens the thigh muscles (quads). That stays in place until the next morning, so it  will mean that I cannot get out of bed without a brace on my leg and someone to help me.

The snacks are important because she will be bringing me meds and wants me to have some food on my stomach for that. I will be having physical therapy 3 times a week at home for the first two weeks. The physical therapist will determine if I need crutches or only a cane to leave the hospital. 

This evening I felt nervous - not worried-nervous, more a feeling that I can't shut my mind off. That sent me to the piano for a bit. Even though the flute is my instrument, I dabbled on the piano for many years. My dad used to say that I always took my troubles to the keyboard, and worked them out there. So I suppose that is what I was thinking. I felt better afterward.

I spent most of today outside - puttering in the garden, straightening out the potted flowers on the front porch, washed my car (In ONE cup of water!!), watered the rose garden, and pulled a bunch of weeds. I find that being in touch with nature creates energy and strength. 

I am ready. Two days to go....

Three Days to Go

I have spent this week trying to get things ready. At this point, with just 3 days left, I realize that I am not going to get done all the things I wanted to do...more Acceptance to work on. I think, really, that I am as ready as I can be. 

Today was my last line dance class for a month, and my last Zumba Gold class for...who knows? In the line dance class I am the teacher, so a month off seemed like a good plan.

If you are interested, check out my blog with some dances I have created and video links for them: Happy Dance Line, or check out the Youtube channel: HPDNCLine.

In the Zumba class, I am a student, and I am very hopeful to be back in the class in two weeks - I may be sitting in a chair, and dancing with my upper body, but already I miss my friends, the teacher and the class!

I think that I have managed to bring this blog to the point of being current. So here's the plan: as of today, it becomes a 30-Day Project. That means that for the next 30 days, I will post something on this blog. This concept of a 30-Day Project comes from the 365 Projects, inspired by the movie "Julie and Julia." You set a goal, do it, and find a way to be accountable for doing it.

So, with the exception of the two days in the hospital (April 15 and 16), I will be posting daily what my progress is. On April 17, I will fill you in on the hospital experience.

Now, to go spend 60 seconds washing my leg with antibacterial soap, and then to bed! Tomorrow I will find out what time I have to be at the hospital---I am soooo eager!

Other Thoughts and Discoveries

This is a bit out of order, but if I am truly sharing this experience, I want to add these other thoughts onto the blog.

Worries:

It may seem odd, but I have never been worried about the surgery itself, or the outcome. What DOES worry me are the funny things: body exposure, being "semi" conscious during the procedure, knowing where to go and when to be there, what to bring to the hospital,   having a queasy tummy afterward, not being in control....silly stuff, really.

But here are the resolutions to those worries:

• Body exposure: one of my friends said: "well, you've had babies...what are you worried about?" Ah, yes. problem solved.
• Being "semi" conscious - both my doctor, and my friend who has had knee replacement by the same doctor said: "You won't remember a thing!" And the nurse at the pre-op class said: "Some people want to be aware as long as possible, others don't want to know a thing. You just tell us what you want, and we will take care of you." Nice. I am in control!
• Knowing where to go, and when - not solved, really. I am practicing acceptance - AA-style: "God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change....."
• What to bring - OK, dumb. This is in the papers I already had. No problem.
• Queasy (unsettled) tummy - Since I am not having general anesthesia, this should not be a problem. But just in case, I am stocking up on Guava Juice, Chicken soup mix, and crackers. No problem....
• Control. Yeah. Back to the Serenity prayer for this one!

Surprises:

• I got a call from the doctor's nurse the day after my tests: "You have a urinary track infection" - Really!?!? Could have fooled me! Who knew that could be asymptomatic? Off to the pharmacist for a course of antibiotics. No problem.

• Compression stockings to be worn for 3-4 weeks after surgery...yoikes! My toes, (which have some tendons that have pulled tight in the last few years, creating hammertoes), are going to be crunched! I am a barefoot girl, and most of the time I am barefoot or in sandals. I can't imagine wearing shoes all day, every day for 4 weeks! The solution: they have stockings that leave the toes free...nice. AND, if I re-hab well, and can comfortably walk a mile by week 3, I can get rid of the stockings early...YAY!!!

• For the rest of my life, I will need to take an antibiotic before any dental work. They have discovered that the bacteria that can be released into the blood stream can migrate to the replaced joint and cause infection...even 8-10 years down the road! The nice thing is it is a single dose, 1 hour before seeing the dentist. 

• The physical therapist will come to my home, 2 or 3 days a week so that I don't have to get myself transported anywhere for that. Sweet.

Six Days To Go

April 9

I start what I refer to as "the ritual washings" - Every night for the next five nights I am to wash my surgery leg, from 5 or 6 inches above to 5 or 6 inches below the knee with anti-bacterial soap.

I must discontinue using any anti-inflammatory drugs, but I can still take Tylenol if I need it. 

Sometimes my knee feels perfectly normal - and then I move just right (wrong?) and Bang! the pain rips down my leg and I gasp. Yep. This is the right way to go.

Up until now I have not been nervous, mostly excited. But it is starting to be very real to me: I am going to have SURGERY! There are no guarantees. I remember a dear Aunt who went into the hospital for a minor repair....and died....it was something that was ready to go, and she just didn't know it was there.

This is when I am glad to have faith in prayer - mine and the ones of all my friends who I know are praying for me. I let those little fears slide away and look forward to a successful surgery and quick recovery.

I have started a list to give to the physical therapist: goals that are important to me, like being able to get up and down off the floor, do Yoga, and Zumba...yeah, those are important things to me.

I am staying on top of the laundry, planning what to take to the hospital, making lists for my husband. 

I still don't know exactly what time my surgery will be. That info comes in a few more days.

And I wash....

More About The Robot, or "Why I think this is so cool"

I cannot pretend to be an authority. I only know what I have turned up here and there on the internet. I am not going to do your research for you. There are only two links I will give you, and those are under the title "Is it Time Already?" They are where I started my research.

REMEMBER: This is not intended to be a place to learn the details, but rather to share an experience.

When I got that devastating prognosis four years ago, one thing that gave me comfort was the idea that maybe in the "8-10" years there would be something better to come along.
How thrilled I am that the "something better" is already here!

Why I think this is so cool:

• The robot guides the surgeon to precise alignment, which wasn't possible before
• The incision is smaller than the usual full knee treatment, and along the side instead of over the top of the knee
• They are using sutures to close, not staples (which make such ugly bulging scars)
• The surgeon has a 3-D picture of my bones to work with
• Recovery time is pretty short, due to not using full anesthesia
• The physical therapist will come to me, so I don't have to run to appointments after my surgery
• I might never need a full replacement
• I saw a YouTube video of a Makoplasty patient, age 77, stepping up and down on a 10-12 inch stool - 3 weeks after his partial replacements...in BOTH knees!
• After choosing a surgeon, I found out he was recommended by a friend of mine
• Going to a hospital where they specialize in joint repairs is pretty cool, too

Insurance, and Waiting

By the end of February, I have emailed my questions to my doctor, he answered, and I indicated a desire to move forward. Next comes the scheduling and insanity of medical insurance.

I must say, it rather blows my mind: If I wanted to buy a new car, I would check prices, evaluate dealerships, etc. No one would expect me to walk in, select a car and sign a contract that says I will pay whatever amount my insurance won't pay--without having an idea of what that amount might be!!!!! But that is exactly what our medical insurance/system demands. You say you will pay whatever is your share of an unknown cost! But I digress: back to the knee.

So the next few weeks are involved with phone calls, pre-approvals, case managers, a certain amount of confusion....and finally we get a date set: April 15. I have to attend a pre-surgery class two weeks prior to that.

As I wait, I keep exploring the internet, and looking for videos of Makoplasty. The more I see, the more I like. I love the idea that this MAY mean I will never need the full knee replacement that was originally projected. There are no guarantees...if my body continues to tear up the cartilage in the other side of the knee, I may still need full replacement. But in the meanwhile, I get to have better use of my knees!

I have never had surgery, and had NO idea of all the stuff to do! I really like that my surgery is being done at a Joint Center. They set up all the appointments, tests, education for one day.

Two weeks to go: The Pre-Surgery Class Day
I met with my surgeon, saw an internal medicine doctor, had x-rays, a CT scan, blood tests, urinalysis, nose swab, EKG, and my heart and lungs were listened to. I spent two hours in a pre-surgery class where they covered all the things I can/cannot do in the next two weeks, and all that I need to do.

Who knew there was so much involved?

The biggest surprise was that I have to discontinue all my herbs, and most of my vitamins. I find out I can't see a dentist for 3 months...YIKES! I am due for cleaning...but I was able to get in the next day and they said that would be fine. Whew! Onward I go.

Is it Time, Already?

About 6 months ago my knee got suddenly worse. I don't suppose it was truly sudden, but rather that it crossed a threshold. The deterioration in these last months has been a bit frightening, and has disrupted my life, and caused me to restrict activities.

In January, I went back to my orthopedist whom I saw 4 years ago, asking what was going on. Long story short: not impressed with his diagnosis and discovered his specialty focus is not what I need now. (I hadn't realized until this appointment that he HAD a specialty focus!

Middle of February:  I went after a second opinion. My new doctor listened to my story, looked at my x-rays and said the words I didn't expect to hear: "You're There." He then asked me if I had heard of "Partial" knee replacement..."hmmm, no?"

So here's the thing. My knee is only bad on one side. That makes me a good candidate. AND he uses a fabulous tool: a robot that assists and makes it possible to get a nearly perfect alignment. It's called MakoPlasty and I am totally excited about it!

The surgery plan goes like this: 
1. Surgery on Monday morning
2. Physical Therapy on Monday afternoon
3. Walking, stairs, in/out of bed, in/out of a chair by Tuesday
4. Home Tuesday afternoon
5. Back to "normal" in 30-60 days. (As we age, our knees are never really "normal.")

Wow.

I can live with that!!

So I say, "what do we do now?" and my doctor (I love this!) responds: "Go home and do your homework, study on the internet, and start with these two sites: Makoplasty.com and American Association of Orthopedic Surgeons. Then email me with any questions you have. 75% of what you find is going to be accurate. Be cautious of personal stories." (Like this blog...so if you are researching, DON'T JUST READ THIS BLOG AND OTHER STORIES - GO TO THE PROFESSIONAL SOURCES

It did not take me long to decide that this is the path I want to take. So we moved forward.

Why I am writing this blog, & The History

Why I am writing this blog:

Thanks for reading! You will see from my profile that I am a flutist. This is my current focus in life. However, I have spent the last 15 years in the Fitness Industry as a Group Exercise Instructor and a Personal Trainer. I have always been big on proper alignment and safe workouts, and according to my doctor, it is a good thing, because I probably would have reached joint replacement much sooner.

So now I am on a grand new journey in my sixtieth decade of life. Being a part of the computer age means I have been doing internet research to help my journey. I have found that there are not a lot of personal stories out there, so it occurred to me that mine might be of interest and help to others.  --January, 2013


The History:

Four years ago I went to an orthopedist for the first time, to see why my knee was achy and getting out of alignment. I wasn't thrilled to hear the answer: arthritis....well, actually arthrosis. Arthrosis is the deterioration of cartilage...which leads to deterioration of the bone, and causes inflammation, or arthritis. 

The doctor couldn't tell me if the bones moved, and started grinding away the cartilage, or if the cartilage started to dry up and then the bones moved. I asked him if genetics had anything to do with it. Yes, and most likely that is the cause in my case.

His prognosis: 8-10 years of pain management and then full knee replacement. Ugh. Devastated. Not thrilled at the idea of steadily increasing pain. Then angry, it's not fair! I have taken good care of myself! I am a fitness professional! I do the right things, work out safely, eat well - no fair! Finally, acceptance..after all, I thought, I am almost 60, and in 10 years I will be almost in 70!

He told me to do whatever I want, as long as it doesn't hurt, and live life. So I have, until about 6 months ago, when my knee began to catch, lock, grind, and cause pain that has limited my life. I still do most of what I want to, but slower, and more painfully.