9 days to go!

I have done all my pre-op tests: CT scan, chest x-Ray, knee x-Ray, blood, urine, EKG, nose swab (to check for MRSA?), blood pressure, surgery class. I didn't have to attend the class, since I was here 6 months ago, but I chose to do so, and I am glad I did!

I am trying to focus and tying up the last-minute details so that a week from now I will be approaching surgery day relaxed, rested and calm. But the next three days are going to be busy: I am playing my flute in church today, have an annual recital tomorrow, and the next day a trip down to San Diego to spend a day and a half with mom (130 miles one way).

I am still recovering my diet after having a tooth removed. So I am taking special care to choose wise food choices. I am also hoping the scale will show another milestone of weight loss--meaning 1 more pound down. (I have only managed to drop 2 1/2 pounds in the last 4 months--grrrr!) I wanted that to be a much bigger number, but my body is really resisting!! Hopefully as this knee gets strong, I will be able to exercise more effectively, both aerobic and weight/resistance programs. 

Countdown to knee number two: 10 days to go

Here we go again! The same as last time, I am eager, excited, and a little unsure. Eager and excited because it means the pain goes away, and my leg can become as strong and solid as the other one. Unsure, because naturally, as soon as the decision was made it stopped hurting as much! Forntuately, it hurts just often enough to remind me that yes, it is a good decision. Also, it has given away more than once, and it's my driving leg. So repair is necessary for the safety of others when I drive.

My preparations are moving forward:

• There are sewing projects ready to go, with all the supplies (thread, needles, etc) in a lttle box in the living room where I will spend my days. 
• I have a small box with gauze, band aids, povidone-iodine and pain pills tucked under the end table by the couch--ready for the daily bandaid change.
• I set up an electric tea kettle which will make it possible to brew a cup of tea, or make a cup of coffee without having to carry it from the kitchen. I am going to leave the fixings in the kitchen, because it is good to get up and move about. (For the first few days, I will be using crutches, so carrying hot water would be a bad thing.)
• I have moved my computer downstairs to a table in the dining room. Last time I found sitting at my desk very exhausting, because I could not prop my leg up. I think I remember it was that way for 2-3 weeks before.
• I have a box where I am collecting the things that will go into a bag for my husband to bring to me after my surgery is done and I am settled in my hospital room.

It seems there should be more, but that where it is at the moment.

Onward I go!!!

Surgery and the Dentist

If you have never had joint replacement surgery you may not know the connection between surgery and your dentist. I knew, and still messed up! 

Here's the deal: bacteria from your mouth is your enemy for the rest of your life! It has been discovered, that even as much as 10 years after a joint replacement, a visit to the dentist to have your teeth cleaned can release bacteria into your blood stream, which wanders around your body and attaches itself to your replaced joint causing major problems. To combat this, you will take antibiotics before every dental visit.

This is also why you cannot have dental work done starting 2 weeks before your surgery, and up to 3 months after. 

My advice:

If you can, go get your teeth cleaned at least 1 month prior to the surgery, and make sure to take x-rays! That way if you need any work done, there is time to recover before you get your new joint.

My (miserable) experience:

I had my usual appointment, they took x-rays, and discovered a cavity which looked bad enough that the dentist was concerned there could even be abcess under the crown. And guess what day I sat in her chair and heard this....Two weeks and 3 days before my surgery date!

Long story short, I spent a miserable weekend in fear that this would delay my surgery. At this moment everything is still on track (10 days to go!). I had a rushed appointment to see first my dentist for thorough evaluation, and then a surgeon for extraction. Now I am weak and worn out from not being able to eat much for 3 days. 

So, take my advice, and get that dental work early done if at all possible!

And here we go again….!

Now that my left knee is so fabulous, my focus shifts to the right knee. It has also been in a state of deterioration for a number of years, just not quite as bad. I was told 6 years ago that I was looking at steady deterioration in both knees, with 8-10 years of pain management and then full knee replacement. So I am not surprised to be back doing this again.

My left knee was fully collapsed on the lateral (outer) side. The right one is 80% collapsed on the medial (inner) side. So you may be wondering why I don't wait to fix it? Simple: it hurts ALL the time! It is different from the other leg, but the pain is enough to keep me from sleeping, and inhibits my activities. The biggest reason though is this: I don't want to be the cause of an accident where someone (as well as myself) gets hurt. The right leg is the braking leg, and there are times when the pain in the knee makes me feel like I need to pull my foot off the brake. Not good.

So, the Monday before Thanksgiving, I will once again undergo MakoPlasty repair of the medial side of my right knee. How do I feel? Excited, mostly. The nice thing about this is that I remember a lot of the first experience. I will be better prepared. Already I have set up a medium sized storage box with bandaids, povidone-iodine, Q-tips, gauze pads. I also washed my TED stockings and tucked them into the box. It is stashed under the end table by the couch where I will spend my days. I have an electric tea kettle which will sit on the end table, and a small cooler so I can have my husband put bottles of cold water and juice in it at the beginning of the day. 

Tomorrow I will assemble the shower chair, and set up the bathroom. I know where my crutches and canes are. I have a quilt I have been working on all pinned so that I can work on it on my lap and not need to sit on the floor to work on it. The needles, thread and everything needed to work on it are in a little box. I have some crochet work that needs repairs, and that is being collected in a box. I have a few books I have been wanting to read tucked next to the couch.

I pulled out my list of exercises, and have reviewed them. I am also working at building up my glutes, hamstrings, and quads in preparation.

So onward I go. I will continue to post my progress here. Hopefully there won't be any more surprises, and no infection to set back my recovery this time. 

My knee is 6 months old!

Time to celebrate!! 🎉🎈🎉

I am so happy with my knee! It feels wonderful, and I am now doing (almost) everything I want to. At times when I am walking along, I suddenly become aware of how incredibly strong it feels, and then I giggle to myself. 

The only thing I am not (yet--I hope!) able to do is to crawl on hands and knees. This may not be a big deal to most people, but I really want to be able to do certain Yoga positions, like cat/dog sequence, which require hands and knees positions. Now, to be honest, I have not worked at it in a controlled progressive way. It's more a matter of occasionally putting myself in that position, with no weight on my left knee, then gradually allowing a bit of pressure. I do this ONLY on a cushioned firm surface (good carpet and pad). 

Happy, happy me! This surgery has given me a new life. What an awesome thing.

Four Months - Stairs!!

I know I said I probably would not make another post before my 6 month mark, but something truly exciting happened a few days ago...I ran up the staircase in our house! I didn't even think about it, I simply hopped up the steps. When I got to the top I giggled out of delight. My husband's voice came out of his office and he asked what was so funny. For the next two days I giggled every time I ran up the stairs. Then, going to my flute lesson, I noticed that I could climb the staircase in the parking garage for the first time without pulling on the handrail. (Going down is still a bit uncomfortable.)

How long has it been? I can't quite remember the last time I could do this...probably 10 months, at least. This "new" knee has given me so many gifts, and running upstairs is just the latest delight. I also tried grocery shopping for the first time...success. 

My doctor had told me to not try to kneel on my knee until I hit the 3 month mark, so after the point I have gradually let my knee take a bit of pressure on hands and knees. I have really missed being able to do this Yoga posture -- Cat/Dog is so good for your back. I can now take about 75% weight on my knee. 

Last month our local pool offered free water aerobics two days a week. Being in the water felt so wonderful, and I truly believe those classes helped my knee gain even more flexibility and strength. It also seemed to help the scar improve in appearance. (I always put sunscreen on it when I am going to be outside with it uncovered.)

So onward and upward. I am so grateful to have been able to go through this process. I didn't expect it to take so long to recover, but I have to say, it is well worth it!!

Three Months post-surgery

I am still making little, delightful discoveries about my "new" knee. The other day I was at a cafeteria-style restaurant where you carry your food on a tray to find a table. It was quite busy, and as I backed away from the counter with a tray full of drinks, twice I had to stop suddenly and back up a bit because another customer backed up in front of me. No big deal, right? Right. Here's the big deal: I executed this simple little move without any sensation of loss of stability. It was so totally cool!!

There's more:

• I can carry a bag of groceries without feeling pain in my leg and knee.
• I am teaching a Zumba Gold class for the summer...no pain, no sensation of weakness in my leg.
• The numbness on the other side of the incision is almost gone, so it feels almost normal when I brush my hand over it.
• A shopping trip to the garment district in LA was no big deal...walking several blocks, and in and out of fabric stores.
• My music is still delighting me...I can stand with such solidness and confidence. It is a thrill to feel so secure while I play, and frees my mind to focus on tone, air-flow, finger movements. So special and sweet.
• And finally, my other leg is not hurting so much. I hope that means it is getting a much-needed rest!

Now, here are the other realities that are not-so-nice, and which, in comparison to the positives, relatively unimportant.

• I still have a sense of discomfort in the scar itself. It sometimes feels tight and "pulls" when I bend my knee.
• Often it feels "itchy" - but I don't want to scratch it, so I rub it with the palm of my hand.
• Clothing over the scar is still sometimes annoying, but much improved.
• I am not yet putting weight on my knee in a hands-and-knees position. My doctor told me to not try that until now, but I know it is still quite sensitive. This limits my Yoga practice, so I hope to conquer it by the time I make a 6-month update.
• The scare above my knee where one of the stitches didn't heal nicely is ugly. It looks like a scab with skin over the top of it. 
• My leg still tires and needs rest and elevation in the evenings.
• I can no longer sit with my legs crossed--either way! This is probably a good thing in the long run, but it is very uncomfortable right now. My hips are just not comfy with both legs down...so I am in love with my exercise ball which I use as a footstool!
• I get quite exhausted if I sit for more than 1 hour at a time - so going out to a play, or a longer meeting is uncomfortable, and likely to make me more tired the next day.

So, this is what 3 months after partial knee replacement is like. If I did not have the experience as a personal trainer, I would still need the help of a good physical therapist. As it is, I only had the 3 weeks of in-home therapy, and there isn't a lot that can be done while the joint is still swollen and stiff. (Although the therapy I received was much needed!)

I need to be focused on specific strength and stretches on a daily basis. (I don't always manage this.) I am not quite 100% back to normal, and yet I am doing pretty much anything I want to do. And that is pretty good, indeed. 

I am so grateful to the doctor, the nurses, assistants and hospital personnel. This has been a truly rewarding experience.