Under the knife again

[Zedrek]

Oh good you made it. I was getting ready to come over and peruse your gun collection. I guess I'll hold off now.

[Hoopty]

Retired,
I pull the plug in August but will do the drop program for an additional 5 years. A couple of years ago I got hit while riding to work (work comp).the collision decapitated my left knee and put my femur bone back through my pelvis. Long story short, my knee has never recovered. I'm scheduled for a full knee replacement in may. My cartilage is gone in the left knee which as you know tears up everything inside.

I will let you know how it turns out. My Doc told me he can get me back on the bike in 4 months.. We shall see.. You and I need to sit down over a cup of joe.. Talk about guns and surgeries.. I hope your healing goes well..

I might have you beat in the surgeries department.. All work related
Pelvis surgery (1 month in hospital. Got MRSA after day 4 nasty stuff)
Knee surgeries x3. 2r 1l
Back surgery L2L3
Cancer surgery
Elbow Surgeries x3
Shoulder surgeries x3

[Falconis]

what if we attach a gun mount to it with a recording of flight of the Valkyries and the thump thump thump of a helicopter in the background?

[five.five-six]

Thanks for all of the well wishes, tho I was actually hoping for guns, ammo and cash.

You won't get any guns ammo or cash out of me, but you did gert my prayres. I am glad your are on the mend..


Just one thing:

"don't ban me bro"

[retired]

Oh good you made it. I was getting ready to come over and peruse your gun collection. I guess I'll hold off now.

You would have had to get by the alarm (it's set up so they call leo no matter what), the dog and something secret. Also, since I'm now home, holding off is probably a good idea.

Hoopty, you have me beat in the number of surgeries and areas done, but I've had 4 on the left that are work related and there is no cartilage. 3 back fusions and one failed hardware removal. Fused from T12 to S1. Cancelled a planned 3 level cervical fusion in 2011, due to being scared and tired of the pain.

As far as getting together, that sounds good. It will have to wait a bit until I can walk without my walker and can drive again. Pm me.

what if we attach a gun mount to it with a recording of flight of the Valkyries and the thump thump thump of a helicopter in the background?

Falconis, is we are going to do one, why not have another on the left knee for dual action symmetry.

You won't get any guns ammo or cash out of me, but you did gert my prayres. I am glad your are on the mend..


Just one thing:

"don't ban me bro"

five.five-six, thanks for the prayers and so far, nothing to ban you for.......yet.

[BushcraftToday]

Sorry things are not as planned. I will be hoping things get better for you.
Back started out as a Lami, was great for 15yrs, then gave out. This time no disc left after 2nd surgery, so 3rd was a fusion (lower back). Arm was broke as a child and set crooked, it was starting to get arthritic and numb, so they cut and twisted the bone. Put in a plate w/4 screws, did a carpel release, and some strange thing with a tendon wrapping it around and through the bone. Prob is , it healed 1/2 way and stopped, so now I have a "Bone Growth Stimulator". To get it going again. Pain was unreal for first 2 months. Now it is therapy that hurts. I just hope to gain some mobility back.
Happy Easter all!!


Sent from my Tactical Communication Device.

[Jack L]

Thanks for all of the well wishes, tho I was actually hoping for guns, ammo and cash.

I was hoping it would be a meniscus tear and the doc would just be able to repair it. Unfortunately, what he found couldn't be further from that. The cartilage on one side of my right knee is gone and the other side is shredded and barely there. Basically, bone on bone, just like my left knee. He cleaned it out, but said I will eventually need a knee replacement. Not what I was hoping to hear. I've been able to hold off on a replacement for the left knee for a number of years and I intend to do the same for the right one. My wife has had both done and then a revision to the second one due to a defective poly part that fell apart. I don't want to go thru what she has.

The 4 surgeries on the left knee were due to my le work. This was probably a combo of that and my age since I will be retired 10yrs. on the 31st and will be 63 in April. The left knee surgeries and back surgeries probably had me put extra stress on the right one, but that's life right.

I'm getting around with a walker, tho they had given me crutches. I was trying to sit in my recliner when I first returned home and got twisted up with the crutches and fell to the floor. I had the presence of mind to lift my leg, so it didn't touch the floor. Scared the crap out of my wife tho. I'm using her walker from her multiple knee replacements.

TRICKSTER, with the staple in my left knee, the hardware and neurostimulator implant in my back, I think I have already started down that path. I wish it wasn't so painful tho.

BushcraftToday, I'm with Ubermcoupe, what is the back story on that. That doesn't look like carpal tunnel surgery.

Falconis, maybe it's pride, but I will resist using a scooter as long as I can.

Thanks Ron. I knew you'd be there friend.

Doheny, you have forgotten; I'm retired, so I already had the time.

Thanks again everyone for the well wishes. Well, I am going back to the recliner to elevate and ice the knee.

[retired]

Thanks Jack L, I will ask my doc about it. The synvisc injections (synthetic cartilage) in my left knee failed, but I will ask about your doc's procedure.

ETA: Is the procedure he used called knee microfracture surgery. From googling it, that sounds like the description you gave. If not, are you able to ascertain what it is called. I see my doc on 4-3 and I will ask him about it.

[cindynles]

Retired,

If you're still a member at Rainbow shoot me a PM when you can go shooting again. I'll donate a box of ammo and you can help me break in my new Beretta M9A1 (no treadmill reqired ).

[Ron-Solo]

Whatever you do, don't let them try Carticel. I had that in 2002. They take a small piece of cartiledge and use it to grow new cartiledge in a gel state. Then they implant it like a filling in a tooth. Zero weight bearing for 6-8 weeks, where you lose all muscle tone in your leg. A year of physical therapy 3 times a week and I was never close to being 80%. Some days I can barely walk. Now, the patches are crumbling and breaking loose. A chip broke off two years ago and locked my knee up tight. They had to go in and dig it out, plus repair where it tore what little meniscus I have left. That was surgery #4 on that knee. Going to need #5 here soon.

Hang tough. My wife had a total knee replacement and her knee works great now, but she had some nerve damage and has constant foot pain as a result.

[retired]

cannon, I have negative buoyancy (sink to the bottom, don't float), so I have to work harder just to stay on top of the water. Also, I end up arching my back as a result, which causes back pain due to my numerous surgeries (fused from T12 down). I'll have to stick to the water PT.

Besides walking, I do a therapy program that I did during back therapy. It involves numerous exercises, including water resistant ones with paddles.

cindynles, I just renewed the day of the surgery, but it will obviously be awhile before I shoot there. I'll send you a pm then. Thanks for the offer.

Ron, thanks for the info.

Once I'm able, I will also make an appt. to see Dr. Yokum from Kerlan/Jobe. He is the Mighty Ducks and Angels doc and did my last knee surgery. I'll ask him about the microfracture surgery and stem cell cartilage therapy for the left leg. The surgeries to my left knee were all work related.

[llamatrnr]

I have a few years on you, retired, and have a dozen or more friends who've had knee replacements; nothing but good things said by all, fwiw.

[Jack L]

Thanks Jack L, I will ask my doc about it. The synvisc injections (synthetic cartilage) in my left knee failed, but I will ask about your doc's procedure.

ETA: Is the procedure he used called knee microfracture surgery. From googling it, that sounds like the description you gave. If not, are you able to ascertain what it is called. I see my doc on 4-3 and I will ask him about it.

Retired,

Email sent.

Dr. Sean Devine for anyone else wondering about this procedure.

http://www.centralcoastortho.com/phys5.html

[cindynles]

cannon, I have negative buoyancy (sink to the bottom, don't float), so I have to work harder just to stay on top of the water. Also, I end up arching my back as a result, which causes back pain due to my numerous surgeries (fused from T12 down). I'll have to stick to the water PT.

Besides walking, I do a therapy program that I did during back therapy. It involves numerous exercises, including water resistant ones with paddles.

cindynles, I just renewed the day of the surgery, but it will obviously be awhile before I shoot there. I'll send you a pm then. Thanks for the offer.

Ron, thanks for the info.

Once I'm able, I will also make an appt. to see Dr. Yokum from Kerlan/Jobe. He is the Mighty Ducks and Angels doc and did my last knee surgery. I'll ask him about the microfracture surgery and stem cell cartilage therapy for the left leg. The surgeries to my left knee were all work related.

Dr Jobe did surgery on my wife's shoulder (fixed what the 1st guy made worse). He is one of the best.

[retired]

I have a few years on you, retired, and have a dozen or more friends who've had knee replacements; nothing but good things said by all, fwiw.

Thanks. My wife had two. The first one was a little over 10yrs. ago and has never been a problem. She had the second one done a few years later and she was in pain for 6yrs. Same company, same device. Arthroscopies showed nothing. Finally, after 6yrs. of living in severe pain, the problem finally showed up during her last arthoscopic surgery. The poly or plastic part, was falling apart. There were microscopic particles that were irritating her and causing the pain. The doc thought all he would have to do is replace the poly part, but a total revision was necessary as the particles had softened the bone.

They drilled holes in both the tibia and femur and pounded in titanium rods. She still has pain. I don't want to go thru that.

My wife said it was the first time in 20yrs. of being a phsyical therapist that she had seen anyone having that kind of problem. Her doc said the same thing in his 21yrs. of doing knee replacements. I know my luck.

ETA: Saw the doc today and found out that nothing I found on the net (micro fracture surgery, stem cell cartilage, etc.) will work for me due to the amount of damage. Knee replacement is the only alternative, but the doc did say I only need to do that if I get to the point where I can't walk. Hopefully that is never.