Knee replacement booked

Warrigal

Warrigal

SF VIP
Location
Sydney, Australia
The date for my knee operation is now fixed - 23 November.

I will have a few loose ends to tidy up first - a special leg scan today to determine the correct prosthesis to use.
I'm booked in for a strengthening program pre op at the rehab hospital that I intend to use post op.
Blood tests for everything, a lung scan and a visit to the cardiologist. I also have a dental and optometrist appointment.
I'm going to be busy.
 

Wow, Warrigal, that's a big step for you. Both my brothers have had them (my older brother had two a year or so ago) and are quite happy with the results. I'm sure you will be too! Sounds like you have enough to keep you busy till then. It's good there are spare parts available, a lot of us will be needing some eventually. Wishing you success with the surgery!
 
I wish you all the best and a speedy recovery. I know so many who have had knee replacements and all were glad they had them. I'll need new ones down the line also.
 

I hope your surgery and recovery go smoothly. I'll be following your progress as my son will be needing knee replacement in the near future. He had a severe staph infection in his knee when he was five that has caused gradual degeneration of the entire joint over the years.
 
Good luck with the operation Warrigal, hope it's successful and you have a quick and complete recovery.
 
Busy morning.

The orthopedic staff have organised an appointment with the cardiologist on Friday so this morning I had a chest Xray and a battery of blood tests . Everything from HIV to Golden Staph and all stations in between.

I'm booked in for a strengthening program two days a week from next Tuesday until the operation. This will involve hydrotherapy in a warm pool and gentle exercise in the gym, supervised by physiotherapists and the doctors at the rehab hospital that I am booked into after I come out of hospital.

I also had a knee scan this morning to help the surgeon select the correct prosthesis for me. I thought this would be a doddle but I was wrong. I had to keep my leg still, but the positioning - dead straight with the toes curled back - was very painful. Worse still, they had to interrupt the first scan because I wasn't positioned properly on the table. I had to employ visualisation to stick it out to the end. The pain became a block of ice melting away in the sun. It helped get my mind off the discomfort.
 
I'm sure that was painful and uncomfortable Warri, just holding a position like that would have me cramping. It's very important though that the positioning is perfect. A man I used to see at work had his knee replacement put in at a wrong angle. He was in terrible pain until he couldn't take it anymore and went back into the hospital to have the replacement removed and put back in. We didn't see him after that, and everyone assumed he decided to retire.
 
Warri - Hope all goes well. Are you having one done now and the other at some future time? Or is just one needing replaced? Or should I just mind my own business? :)
 
No problem Hoot. I'm happy to share my joint replacement journey.

Last year in August I had a hip replacement and it was great. Pain gone and able to move about again.
I felt as if 10 years had been deducted from my age.

However, it appears that I am wearing out (osteoarthritis) fairly evenly in a number of joints all at once. The surgeon said that he would do both knees together if I wanted but I'm going for one at a time.

If the right knee is successful and the left one isn't too troublesome for a while I will have shoulder surgery next year and put the left knee on hold.

Hubby and I have kept up our private insurance for the very reason that you can get into a hospital almost immediately for elective surgery. The public hospital waiting lists are uncomfortably long.

Today the account for this visit/consultation was $140 but I was immediately rebated $72 from the health fund. The office staff put it straight through electronically. The rehab treatment before and after surgery will be fully covered and so will the private hospital. All of the scans etc I had today were bulk billed on Medicare (our universal health care system). The surgeon is charging $4,512 and there will be rebates from Medicare and the health fund leaving a gap of $2,930. On top of that the anaesthetist will charge a fee but mostly this is covered by bulk billing. We haven't seen an anaesthetist bill for a long time.
 
My father had both of his knees replaced. The whole thing turned out very well. I hope it all goes very smoothly and as pain free as possible for you Warri
 
Warrigal, you're going to be the Bionic Woman when all the replacements are done! :D I hope your recovery is quick. It sounds like you have some very good rehab programs going for you. Your insurance sounds good too. I think that in the U.S. It would be a lot more expensive.
 
I can totally understand doing one at a time. Knee replacements have come a long way and from what I hear, the recovery time isn't bad at all now. Hope it all goes very smoothly for you and that you're up and enjoying the comfort very soon after.
 
Best of luck through the surgery and rehabilitation. I had my left knee replaced in '09. My only regret is not having the other done at the same time. But, the "natural" one isn't really giving me that much trouble.

The best advice is to stay with the rehab. Too many folks try to "cheat" since the rehab can be more painful than the old knee was... until you get all the atrophied muscles worked back into shape. They gave me a couple different pain pills, but I never needed them.

One of the many things we have seen in our lifetime is the miracle of modern medical technology. One of the wife's cousins had quadruple bypass last week. One day in ICU and he's home. My knee was replaced at 4 o'clock one afternoon and I was sent home at 5 p.m. the next day. It is amazing what can be fixed/repaired/replaced and how quickly we recover, thanks to technology.

Keep us posted on how yours goes. If you need some "positive cheerleading"... we promise to do what we can to lift your spirits!!!!
 
Thanks Grumpy. I will be taking the lap top with me and I will certainly continue to post. You will hear all about my adventure.

I do agree with you that we live in marvellous times with regard to medical technology. The joint replacement operations will not prolong my life but they will certainly give me a better quality of life for my days ahead. I am very grateful for this opportunity.
 
Good for you Warrigal. Looking forward to the play-by-play. :)


Grumpy Ol' Man said:
...The best advice is to stay with the rehab. Too many folks try to "cheat" ....
Click to expand...

Now hold on just a minute, GO-Man. Aren't you the one in the dentist thread that went on and on about all the cheating you did???
:lol:
 
Warrigal said:
The date for my knee operation is now fixed - 23 November.

I will have a few loose ends to tidy up first - a special leg scan today to determine the correct prosthesis to use.
I'm booked in for a strengthening program pre op at the rehab hospital that I intend to use post op.
Blood tests for everything, a lung scan and a visit to the cardiologist. I also have a dental and optometrist appointment.
I'm going to be busy.
Click to expand...

Hope it all goes well Warrigal :concern:
 
Thanks everyone for the well wishes.

Today I had an appointment with the cardiologist. Was weighed, had BP taken (125 over 80) and an ultrasound. I was excused the treadmill stress test because of my knee. Chest Xray and blood tests were normal so he has approved me for surgery and said come back in 12 months. He recommended a change in my cholesterol medication.


The visit was entirely covered by bulk billing and I didn't have to pay one dollar.
 
Waragal ,you have certainly had a good check up ,hope all go's well ..I know several people who Dance who have had their knees replaced ,they don't appear to have any trouble dancing after
:bestwish:
 
Does this procedure include cutting the quadriceps tendon?

Work hard on the pre op therapy. If they are going to cut the quadriceps tendon flexibility will be a big issue along with much needed strength of the muscles and ligaments around the knee to stabilize the joint. Strength comes quicker than flexibility. Tendons are the hardest tissue in the body, if they have to cut them when re attached the scar tissue will impede flexibility.

GOOD LUCK
 
Hope he goes well, Warrigal. I won't be surprised to need a similar operation in a few years. I know I'm missing cartilage in the right knee and stairs can be a challenge. Wherever we end up one day, the house will be on one level.
 
I have a friend who had one last year and she is very happy with it. I wish you all the best!
 

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