Wednesday Wanderings
A few weeks ago, I mentioned my troublesome knees. I saw my doctor in mid-December, and he recommended a referral to orthopedics and offered me a steroid injection to tide me over. I gratefully accepted the steroid injection.
My doctor said orthopedics would probably want to fix the problem, and I asked him what he meant by that. He replied, “Total knee replacement.” We discussed whether I wanted to use the VA or my primary clinic. I decided to start with the VA, and if I’m not comfortable with what I find at the VA, I’ll seek a referral from my doctor to our clinic’s orthopedist.
I knew the steroid injection was working when I realized I was noticing pain in my right knee as I walked out of the clinic. That same day, I stopped at the VA and made an appointment with my provider there to seek a referral to orthopedics. I had that appointment on Monday.
The good news is I’m signed up for physical therapy. The less than good news is I am unlikely to meet the criteria for the VA to perform the procedure no matter how bad my knees are. The radiology technician said it looked like my knees hurt a lot (it’s not the first time I’ve heard that after people have looked at x-rays of my knees). I’m not old enough, and my weight is an issue. My provider indicated these factors are less stringent on the civilian side of medicine. I haven’t heard a definitive no, but once I do, I’ll talk to my doctor about the referral to the civilian orthopedist to see what he/she says.
I’m not anxious to rush into a knee replacement, but I’m concerned the state of my knees is beginning to cause problems in other joints, especially my right hip. I’m also unable to walk extended distances on a regular basis without significant pain. It definitely limits my mobility, which makes it difficult to get enough exercise to assist with weight loss efforts. I’m looking forward to the conversation, assuming I find someone willing to have it.
On the civilian side, you should be able to find an orthopedic doctor who wants to do it. They are much quicker to recommend them now than they used to. Good luck with all of it. I’m waiting as long as I can to have them.
Jean–
When I got hurt, the only knee replacements were cadaver knees. A surgeon took a few swipes at patching my legs together, some of the swipes being rather extreme. I didn’t recover from the last effort. Of course, now I’m way too fat to consider knee replacement. Being crippled is about the most fattening thing you can do, and I recommend against it.
What I’m saying is that, if the doctors tell you the replacement will help you, you should try your best to get the replacement. Most of the people I’ve known who had that surgery are happy with it, eventually. And do get busy with physical therapy, with a good therapist. People with ranches and Victorian mansions don’t need to be in wheelchairs!
Best wishes, Jean! I’m pulling for you.
I can understand the argument to some extent; however, if the replacement will allow me more mobility, I think it’s worth considering. I’m trying to think how limited my mobility has become over the last year, and it’s been one of those creeping things you don’t really notice, because it’s a deciding not to do this thing this time, and a little later, well, I won’t do that. And eventually, you can’t move.
As early as this past year, I used to be able to carry two laundry baskets at once up or down the stairs. Now, I can barely carry one.
For some time, I’ve been taking the stairs “toddler” style, but even that has become challenging.
I keep thinking of my paternal grandmother who spent a lot of time during the last twenty years of her life sitting in a chair because it was too painful to move. Sure, she’d had two knee replacements, but I think the last one came too late to do her any good. Perhaps the first one was when they were less effective.
I have things to do sitting in a chair, but I have so many other things to do not sitting in a chair. There’s the ranch, the yard, the stairs, scaffolding to climb, and walking to do. And I would hope getting up and down to the floor to chase cats out from under beds will be easier. I plan to talk with my dad in March for a realistic assessment of what will be feasible post surgery. I don’t want to run a marathon again, but I might like to be able to walk one.