Beast belly, chapter the second

As luck would have it, today is a crash-house day for me as well. Checked in at 9 yesterday morning, and had a total knee replacement at noon (right knee, my kick drum side).

I’ve been bone-on-bone in both knees for well over a decade, and I decided that I’m too young to put up with the pain for any longer. I’ve spent the last couple of months doing pre-PT (stretching and putting in miles on the stationary bike) since the fire. Woke up after surgery, was given a Tylenol and a couple of Oxys, and then walked a lap of the floor with the PT person. Probably about 800 yards. Seriously. It’ a *big* building.

Coulda knocked me over with a feather.

Having had this knee carved on several times in the past, I know that the next couple of weeks are going to be painful and difficult. But never did I figure that I’d have 95 degrees of flexion and be within 3 degrees of full extension only 2 hours after the whittling session. My plan was to bust ass and get those results after the first 2 weeks… New goal is to make sure that I don’t lose anything, and try to get as much as I can in the first two.

Modern medicine is a racket, and the insurers and hospital admins are some serious lowlifes. However, and this a big, big however, there really are some good practitioners out there- I’d even call the outcome downright miraculous. It nearly restores my faith in (some of) humanity, and in human-focused technology…

Anyway, I’m a happy camper tonight, and I surely didn’t expect to be. Your mileage may vary- and everybody be safe out there!

Share
up
17 users have voted.

Comments

I had a very close pal almost die from the surgery! Years later, he still has shit for a knee! I am thrilled for you! Hope the pain is not going to be intense, or long lived, friend!

up
8 users have voted.

"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

usefewersyllables's picture

@on the cusp

Got through the day-3-soreness okay. The third day is when all the last traces of anaesthesia from the nerve blocks and spinal block leave your system, and all the wiring turns back on. It was intense for a little while, but is very manageable now. Did the first session of PT right at the peak of the third-day-thing (what the hell- guess I might as well go for the full Monty!). That went fine, so I know that it just gets better from here. I’m sitting here enjoying a day off from work with a cat in my lap right now, and the little ice machine circulating ice water through a sleeve around my knee.

And that reminds me of a shout-out I need to give. A bunch of the durable medical equipment I’m using (ice circulator, walker, shower seat) came as loan/donationware from a charitable organization here: the South Metro Medical Equipment Loan Closet. This group maintains a sizable inventory of the items and distributes them to those who need them on a temporary basis. I made a donation to them, but they do not require it to provide services.

I’ll certainly donate to them again- they have saved me a huge amount of hassle and expense here. There is probably something similar in every major metro area, and I’d never heard of them until an offhand comment from a friend. They do very good work here- to my way of thinking, this is a reasonable way to avoid feeding the big-Pharma machine. When I’m done with these in a few weeks, I’ll give them back, and they can then go on to serve the needs of many others. Win-win!

up
3 users have voted.

Twice bitten, permanently shy.

@usefewersyllables What a great financal break for you!
After the house fire, now this, you absolutely deserve a break. Great about your successful recovery.
All the best to you, friend.

up
0 users have voted.

"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

snoopydawg's picture

Hopefully your recovery goes smoothly and you get not only pain relief, but your mobility back. Knee surgery has come a long way since I first saw it being done. Some images one can’t get out of their mind. Go at the pace that’s comfortable for you.

Heh…took me awhile to remember how to spell pase…paice…not paste or pasta.

up
11 users have voted.

Which AIPAC/MIC/pharma/bank bought politician are you going to vote for? Don’t be surprised when nothing changes.

usefewersyllables's picture

@snoopydawg

Deep Purple, since their drummer is Ian Paice. And I’m feeling “Lazy” today… (;-)

[video:https://youtu.be/Vw4zJ5MU8hE width:400 height:300]

Thanks for the kind words!

up
8 users have voted.

Twice bitten, permanently shy.

@usefewersyllables

Haven't heard that in eons.
Good luck with your rehab!

up
7 users have voted.
Granma's picture

up
7 users have voted.
earthling1's picture

Surgeon told me I will never be able to stoop completely (150°?). The artificial joint will not bend that far.
Gives me a new appreciation for how amazing the human knee is.
Don't push too hard or fast.
I've blown nearly a year recovering from two knee replacements, the first in Oct. '21 and the other in May '22.
Getting around pretty good now though.
Best of luck.

up
7 users have voted.

Neither Russia nor China is our enemy.
Neither Iran nor Venezuela are threatening America.
Cuba is a dead horse, stop beating it.