Total knee replacement... in 4 days

CaptSteve, I just read through this whole saga.... What an incredibly unfortunate experience. Your first doctor, who couldn't figure out that you had an infection, sounds like an incompetent fool.

I think you should shoot him.

You've had a rough road behind you, and what sounds like an even tougher road ahead of you. Reading how you have handled it to date, though, I am really impressed. You are one tough guy.

Hang in there, bro, and keep up the reporting. Your grit is an inspiration to us all.
 
Man, I feel your pain, & I mean that literally! Sometime back, my health took a "turn", & I did about six months in the hospital, ninety days of that in Cardiac Intensive Care. My Dad told me after I was out that at one point the docs were basically rolling the dice on my chances. I finally made it out of there & into Rehab, & they decided I needed a pacemaker. So, back to Cardiac. They put the pacemaker in & I went back to Rehab. I was doing good, but one day one of the therapists noticed blood on the chest of my hospital gown. Yep, pacemaker site infected. Back to Cardiac. They removed the infected one & installed a temporary external one to allow me to "heal". Back to Rehab. They put a wonderful machine on my first pacemaker site that drew the infection out. I wish I could remember the name of it, but I have tried to forget a lot of stuff that happened in that time period. So, infection gone? Back to Cardiac. This time, I think there was a lot more supervision, both in person & from above, if you get what I'm saying. I guess the whole point of this long ramble is to say never give up & NEVER doubt the efficacy of prayers. Mine are headed your way!:cool::D
 
Last edited:
Onomea said:
CaptSteve, I just read through this whole saga.... What an incredibly unfortunate experience. Your first doctor, who couldn't figure out that you had an infection, sounds like an incompetent fool.

I think you should shoot him.

You've had a rough road behind you, and what sounds like an even tougher road ahead of you. Reading how you have handled it to date, though, I am really impressed. You are one tough guy.

Hang in there, bro, and keep up the reporting. Your grit is an inspiration to us all.
Click to expand...

THANK YOU! Your kind words have done more to salvage a pretty tough day than I can ever express. I will get through this but worry about the toll it takes on my family, especially my bride. I'm a pretty heavy load sometimes.
 
Steve, I am sorry to hear about your knee. Concentrate on making the trip next year and how much fun you will have walking around all of the sites pain free. Let that be your long term goal. Take it one day at a time and it will be in the past quickly. Look at everything as a hoop you have to go through. Get through one and focus on the next one. Check each one off of your list as you go. I wish you the best in your journey. I will be thinking of you.
 
Geez, Cap'n Steve, what a kick in the pants. Good thing you're
tough, though; woulda killed a lesser man. At least you've got
someone competent working with you now.
Sounds like you've found a candidate to carry your decoys out
on opening day of Gun/Deer season!
TACC1
 
Bum knee update

This just keeps getting better and better.... unlike my knee. The new surgeon is great and though he was convinced that I did in fact have an infection he wanted to eliminate one more possible problem. While it is extremely rare an adverse allergic reaction and/or sensitivity to the metal (Chromium), in the new knee will mimic an infection. He sent me to the Dermatology Dept where they conducted a week long "Patch" test. On Monday they applied 80 patches to my back and trussed me up like a Christmas goose. They jokingly referred to the wrap of bandages on my back as "The Straight Jacket" and it felt like one.

On Wednesday they read the results and did a second reading on Friday. Guess what? Yep, I am allergic to Cobalt and Nickel both of which are found in my new knee. The good news is there's an 80% chance that I do not have an infection and that my symptoms were all due to my body rejecting the Chromium knee (that has been in for 6 months). They won't know until surgery and the results of the biopsy come back from Pathology. If no infection (Hooray!), he will remove the old knee and put in a Titanium knee and I should be good to go in a couple of months. I may still have an infection in which case I'm really screwed and the spacer goes in for three months before the new Titanium knee.

The bad news is the VA does not have any Titanium knees laying around and the the only manufacturer is not under contract with the VA. My doc is trying to track one down and or wade through the bureaucracy at the VA to get one ordered (good luck with that doc). In the mean time I am at the top of the waiting list for surgery once they can get their hands on my new knee. Hoping for surgery my mid May but it could be June....ARRRRG!
 
So sorry to learn of your "adventure". Hope it is resolved soon. Prayer from Texas for your complete healing.
 
Dang Capt Steve, Has been a long road for you to get to this point but there is some light at the end of the tunnel and hopefully this time it isn't a train. One of the questions I asked my doc before he did my knee was what brand and model they used. Luckily mine was titanium and I could find no bad press on the internet with the make or model. Will keep you on my prayer list.
Larry
 
hope you get back on track soon. this sounds so miserable. after three spinal fusions and a hip replacement,i under stand your pain.
 
Got the call today, I am scheduled for surgery on May 17th unless they have cancelation sooner. I go for the pre op paperwork tomorrow. Thanks again everyone for all the support!
 
Got home from the VA hospital yesterday after a miserable 14 day stay. The surgery went well and I am way ahead of where I was after the last one. The new knee turned out to be "Oxinium" (Google it), as it was a better choice than Titanium. Spoke with the surgical team that put it in and they were all impressed. It is suppose to be rated for a 30 year life in normal use. The VA had to special order it as they have no contract with the one and only manufacturer. I should have nearly full use of the knee by July 8th when I see the surgeon for the followup.

In the meantime I start another round of Physical Therapy at the local VA Clinic on Monday.
 
Hey, hey! Finally! Light at the end of the tunnel! Keep on truckin', bro.

(Just read your April post. Gotta wonder why in the heck they don't test for extremely rare allergic reactions before putting the dang thing in. That is really unconscionable.)
 
Capt Steve, Was wondering about you the other day. Glad this one is working better and hope it stays that way.
Had my 1 year checkup last month and am on a once a year recheck now.
Larry
 
Another update...

It has been just over a month since my second surgery and feel like I am making progress. I finally got the green light to get back in the pool as the incision is now completely closed. I am doing 20 laps (25 meter pool), a day without a problem along with PT at the VA twice a week and trips to the gym 5 days a week.

The swelling is till a little more pronounced than I would like and the pain levels can be measured by seismologists two states away but I have managed to cut the Oxycodon down to one at a time.... as needed. I'm guessing getting a knee that I am not allergic to is making a huge difference. Thanks again for your support!
 
Steve, don't overdo the exercise. I know on mine, it would sometimes take a couple of days for the fun of a rigorous PT session to feel good. Just go to the edge of OK and bump it a little into the Ummm stage and it will get there. Hope you don't mind but you are still on my prayer list.
Larry
 
I had my second knee replacement last November. I do not have problems climbing stairs now and I have started hitting the racquetball again. I went to the NRA National Meeting an I was on my feet for 8 hours on the Friday looking at the displays. My knees did not bother me at all, but my ankles did bother me some. I have not taken anything for pain in a few months.

My point in this is to let you know that it will get a lot better in a few months.
 
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