Staples Removed

Great news! The staples are out. They weren't bothering me except for a little tightness when bending the knee but it is good to have them removed. It is a sign that recovery is well underway.

The surgeon has given the implant his full inspection and I've passed! The knee feels strong and dependable. Still a bit of stiffness and some aching but that requires exercise and time I'm told.

It's not a surprise (to me) but I'm cleared to drive again. Walking easily without a cane except on the stairs and for steadiness outside on the ice and snow, I quite capable of making the shift from accelerator to brake.

The really great news is that the surgeon is willing to undertake the left knee replacement in a couple of months if all goes as well as it has so far. I'm to see him in 4-5 weeks for a check-up.

Now it's time to exercise and lose some of that weight that didn't happen before the last surgery when it happened so quickly!

The Evidence in Pictures

It is now well into 2010 and I promised to post a photo of my knees. There is also a diagram of what has been implanted inside the skin. The picture was taken a few weeks ago between Christmas and New Years and still shows the bit of bruising at the beginning of the incision.

The healing process has gone well and I hope to have the stiches removed tomorrow when I see the surgeon. The physiotherapist gives me hope that there is no apparent reason to keep them in any longer.

Yesterday there was a bit of a setback. I walked for nearly an hour at the plaza without either cane or walker. It seems that having the smallest bit of support helps the balance on the knee and we want to return to a state of no walking aids. After the walk I was fatigued but it felt pretty good. At home, the leg began to ache and there was more swelling. We had been warned that this could happen and the recommended treatment is to alternate heat and cold to improve the circulation.

I was plugging the heating pad in and without thinking put my knee down on the padded recliner to reach the plug. Immediately I felt I had done something I should not have. No real pain but there was a different feeling. Thi morning the knee was stiffer and I had lost some of the flexibility. There was also a return of the numbness I had felt earlier around the knee cap.

The physiotherapist suggests that there is no real damage. I have pressured the healing at the point where the appliance has been inserted in the bone. Some of the healing may have been lost but it will recover shortly and there hasn't been any shifting of the implant.

A good work out with the therapist, 5 minutes of cycling and standing on a balance pad have brought the flexibility back to the 120 degrees and more of bend that I had achieved last week.

It's amazing how one forgets to be careful when you feel good and are getting back to normal. Earlier this week my daughter noticed that I was leading with the operated leg when going up the stairs. I'm right footed and I hadn't even realized I was doing it. Although no one has told me to start going up stairs in the normal fashion, it appears that I'm ready!

The best part is that the right leg feels stronger, more reliable and generally has less pain than the left leg - already. Hopefully the recovery continues to speed along and we can look forward to having the operation on the left leg as soon as it is feasible.