Phase 2: Left Knee Operation Scheduled

With all of the exercises and back to work on a regular, if shortened hours, basis it takes time to post new blogs.

The big news is that my right knee has recovered sufficiently that the operation on the left knee has been scheduled for February 26, 2010. So much for long waits and huge delays! Unfortunately this news won't receive nearly as much USA press as the Newfoundland premier's heart operation in the USA. My experience is a good rebuttal against the charges that Canadian medical care is slow and inferior.

The ongoing process of healing does take time. Two weeks ago I was feeling great and decided to shovel a little bit of snow that had accumulated on the front walk. It was only about 10 shovel fulls and I didn't feel anything at the time. However, late that night my legs were aching and I couldn't sleep. The ache continued for about two days. The physiotherapist advised that there was no damage to the knee replacement but that I had just worked the leg muscles too hard. It is shocking that there has been that much loss of strength. I don't think it is entirely due to the operation. I have been increasingly less active because of the arthritis so the deterioration is likely a longer term phenomenon than just the operation.

We are now working on strengthening the left leg. Some tests at physiotherapy reveal that it is much weaker and less flexible than the right knee now. That is good news for the recovery but bad news for the next operation. So now there are even more excercises to do as I build up the left leg. Hopefully the knee can withstand the increased work without too much aggravation.

That has proven to be one of the most surprising elements of the recovery process. Another observation has been that I am not able to exercise the right knee as strenuously as is needed because the left leg won't take the increased strain. Many of the exercises require use of both legs even though it is the right one that is being developped. I find that the number of repetitions and the level of exercise are limited by the pain in the left knee. I now have a couple of exercises which focus on just the right knee.

All is very surprising, even though quite logical when you think about it.