Of course! I’ve got major knee and ankle issues, but also a sclerotic, generally “funky” femur, tibia and fibula (all left), along with whopping edema and nerve damage to the tips of the toes and a side of circulatory insufficiency thrown in for good measure. I think we should rename the group COTH Cripple Club and open up the membership to include ALL of our kind! Cripples unite! :lol::lol:
Healing jingles to all, and to all a well-“kneeded” rest!!
I can’t join your group, as I’m 9 days post-shoulder surgery, but so far things are progressing ahead of schedule.
Thank you for the good wishes for all of us in the bad knee/bad ankle society. It’s official that I am having knee replacement #3 in January. At least I have the holidays to prepare, clean house, start stocking up on things.
But as bad as it is, we all need to remember that a lot of these surgeries are new. 40 or 50 years ago, we’d have been in deep trouble without being able to have joint replacements and other fun orthopedic surgeries.
So Merry Christmas and I love you to Dan, my orthopedic surgeon and Ty, my sports medicine doctor!
Am nine days post second surgery, and about 90% of the pukey, run down and just generally sick feeling is over (lasted much longer because I’d had the first surgery two weeks prior).
Thursday the staples come out and the 9th th surgeon checks again and starts me on PT. Right now that leg is immobilized and the only exercises I can do are lifting it and moving my foot. I still have drop foot, so it only moves in one direction.
The exercises for the rest of my body are going well and I am feeling muscles in my left thigh that I did not know existed. Plus I have lost about 15 lbs, so that is a bonus.
This may sound strange, but I am SO happy my little Kia Sportage blew up in July. I bought a Jeep that is much easier to get in and out of, and even though I won’t be able to drive it again until at least April, it is easy to get the wheelchair in and out of.
I cannot stand being dependent on others for anything, but you just have to let that go, and all modesty etc.
Hopefully when I am back at work in a week, and have at least that part of my life back in the “normal” column - despite wheelchair / walker / having to be driven to and from - the NWB time will go by faster and I’ll feel like I have a bit more control.
Good luck everyone! I wish only the best for all Frankenknees and Frankenankles!!!
Glad to hear that you’re feeling better! 
Mine is quite bad today. Had to leave my brace off because it was rubbing my skin, so I’m limping around. I plan on going back to the doctor on Wed (closed Mon and Tue).
I fall in the “trashed ankle” group… although the injury occured a few years ago. Fractured ankle w/ bone chips, loose and torn ligaments, and completely ruptured 4 extensor tendons (my doc never saw that in his 25 years of being a surgeon).
I had a small tear in my quad tendon back in November, but I am just now starting to run again. We’ll see how it holds.
Well sounds like we are all in good company and can commiserate together for the next few months at least. I head in early Wednesday morning (12/28) for my total knee replacement on my left knee and am fretting about the actual surgery/hospital stay. I’m the commander in chief in my household (or at least I like to think so :)) and this is tough having to let my husband and kidlet be in charge of the critters…they’ll do just fine I know!
Anyway best wishes and many jingles to you all, I’ll be offline for at least the next week or so until I get back home and feel well enough to get on the laptop. Take care friends!
For those of you with knee and ankle issues… I’d I suggest taking a look at this brace. I had foot surgery… twice. The second time I used this afterwards and it was a huge difference! More mobility than crutches or “knee walkers”. There is video of it “in action” on the website.
http://freedomlegbrace.com/Freedom_Leg_Walking_Leg_Brace.html
34 staples out today (gag, it was 84 total), from the 3 incisions from second surgery. Muscle spasms driving me batty, but I know it’s part and parcel of the process.
Heard the surgeon giving a stern lecture to the guy in the next room re not paying attention to dr instructions re NWB, etc. Apparently he decided that six weeks meant that it was 3 weeks healing and 3 weeks extra that the dr builds in just to be careful. Just shoot me now!
I’m a temporary member of the brigade as of Wednesday night. I was putting my mare’s blanket on, adjusted it, and she kicked out. Thankfully, she’s not shod, only grazed my knee and didn’t hit it square on.
It’s a lovely shade of purple, black and red right now.
Just hang in there
Ankle- 1992. Fractured both lower leg bones and ankle in 28 separate little pieces. Ugly, lots of hardware. Hardware out in 1997. Can ride in heels down forever can not ever wear the high heels again. Hurts every day.
Knee- 2006. Scheduled for Denny’s clinic. Went Rollerskating. Good news? I can still skate like it’s 1979. Bad News? I fall like the 50 year old I am. A “crushing, torsion injury” that has no surgical process just time and pain.
Took me two years to pick up my right stirrup at all, and I still can’t get it back if I lose it.
That will make your seat tight.
Good luck guys.
KarrotKreek - that thing looks awesome. I’m fretting more over crutches than the ankle surgery itself- my shoulders & c-spine are already bad. Can you do PWB on that thing or just NWB?
Here’s irony - Mom was planning on coming out to help me for a couple weeks after surgery; 2 days before Christmas she sprained her ankle at the barn. Nurses really do make lousy patients.
Today is six weeks since first surgery and three weeks since second. Big relief knowing that the first surgery is now healed, and I am STUNNED at how fast the incision is fading. It also means the ACL is halfway there and the PCL is not far behind.
Five more weeks NWB, but Monday I get the Rx for PT and am VERY happy about that. I know it will be tough, but at the very least I have to get the floppy right leg as toned as the now-fit left one. Right now it looks like the legs from two different people.
I went back to work this week! Am doing half the day at home and half at the office. Totally makes me smile, at least that part of my life is somewhat back to normal.
HUGE hugs to everyone in the Brigade - whether you’ve had surgery, are about to, have just had or are not at a surgical point, this all sucks the big one!
I always wanted skinny calves and after 11 weeks NWB I got one:eek:
Twisted my left knee BAD when I was rp’ing the horse. UG. I am taking some maloxicam. Now both knees are messy. UG.
Hate this.
Spent two days in bed with debilitating vertigo - ta da, it’s a meloxicam side effect. So that went into the trash. Paresthesia is also a side effect, when you get pins ands needles. That started with vertigo.
The spasms were almost gone with 1/2 a meloxicam anyhow.
Physical therapy starts this afternoon. Am just barely beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel.
I have a bum ankle. Had my first lesson in a couple of years tonight.
OUCH.
Had to drop stirrup/s a few times to get some relief. Now hurts from the bottom of my foot to my hip.
Should I tape it before putting my boot on? Load up on meds? Both? Something else?
Can I join this club?!
When I hurt my ankle, I would ride with an ankle brace, but what really helped my ankle and now my bum knee are the MDC Ultimate Stirrups.
I’ve just did a three week course of Supartz HA injections in my knee…it was really doing well until I torqued it somehow…I am hoping it is just a momentary/short term discomfort. But unlike the last three months it isn’t hurting when I ride…just when I do anything else! uuggh.
Slewdle, as much as I was happy to go down to only three Tylenol today, I am a firm believer in Better Living Through Chemicals. A tip I got from a dear BBer who is a PT is to take the medication before the event that will give you pain. So yesterday, 45 minutes before my first physical therapy session, I took Tylenol. Helped a great deal - maybe something to think of?
I would certainly wrap my ankle, and use Surpass if you have it around as well. I tweaked my good knee a week ago, then banged it into a pole so that it’s bruised, and have been happily using the Voltaren (Surpass) I have at home. Got a new Rx for it too - the co pay is more than the OTC price in Mexico/Canada/etc, but what the hell.
Yesterday they bent my knee for the first time in seven weeks. No pain! After a few stretches it bent 40 degrees, and suddenly I saw a big light at the end of the tunnel :sadsmile:
BetterOffRed, did the HA jabs hurt?
I guess I am officially part of the club now.
As I told my Mom… Got my hock injected!
Wednesday I had cortisone injected under my knee cap. Don’t remember the name for it but Orhto. Doc says it is a problem with the cartlidge under my knee cap. If the injection doesn’t work we go for an MRI (NOT ME!! I have hardware in my back :eek: ) Then see about surgery. Doc says they can do the MRI… I get the shakes just thinking of putting my back under a big magnet, the nightmares are way too graphic for me to consider it. 
:no:
