In other news...

[denny]

Got a further medical report yesterday. It wasn't very cheerful reading. Actually it was a long way from being cheerful reading. It was a little vague in places, and my solicitor is chasing up the exact details, but it seemed to be saying that I can expect to need knee replacement surgery considerably sooner in my life than one would usually expect. Like, between the age of 40 and 45. So ten years, ish.

This does not fill me with the happy.

Amongst other things, knee replacements are only good for 10-15 years, so if I have one when I'm 40, I'm probably going to be looking at another two at least, presuming I don't die of anything interesting in the meantime. The potential for either partial or total failure of the procedure is considerably higher with each subsequent operation, unsurprisingly. It's also quite a major procedure, as surgery goes. I was hoping I was done with major surgery, and its aftermath :-\

Plus of course, there's the pain of the knee degrading before each operation - it sounds like they let it go a way before they actually stick a new one in there. So even if I do manage to start dancing again over the next few years, it sounds like I might be stopping again not so long after that :(

There's a nice easy-read introduction to knee replacements here, if you're interested:
http://www.healthpages.org/AHP/LIBRARY/HLTHTOP/TKR/

Personally I think I might have to file this one under "don't think about it" - it's just that bit too much.

Comments

[cryx]

yeah.. no point worrying over spilt milk, and who knows how you particular body is going to react? Also medical science is advancing everyday. What is true now, may well not be in 10-20 years time.

*stern look*
You must listen to nurse Cryx.
*firm nod*

[dennyd.livejournal.com]

Guh. Icon. Guh.

Guh.

[cryx]

I hope the patient is not losing control.

Patients who lose control are strapped down you know.

[dennyd.livejournal.com]

No, the patient is feeling extremely focused right now.

*thinks*

[cryx]

Focus is good. It is through focus we bring about change and improvement.

[dennyd.livejournal.com]

"It is by will alone I set my mind in motion."

[cryx]

Excellent.
Fast learners please me.

[dennyd.livejournal.com]

*thinks about pleasing you*

Mmmm, focus.

[valkyriekaren.livejournal.com]

I wouldn't worry about it too much at the moment. Those sorts of reports will always give worst-case predictions, and if you look after yourself and eat right, you'll have a better chance of keeping your bones and joints strong and not needing any further surgery (or at least not until much later in life).

Rather than filing it under 'don't think about it', why not take it as an incentive to retrain your eating habits and get plenty of the right stuff into your body? Like a performance car, it will only perform well on premium fuel.

[kissycat1000.livejournal.com]

Yes... what she said. :)

[kissycat1000.livejournal.com]

My mother is having her knee replaced in the next few weeks, and hers has currently degraded (through botched previous knee surgery) to the point where she's in constant pain from it. Her healing time has been quoted as 'a long time' and she's been told to rest it completely for two weeks (no stairs, staying home, no weight put on it etc), with six weeks off work.

It's a bit crap, really. :(

I'm so sorry that the medical profession feels that you'll be needing this operation sooner than most, and I hope that in your case they don't leave the degradation too long before sorting it out.

I hope you get the kind of settlement that comes at least close to compensating for the effect that this accident has had on you, and I hope that the driver in question reads the report and feels all of the remorse that it's his responsibility to feel. Careless driving costs lives, pain and ongoing trauma, and he needs to understand that.

[dennyd.livejournal.com]

I very much doubt the driver has any involvement at all by now... I'd be surprised if he's even receiving copies of correspondence still, unless that's a legal requirement.

My nan has had both knees replaced, and had to have one done twice before it took. I'm trying not to assess my recovery against hers, as she's both considerably older than me, obviously, and also quite badly overweight, which must have made her recovery much more difficult. Still, it's not a cheerful thought.

[zellah.livejournal.com]

Oh hon. If you need to chat or come hang out for some TLC, you know where I am.

*kiss*

[ulorin-vex.livejournal.com]

That really sucks :(
I hope you get some huge compensation sorted (not that it makes up for the damage I know)

[missyasmina.livejournal.com]

Woories are like rockingchairs ; you are not getting anywhere by rocking on them.

So what Im trying to say is: live your life at the fullest now, and every day. -And stop worrying about things that (might) happen when you grow older.
You probably cant do that much about it, so its of no use worrying about it.

*hugs*

[phuturatica.livejournal.com]

aww darling. *huggles* I sort of have the exact same problem but in a different context. My kidneys are failing and will eventually need a transplant. However they don't transplant them till you're practically depending on dialysis and almost on your deathbed so it would seem. =\ Then I also have a condition which will mean that when I do get a transplant...the new kidney will start failing also, because of my reflux problem...its a fucking stupid circle. >.<

However, don't worry you know you still have plenty of life in you. ;) don't let the pain, your leg or anything get you down. *dances for you* ♥

[dennyd.livejournal.com]

w00t - sleazy dancing? :-D

That's scary stuff about your kidneys :(

[phuturatica.livejournal.com]

sleazy to the bone bébé. ;)

[msdemmie.livejournal.com]

Not the best news , or the best thing to look forward to - but a damned sight better news than not surviving the accident.

After my recent brush with the Life of death situation I am firmly in the living for the moment camp ...........

I am not sure how knees compare to hips - but my 88 year old mom fell and broke her hip earlier this year and had to be operated on - shes now as back to normal as she can be and has been for several months.

Getting the best fuel for the best car was also great advice ........ the better condition you are in when they operate , teh beeter you will be equipped for recovery.

[annacdotes.livejournal.com]

I know someone who recently had knee replacement surgery. he had it done at the point where it was extremely painful to walk (also he is an older person and had to wait 9 months for his NHS operation). He had physio for about 8 weeks after, it was swollen for about 6 months, and for the first 3 months he regretted having it done. Now however, almost a year later, he is so pleased that he had it done and has no regrets. Btw, BUPA have a good free factsheet on knee replacement ops. Iyengar yoga is fantastic for knees also.
I agree with you though that not thinking about it is the best way of dealing with it. No point in worrying about the past or the future in my opinion.

[barakta]

As someone who has a similar prognosis for shoulders (about as awkward as knees to replace if not more so) I'd strongly advise checking out your long term maintainence options with a physio type as soon as possible. The chances are that if you aren't already doing maintainence exercises/behaviour that you could be doing, this may prolong useful stability without pain for as long as possible. A good physio/OT should be able to tell you things which you should avoid and things which you should aim to do more of...

Reminds me I need to do more physio for my shoulder, I've been bad lately.

[azekeil.livejournal.com]

Well, here's hoping for the best then. *hugs*