October Crazy-Hip Replacement

[farmerjan]

Unfortunately, I have not found a dr that I "click" with like I did with the ankle dr. The dr that did the knees for my PT's mom is in Maryland and he (pt) is very pleased with her progress. It is only 2-3 hours away so very well within range. I am thinking I am going to call and make an appt and go for a consultation. There are a couple of Drs. here in Va that also do this Maako procedure.... The dr I like will not do both at the same time. One reason is how long you are "under" anesthesia. PT's mom op was 2 1/2 hours for BOTH.... and they "glue the incisions" rather than stitch and he says it makes less of a scar. It took me 5 years and about a dozen different consultations to find the dr at Duke and I am SOOO Glad that I waited and found him. The bad thing is the drs there also do not do both at the same time. I want a once and done thing.... I had NO PAIN from the ankle.... numbness, tingley sensations, but never any what I call pain. Since the knees hurt so much, I thin k I know what pain is.... The ankle was worse pain than the knees although they are reaching the limit now. I might even ask my PT if he would ask his mom if I could meet her and talk to her about it.....
I am also a little concerned about this whole Covid mess and the uptick in cases and what it will mean for rehab. I want to go to a rehab like I did after the ankle for the 20 days or whatever the Medicare & supplement I have allows.... Let them get me up and going like with the ankle, so that when I come home I can manage on my own. It is important to me to have them get me up and going those first few days, help with the pain management, make me do the exercises necessary.... and do the cooking and cleaning.....and help with a shower. By the 2-3 weeks are up that I am allowed, I ought to be to where I can manage the bathroom, the shower, and then things like cooking, and getting around. Plus both the guys at PT have said that they believe that I would greatly benefit from doing both at once and they both think I will get even more ankle movement/flex when the knees don't hurt so much.
So next step is a couple more consultation appts.... try to find a dr that I "click with" that I listen to and feel like he is being straight with me.... and work at building up these knees a bit with this exercycle thing. I do know that I am weaker there than I thought and realize that it is the weight bearing that has made me do even less than I was thinking I was doing.

 

[Ridgetop]

Covid cases are going up again but it seems to be a less severe strain of Covid. The percentage of deaths much lower than the percentage of new cases reported. Viruses weaken over time since killing the host is not conducive to spreading the virus which is a living organism. The virus can't using the host as a breeding ground if it kiills it. Killing all the hosts means the virus also dies since it cannot propagate itself. The majority of deaths have been among those people already at high risk through other underlying conditions. DDIL2's grandfather died of it but he was in late 80's, had TB as a young man and had multiple bouts of pneumonia. He died back in April on a ventilator in the hospital. His 80 year old sister got it in late August and recovered completely at home. We only hear about the deaths in hospital and additional cases which are often skewed from those workers who are required to get multiple Covid tests and have mistaken results. There are a lot of positive results being reported in error. Also, those persons who have Covid and are tested multiple times with each test of same person being reported as multiple cases of Covid. Not to mention the growing number of people that are suspected of having it or have had it and not been tested or reported. Hopefully Covid is losing strength and is dying out.

Once all the haying is done and the winter sets in you will hopefully be able to get away for the surgery on yiur knees. While you can go to a nursing home for a few weeks, with your knees they have you u0 and walking within a day or two and try to release you within a few days more. Personally I think your plan of going to a rehab center is the best since you will have daily PT instead of only once a week or so when the visiting therapist can come. When you get an appointment with the doctor you want, you can check with him about the risks of Covid in rehab. As long as your health is good (which it must be to do so much physical work around the farm and dairies) you would be at much less risk than a feeble old person with underlying lung, heart, diabetes, obesity, etc. issues.

Pain can weaken your immunities too as your body uses its resources to fight pain. Being free of the pain in your knees might increase your immune system.

 

[Baymule]

@farmerjan The doctor that did BJ's joint replacements, knee, shoulder and now hip, is the Director over the joint department of that hospital and they have a wing in the hospital on the 6th floor just for joint patients. He glued the incision this time instead of stitches. He will also do both knees at a time, if it is needed. Keep shopping for a doctor until you find one that meets your needs.

 

[Baymule]

BJ went to the appointment with the surgeon today. Everything is good, we go back in 6 weeks. He is not using the cane anymore. We had several things to do, when we got home, he was a little tired, but he is doing great.

 

[Mike CHS]

Tell him I'm happy for him. Actually for you also since that is part of your success in getting him there.

 

[Baymule]

I've made the decision to have my knee surgery next fall. I want his doctor to do the surgery and he retires in 4 years. That gives me a year to do my usual feeder pigs, Dirty Birdies, garden, no steer next year, wind things down and only have horses, dogs, sheep and layer hens for BJ to have to deal with. I'll time ewes breeding so that they are bred and will lamb when I'm recovered. Physical therapy, then I'll be back on full blast, no bad knee to slow me down.

 

[Baymule]

BJ has been going nuts. Today I had a task that he could help with. There was a rotten post at the Sheep barn that 2 gates latched on to close them. So he removed the staples that fastened the cow panel to it. Without the cow panel to hold it up, the post fell over. I got post hole diggers and dug a hole, dropped the new post in. We put dirt in the hole and a little water. BJ tamped it in.

We attached the chains for each gate, closed the gates and latched the gates.

Then he helped me with the creep feeder I was building.

I cut a hole in the front wide enough for the lambs. I caught both of them and pushed them through the hole. They tried to find a way out found the Feed and chowed down.

The ewes smelled the Feed and tried to get in too. Silly girls!

BJ was so happy to be back outside working and being useful. We had a good day. BJ is back.

 

[thistlebloom]

Go BJ! It's so great that he's doing so well already.

 

[Mike CHS]

I know he has to be going nuts being out of action.

 

[Bruce]

You can't keep a good man down Bay but you did a great job of it when it was necessary.