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2 week follow up with no knee.

Posted , 16 users are following.

Oldfatguy1
Oldfatguy1

Hi everyone.......as some of you recall, 2 weeks tomorrow I had to have the entire prosthesis removed due to spreading staph. This is the 4th complete opening of the knee and 10th surgery overall on the leg. Let me assure you, it doesn't get any easier. The surgery went well but required a lot of scraping of the bone due to pockets of infection

This in turn caused lots of bleeding and increased my hospital stay to a week. The morning I was scheduled to be sent to a rehab house I needed a blood transfusion. I have a hip to knee immobilizer to keep the leg straight. Friday I get the stitches pulled and hopefully they will adjust the immobilizer so I can try and get some of the bend back back. I can can now only do toe touches with no weight bearing. If all goes well, I'll get that up to 50% so I can be a bit more mobile and go home from rehab. Next step, early June, I will go back and have an entire new prosthesis inserted and then back to rehab for the grueling rebuild. Low pain levels seem to be easily maintained as you aren't doing any stretching or putting pressure on the joint put I envision it will be rather brutal tearing all of the dormant scar tissue loose when the time comes. Also I am on antibiotic infusion twice a day and will for 6-8 weeks. To all of the long time contributors to tgevforum, hope things are going well for you.

6 likes, 48 replies

48 Replies

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  • sheila19
    sheila19 Oldfatguy1

    Posted

    Hi,

    So sorry to hear of your awful experience and very impressed with your resilience.

    Just a thought and blow me away if I am interfering,  Have you been tested for diabetes, or if you are diabetic are your sugars high..

    Are you on chronic medications like steroids ( prednisone ) that are interfering  with your immune system.

    Have they done a workup on you and done a blood screen with a smear to check your white cells and the size of your red blood cells, ferritin levels, Liver function and renal tests.

    Sheila

    • Oldfatguy1
      Oldfatguy1 sheila19

      Posted

      Thanks for your concern. I have had so much blood work I can't even remember the names but yes, diabetics has been ruled out many times. PVNS is the diagnosis that I live with. It is a very rare benign tumor and generally hits late teens to mid 40s but mine didn't surface till mid 60's. It can only be diagnosed through a biopsy. It doesnt show on xray, ultrasound or mri's
    • sheila19
      sheila19 Oldfatguy1

      Posted

      Great just wanted to check, infections like these can be associated with a lowered immune system

      I hope all goes well for you and the new titanium implant is a great success when you get it

      brave man

  • carol38467
    carol38467 Oldfatguy1

    Posted

    My heart is hurting for you.  Be strong.  Yohave made me laugh over the last 6 months.  Take care
  • martinarvelo
    martinarvelo Oldfatguy1

    Posted

    Good to hear from you OFG, and to see that although by no means an easy road you are going along it with your usual enthusiasm for life.  I can imagine how hard this is (or maybe not. .  .) and I really hope that it does all go according to plan.  When the time comes, presumably, they will do a manipulation under anaesthesia???  The after effects will probably be pretty sore . . but hopefully not for too long.  Here's wishing that those antibiotics really succeed in clearning up the infection ready for you shiny new knee in June. all the best. . I have missed your posts recently and am so glad to see you back!
    • Oldfatguy1
      Oldfatguy1 martinarvelo

      Posted

      Thanks....hope things are well with you. I think if things go as planned, there shouldn't be a need for MUA. If in fact they make the immobilizer somrwhat more relaxed and I can get back to 90° by next surgery I'll be in good shape. Therapy right now is keeping hips , ankles loose and strengthened. Upper body is getting plenty of work as is cardio. As long as I in this rehab unit I get 3 hrs of work, 5 days a week and 1 hr sat_& sun
  • jennifer86104
    jennifer86104 Oldfatguy1

    Posted

    You've been through so much. I really hope all this suffering will end soon and you will get a new knee that works with no infection. You've been such a support to us all. I wish you all the luck in the world.

    jen x

  • candace55
    candace55 Oldfatguy1

    Posted

    WOWYou are an inspiration to me. You have been through the wringer and still seem upbeat. Kudos. Fingers and toes crossed that everything is complete and well for you this time and you are done with this process in June. I truly appreciate all your input here on the forum. Take care.. Hugs and Prayers.

    Candace

  • jean95756
    jean95756 Oldfatguy1

    Posted

    HI OFG

    you are certainly going through the mill let's hope this time the infection will be finally cleared up.

    my knee isn't wonderful but nobody seems to be listening all they say is it takes time

    but my problems are minimal at the side of yours.

    take care and good luck

    Jean 

    • Oldfatguy1
      Oldfatguy1 jean95756

      Posted

      Sorry to hear that things are continuing to drag on for you. The unknown makes this such a miserable process. I do hope the changing of the seasons will bring positive reactions to your healing. As we have all said before, sometimes the mental side of this is as or more difficult to overcome than the physical and a few nice days in a row can really make a huge difference in the way we feel.
    • betty07083
      betty07083 jean95756

      Posted

      Hi Jean

      Hope you are getting these posts. Caz is going through a very tough time with her daughter & she wanted me to relay the message to you but this is the only way I know how.

      Please let us know you are reading these & hope you are doing well!

      Betty

    • jean95756
      jean95756 betty07083

      Posted

      hi Betty

      i haven't been on much as I thought I'd leave it to the newbies...I didn't want to scare anyone ...but my recovery is nothing compared to OFG he's really gone through the mill.

      how are you?? 

      Jean 

  • betty07083
    betty07083 Oldfatguy1

    Posted

    Hi Roland,

    Thinking about you tonight and wondering how you are feeling. Probably wishing you could be home!

    I was under the impression your wife could not be left alone, or fix her own meals. I'm hoping that's not accurate & she's doing OK, but I'm sure missing you like crazy!

    Anyway, just wanted to say hi and thinking of you.

    Betty

    • Oldfatguy1
      Oldfatguy1 betty07083

      Posted

      Sorry I missed your note last evening. Norma is staying by herself with a mix of kids in and out. I fixed about 30 Freezer meals before going in and friends from church have brought in a few. I call her before bedtime to make sure she has locked the doors and checked the thermostat. One of the neighbors takes the trash to the curb on trash days and puts the morning paper inside the front storm door daily. Today my oldest daughter will stop by and go to the store for her. A friend from Kiwanis picked her up late afternoon and brought her by for a much needed visit. I was having a miserable day (3 hrs of pt/ot) and her visit made the evening brighter and go by much quicker. Hope your day is starting off well and gets better
    • betty07083
      betty07083 Oldfatguy1

      Posted

      Good morning Roland

      Sounds like you and your wife have a great support system! That is so wonderful to hear, friends and neighbors helping one another. The way it should be!

      8 hours of PT? Ouch 😣 I hope it will at least help get you out of there sooner!

      Take care dear man - you are our inspiration on this forum. It's sad to see you in such pain & misery.

      Betty

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