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Stage 4 knee

Posted , 5 users are following.

jennifer92751
jennifer92751

Hi this is my first time on this website. I just turned 42. My knees have dislocated since the age of 12. My right knee has been through a lot of surgeries. I just had a torn meniscus fixed last Sept. My knee got worse. I now have some AVN. Known as (bone death). I got terminated from my job because of job restrictions. I am now at stage 4 with osteoarthritis. Stage 2 with osteonecrosis the bone death. I wear a brace non stop. Just today when I lifted my knee to turn it locked up. It is very scary not knowing if it is going to crumble if I put weight back down on it. It feels like it's not attached and stuck and daily my knee burns,swells,aches and has stabbing pain. My treictular groove is very damaged under the knee cap. My doctor does not want to give me a new knee yet which mentally I am not ready. Please if anyone has anything similar I would really like to hear from you . I feel alone with my daily struggles and I don't ever want my little girl to worry. Thank you everyone. Jen.

1 like, 13 replies

13 Replies

  • cheryl86544
    cheryl86544 jennifer92751

    Posted

    I'm so sorry to hear.  I also never wanted my children to worry too, even at my ripe old age of 62.  I've had osteoarthritis since I was probably around 30.  I had 2 cervical discs removed then.  My knees were severely affected by osteoarthritis from about 40 ish and they didn't want to do a total knee replacement because they're never sure how long the prosthesis may may last.  Now that I've had both knees replaced and have now realised that I had been living with little joy because I couldn't do things physically that I needed to. I didn't realise till the pain started to subside.

    Please don't feel alone.  We're all here for you.

     

    • jennifer92751
      jennifer92751 cheryl86544

      Posted

      Thank you Cheryl for being so kind. I'm sorry that you have had to go through two new one's but you are very brave and sound like a fighter. I will work up the courage soon hopefully like you did.

  • jenny80029
    jenny80029 jennifer92751

    Posted

    Oh dear, what a difficult time. Please can you explain what you mean when you say . "My doctor does not want to give me a new knee yet which mentally I am not ready. "

    Have you sought more than one opinion and was this from a GP or surgeon?

    What do your friends and family think you might do?

    Are you taking pain medication at all?

    • jennifer92751
      jennifer92751 jenny80029

      Posted

      Hi Jenny. Thank you for replying. My orthopedic just doesn't want to do it yet because of my age and I feel mentally that since I had two major surgeries at 19 and the age of 20 and with those it caused nerve damage with pain forever. I chunked off a lot of bone do to the patella slidding out of place numerous times . My surgeon had to drill holes in my patella to allow blood to fill in the missing bone and then form a blood clot .Months later it hardened up in the area that I lost bone so my knee cap would stay in place. I was very athletic and would never be able to run again. My knee was in a cast for four months which led to very extreme physical therapy to relearn how to walk on it and bend it. Very very painful. I just am not ready to be opened up with a long incision again and feeling the aftermath. I have had the same knee surgeon so no I have not. I have seen some other orthopedics in the same clinic though.

    • jenny80029
      jenny80029 jennifer92751

      Posted

      Gosh, I see. I get where you are coming from. What about pain relief? Is it adequate for you?
  • CHICO_MARX
    CHICO_MARX jennifer92751

    Posted

    All I know is that I had a necrotic (dying) hip...30%...and the doc replaced my hip IMMEDIATELY before I ended up with shattered bone.  Just sayin'...

  • cheryl86544
    cheryl86544 jennifer92751

    Posted

    Go with Chico's advice and follow whatever he says.  He's brilliant.  

    • CHICO_MARX
      CHICO_MARX cheryl86544

      Posted

      Well, maybe not so brilliant.  This was one of the top hip guys at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, 2009.  When he saw the MRI with contrast, he told me that he was rearranging his Friday schedule to do my hip ASAP (it was Tuesday).  Sorry...it would have been October 30th and my band had a gig the next night.  "You mean you want to spend an extra week in all that pain?", he asked.  "I never miss a gig...period.", was my reply.  Thank God nothing bad happened during that week.  The gig was GREAT!!!  Halloween...costumes...added a little Black Sabbath to the set list...  But it was a not-so-brilliant thing to do.  Lucky to get away with it.

    • cheryl86544
      cheryl86544 CHICO_MARX

      Posted

      Nah - still brilliant! Where's the winky emoticon when you need one?! 

  • janet59360
    janet59360 jennifer92751

    Posted

    So sorry Jen to hear of your dreadful predicament, I can only offer you great sympathy in your distress and hope that improvement for you is just around the corner.  I am sure you will get a lot of advice on this Form.  Try to keep your spirits up,  regards Janet.
  • jennifer92751
    jennifer92751

    Posted

    Has anyone thought about getting stem cell shots?
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