Tuesday, December 8, 2020

Unexpected

The last 10 days have been busy.  In July my knee started hurting.

No swelling, just hurt.  So I limped on.  By the end of the season I knew it was not getting better.  I saw my local Dr.  He Xrayed it, didn't see anything too major.  He thought it was probably age related arthritis.   I kept saying most the pain was on the inside of the knee.  He suggested a cortisone injection to see if the knee would quiet down.  (It hurt to touch the skin like fire).  Two weeks later still  terrible pain.  It hurt no matter what.  Back to Dr who refers me to ortho Dr.  Ortho Dr xrays, sees some fluid inside the joint but is 95% sure I have a torn meniscus.  Has me sign surgery form, says he will do arthroscopic surgery, a simple procedure.  Yah!!  But he says he wants a MRI to make certain, got me in for scan at 5pm, will call me in two days with results.  Wednesday call--no arthroscopic surgery--I need knee replaced!  I am gobsmacked!  Yes, meniscus tear, but it can't be fixed, should remove it, but no cartilage on bone ends anymore.  So my knee has no cushioning.  And since I've had a cortisone injection, surgery has to wait 90 days.  Might cause problems with bleeding/healing.  This is a very conservative ortho Dr!   

Sigh.  I am limping around.  I can drive the big pickup, its my left knee and seat adjusts enough I can extend my leg fully, rest it on a pillow while driving.  Walking on flat ground in straight line is painfull but doable.  Bending, twisting, leaning, carrying is out.  I am sewing with my leg propped on cardboard box.  My sewing machine cabinet has no front left leg.

Planning on surgery early February, cutting projects that are simple piecing, maybe I can do that while I am recovering.  I'd like to quilt a few tops before then.  

I never dreamed I would need a new knee.  My knee is sore, but very little swelling.  

Lori1R i South Dakota 

6 comments:

Sara said...

Yikes! That does seem way beyond what you might have expected. Now I'm scared to go get my sore knee looked at. Or the sore hip.

The good news I guess is that once you've recovered, you should be pain free.

swooze said...

They like you to move around so hopefully you’re not too l8mited!

earthmotherwithin said...

Oh that escalated quickly! I hope you can get some relief soon.

QuiltinLibraryLady said...

Well, that went fast! Sure hope the pain stays under control until you can have the surgery. We just never know what's going to happen, do we? But it is 2020, anything can happen.

cityquilter grace said...

now that really is a pain!!! hope you get titanium...will last forever...or as long as you need it! soldier on best as you can....

Alycia~Quiltygirl said...

Wow!! That is a surprise! I bet you can't wait until the pain is gone!

Playing Catchup

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