My knee replacement is scheduled

You will feel much better. My DH could not believe how long he "put" up with the pain. He had this motion machine (cannot remember the name of it) in the hospital and then at home that he used religiously. Interesting about you being with a walker for 2 weeks. The DH's home PT girl took his away one day after he got home.He was also out of his knee brace after coming home and being off of the pain block.

One word of advice is to keep up with the PT (which is supposed to be a ***** and painful) so your knee does not lock back up and you need to go back in for surgery for them to release the tendons and ligaments.

Very proud of you for scheduling the surgery!! I've every confidence you'll do great in your recovery!

Good for you!  I just talked to my orthopedic surgeon for yet another shot ( I've already had orthovisc and now cortisone) and the surgeon said my next step would be surgery.  I'm very scared of having surgery since I live alone with three very active Basset Hounds.  Right now the pain is manageable but I still cannot walk like the bariatric surgeon wants me too. 

I hope all goes well with you and your new puppy!

I have been doing the Synvisc One shots every six months in both knees, and steroid injections in them every 4 months for the past 3+ years.  The Synvisc helps the right knee quite a bit, but help the left knee very little.  After so many years of getting them, though, the last couple of times I have had them, they have been more swollen, and have stayed very sore much longer, than after previous injections.  Apparently this is common for people who utilize those types of injections regularly.

I have been taking Tramadol every single day and Vicodin more days than not, and every night, for about a year and a half.  I am building up a tolerance to the Vicodin, so need to just get the knee done.  I am terrified, both of the surgery and the physical therapy afterward, but I am becoming more and more limited by my knee and even though I am NOT a fan of formal exercise, I really WOULD like to at least be able to use my recumbent bike at home every day, use the elliptical machine at the Rec Center, and walk the dogs without having to be limited by how swollen and painful my knee is on a given day.

Besides, right now, I have a job with good insurance that will cover the surgery with my chosen surgeon, at my chosen hospital and PT facility, and will not try to tell me that the knee is not "bad enough" yet or that I am not "disabled" enough by it, or am "too young" to have it done.  (I do not believe that will be the case in 2014.)

Lora

Good news about the puppy! Cute, cute photos! So jealous! I will have a dog again, someday...

And good news about scheduling the knee replacement. It really is good news.  I am having my knee done Jan. 9th. I am excited and terrified at the same time. This is part 2 of my plan to get my life back so I need to get on with it. Part 3 is to get a new job but that is another subject.

I am worried about the pain management and therapy. The worst thing i have done is look at knee replacement forums. I have found some useful articles on them  but rather than help like this one, the posts by patients have only increased my trepidation. Perhaps they will be of more use after the fact.

I am keeping "my eye on the prize" and know we will get thru this, too!

Cindy