KNEE ARTHRITIS - Total Knee Replacement :

TKR next week! - - Posted by rozzzie (rozzzie), 22 April 2004

It took a long time but I made up my mind and I'm having it (TKR) done hopefully on 4/28/04.   I'm 56 need both knees done, but because I've had 2 DVT's and both ended up in PE's I can only have one at a time.   I had a right ankle fusion with an IM rod 4 years ago and I waited much too long to have it done, I thought that would solve most of my problems but the good knee became worse than the bad one when I had to spend 8 weeks non weight bearing with the ankle.

I'm not looking forward to next week but I’m looking forward to July or August when I expect to be happy with my decision.   If it goes well with this TKR, I may do the right knee next year.

I want to go for walks with my husband and our dog.   Go on vacation and do some sightseeing on foot.   What a novel idea I haven't been able to do that since I broke my ankle over 11 years ago. I ran for a number of years, in some other lifetime, my knees weren’t built for running but I did it not knowing any better.  So my knees were never very good, but the break seemed to accelerate the downward spiral.

Narcotics make me itch so I’ve tried to prime my OS to authorize lots of Bennadryl as needed.  I don’t know which is worse the pain or the maddening itching??

Sorry this is so long and rambling, but I’m quite worried my OS said that because of my previous DVT’s I have a 30-50% chance of another blood clot!  Even with heprin after the surgery continuing until the warfrin gets my pro-time up to acceptable levels!  

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