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Torture

My knee started giving me a bit of jip a while back, I ignored it but when an orthopaedic  consultant colleague of mine noted my limp I let him have a look at it. A scan showed a cartilage tear. It needed to be sorted so on the 8th of November I went in for my arthroscopy. Best laid plans an aw that............................

That simple cartilage tear was easily rectified but I also had an area the size of 10p that was devoid of any cartilage  - not good. My surgeon performed a process known as microfracturing to stimulate regrowth of the non existent cartilage. All being well it should prevent me from needing a knee joint replacement for a good while. In the meantime I've got to be careful with my recuperation.

So here we are 4 weeks later with some of the most amazing snow and I canny go out to play, especially not with the way even the pavements are at the moment.. I haven't been totally stuck inside since the op. Steve, my carer ;-) took me for a wander along a snowy Salcoats beach

I forsee some low level alternative re- entry routes being developed


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Comments

  1. b12 December 2010 at 15:12

    The treatment sounds as gruesome as the original problem! ...if they ever give you a replacement knee, get a peg leg. It'd be great for talk like a pirate day!

    I reckon I might join you on some of those "re-entry" walks seeing as I've no been oot for around 6 months...this overtime lark is killing me. I'm never getting married again :o)

    Seriusly though, I hope the knee heels up soon.

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  2. Elaina14 December 2010 at 20:30

    Ta Sandy, off to see the Consultant in the morning and hoping what he tells me is reassuring. THEN I'll start planning the re-entry routes regime. Look forward to having your company :-D

    ReplyDelete
  3. b15 December 2010 at 21:48

    Was at doctors today after spending all of last night awake whith sinuses that felt like were going to burst, feverish and coughing my guts up so hard I was making myself sick.

    The doctor reckons I might have some sort of asthma which would explain a lot. He's given me a course of steroid pils that do the same as a brown inhaler and he's given me a blue inhaler to take as and when required. I've to go back for more tests when I've got rid of this cold.

    I took the first lot of pills this morning and my symptoms have more or less half gone away (rattling and crackling wheezing in the chest has gone) so it looks like there might be something to the asthma. Bleurgh

    Good news from the consultant I hope?

    ReplyDelete
  4. John J20 December 2010 at 21:17

    I had the same procedure carried out on my L knee last year, everything went well with that - although I still get the odd twinge. I was on crutches for a good couple of months - the surgeon wanted no load on the knee whilst the 'new' cartlidge developed.

    I've now done my R knee in! Torn cartlidge again, but I don't know if I'll need a microfracture again until he starts with the knife.

    Life's good init!?

    I would be very interested to hear how you go on with your recovery.

    John

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  5. Elaina20 December 2010 at 21:33

    Hope you feel better soon Sandy. I am wondering though if you have a touch of pollution related asthma from restarting cycling and the cold weather. The steroid inhaler should do the trick, it certainly did for me

    John, thanks for your comment. Interestingly I wasn't told not to weightbear, just to take it gently. I have been doing some wandering about though this weather does limit it, so hope I'm not knackering the chances of full recovery.

    ReplyDelete
  6. John J21 December 2010 at 00:18

    I'm sure that as long as you don't hammer it too much you'll be fine. Apparently some surgeons insist on NO load on the knee, that would be awful - you would end up sitting around for weeks on end. It would drive me bananas!

    I gather the idea is to allow the bone marrow to 'leak' out and form a sort of cartlidge scar tissue. any untoward pressure on the joint could perhaps limit the development of the replacement tissue.

    On the other hand it might all be just a load of cobblers!

    Good luck with the recovery!

    John

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  7. Elaina21 December 2010 at 11:31

    Yes John, that's my understanding of the procedure too. My surgeon is a sportsman and knows me well so is advising me to ensure that I get back to the level of function that I'm happy with. It's also complicated with the fact that work sees me on my feet for 13hrs a day, so no work for the moment.

    The process of marrow recruitment is relatively new and there hasn't been enough research done on it to determine how to achieve the best outcome. Like all things in medicine though, each doc will have their own thoughts

    It's not like I've not experienced the non weightbearing thing - I had 3 months in full leg plaster cast for a stress fracture on my right tibia back in 2003. I suspect the left knee going may be due to the extra wear & tear from protecting the right leg. And yes it can send you bananas but this time I have lots of little projects to keep me occupied :-)

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