My right knee is swollen and there are things grinding and popping when I flex the joint. It's running warm. It just feels like bad machinery. My left knee has been sore for the past three weeks, after a couple of stupid falls and a bruise or blown-out capillary has caused a big discolored patch. (I'm still pretty good at falling, thanks to a lifetime of nearsighted clumsiness, but it leaves a mark even when you do it right.)
I worked off a ladder for several hours over the past couple of days, and did so last week as well. If I'm not careful, I will stress my right knee doing that -- turning while it's got weight on it, or worse yet, letting that leg dangle, making the knee joint open up. The extreme cold hasn't helped; the North Campus facility, designed around heat-producing equipment long superseded, only has working supplemental heat in one room and in this weather, the rest of the building varies between the low 60s and mid 40s, depending on the room.
My knees were bad last evening and a night's rest only made it worse. I have managed to limp from bedroom to kitchen to office to washroom, but that's it. Either of my usual work locations involves much longer walks and that's not happening.
Rest and analgesics can only go so far. I'm coming up on another session with the ice pack and dreading it.
That's torture. How soon can you hang up the gloves?
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure. It depends on the economy and how much trouble I have replacing a few major appliances -- and what medical misadventures I have. Like, say, a bad knee. I've got relatively gold-plated health insurance e right now and I won't be able to afford that once I retire.
ReplyDeleteThe knee is a major worry. They initially had screws and a couple of plates on it, and the plan was to leave them. It got inflamed and they took out the plates and some of the screws. I'm not sure what would happen if my knee had to be replaced and I have been hoping to avoid finding out.
I'd hoped to bail out about a year from now. I don't know if I will be able to. There are intermediate options that I may take.
If it comes to knee replacement surgery for you, insist on a "cold machine" instead of ice packs. It was much easier for my wife to manage pain, getting off opiates very quickly. Also, don't skimp on the physical therapy afterwards, no matter how much it hurts.
DeleteSomeone asked me when I would retire, and I am kinda in the same boat...we need a new roof and my car will hit 250,000 miles this month. I've spent the last two days lugging UPS batteries around, and I'm starting to feel it...I'm not 60 anymore. Hope you feel better soon.
I hope you feel better. I hope the RICE plan works.
ReplyDeleteThe other thing I did wrong Wednesday was, I wore heavy boots all day. I can't do that. It's too much for my knee to be carrying around.
ReplyDeleteI'll carry lighter shoes. Also, Doc Martens are starting to look better to me -- much lighter.
I destroyed my left knee thru years of heavy lifting and other foolishness. When it finally gave out, my Osteopath did a scope and showed me pictures that looked like moon craters on my bone surfaces; he said, "You need a new knee, and you need it sooner rather than later". That was over four years ago, when I was 68. Fast forward to today, and I have a titanium left knee that doesn't hurt and works great. I can kneel and crawl on it without problems. Recovery from the surgery was about 6 months, and I behaved myself and did everything I was told. I'm working full time as a truck mechanic/general technician thanks to that operation.
ReplyDeleteAnon, that's great for you! As I mentioned above, I have a history of inflammation from such things. Even so-called "dissolving" stitches have been a problem for me in the past. If a knee replacement goes bad, I could lose my lower leg. So I intend to avoid it for as long as possible, and have a long, serious discussion with the doctor about adverse reactions before any surgery.
ReplyDeleteI feel (some of) your pain. "Maturity" is not for sissies, that's for sure.
ReplyDeleteAll I'll offer in sympathy is that when I attained a certain age it became quite evident that climbing was right out. No ladders at all. If it can't be handled from the bottom step on a little two-step handy-ladder, someone else has to take care of it. I have enough trouble dealing with stairs.
Wishing you the best. Take care of yourself.