Off see the orthopedic specialist this morning, to get their opinion on my right knee. It is much improved, despite having to cut physical therapy short after my car wreck. I need to keep on with the exercises; I gave them up when back pain got bothersome.
It's all borrowed time with that knee, time I hope to continue borrowing for another five or six years. If it's got to be replaced, I'll do so shortly before retirement.
Time is your friend here. Every year there are new advancements in replacement joints, surgical techniques and the possibility of using stem cells to rebuild the cartilage.
ReplyDeleteI'm hoping I can put of needing after market parts until they can regenerate them.
ReplyDeleteMaybe I've read too much SF over the decades, but, OTOH, the Singularity Is Coming...
After years of bad knees, I went in three years ago. Doc replaced the left knee. Absolutely fantastic!! No post surgery pain, 4 weeks of rehab (normally 6 weeks, I hit my metrics in 4). Right knee is still serviceable (barely).
ReplyDeleteI watched a friend struggle with a bad shoulder joint for at least 15 years. They told him they only expected a joint to last 15 years, and he should wait until he retired to get it done. He still rode bikes, and finally bought a sailboat. Didn't discover he couldn't handle raising the sail until after he bought it, due to the limited movement/strength of the arm. (Odd sort of sail plan) He died a year later. Good chance he wouldn't have died if he had a proper joint replacement, as he had intended to sail away on the boat, and live elsewhere. Killed in the Marina. Waiting for the optimum time did him absolutely no favors. His quality of life was compromised for no good reason. Be careful of letting doctors run your life.
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