I'm just chilling with my heating pad on the knee which will be replaced by Sept 29 and my TENS unit on the opposite achilles tendon, waking up from a 3 hour nap after church, wondering how everyone is doing on the LWPSA board.
I have not checked in in awhile. I guess because I feel like I sound like a broken record and it's always the same old, same old me with the same old story. Because of the ACA in the USA, I lost my rheumie and my husband and I will see a new one Sept 1st. That was the earliest we could get in. My hubby was dx with RA a few months ago. We are quite the pair !
My PCP, by my request, is trying to help me get off of prednisone and I am down to 3 mg for 10 days, then will try 2 for ten, etc until I am off. I hope I will be successful.
I do think about you all and your encouragement over the last 3 years, especially Seenie, and Michael and Lamb. I wanted to say "Thank You" and read some posts and see how you are doing.
Miiiiiiimiiiiiii, I am SO glad to see you here. I’m doing fine, I seem to keep going (OK, at snail’s pace, but still)). Did some travel in the spring, and we’re enjoying summer at home. Did you know I started hydrotherapy with a physiotherapist and I now walk almost like a normal person. For ten minutes, that is, until the pain sets in. Still, it’s an improvement.
Knee replacement? Oh well, has to be done. It’s no picnic, but once it’s done and healed you’ll be glad you did it.
Explain something to a Canajun – how does the Affordable Care Act make you lose your rheumie? I’m just curious how that happens.
Husband with RA? How bad is it? Hope he isn’t suffering too much, but good that he’s got you as a coach.
TTFN, Mimi, thanks for your much-too-kind words. We love you too.
It sounds like you are having a great summer ! I am so happy for you about your progress with the hydrotherapy ! It is wonderful, isn't it ? I hope I will have that option after my surgery.
OK, here is what happened with the ACA and our choice of physicians. The promise of "If you like your doctor, you can keep your doctor" was a complete falsehood. With the ACA there is an insurance marketplace with many options depending on your income and the type of coverage you want or need. The only plan that we could afford that gave us the coverage we need, limits us to using hospitals and physicians in one certain local health care conglomerate. The whole thing is beyond confusing. We really hated to loose our rheumatologist and hope that the new one is good. She has very good ratings online and my orthopod really likes her. It will be interesting to get a second opinion anyway.
I will continue to work, PRN, at the art center until my surgery and then who knows. That is not a steady income, and my one on one client aged out of the program so I am looking at other options, including a direct sales company that involves some wonderful nail products and other fun. I find that they make my psoriatic nails look amazing !
I am still making art, fiber art and jewelry and in spite of my super wonky left thumb, I manage to do some nice beadwork. Making art and being creative keeps me sane.
Love to all !
Seenie said:
Miiiiiiimiiiiiii, I am SO glad to see you here. I'm doing fine, I seem to keep going (OK, at snail's pace, but still)). Did some travel in the spring, and we're enjoying summer at home. Did you know I started hydrotherapy with a physiotherapist and I now walk almost like a normal person. For ten minutes, that is, until the pain sets in. Still, it's an improvement.
Knee replacement? Oh well, has to be done. It's no picnic, but once it's done and healed you'll be glad you did it.
Explain something to a Canajun -- how does the Affordable Care Act make you lose your rheumie? I'm just curious how that happens.
Husband with RA? How bad is it? Hope he isn't suffering too much, but good that he's got you as a coach.
TTFN, Mimi, thanks for your much-too-kind words. We love you too.
I’m baaack! Seenie, I’m on my phone on the site and the chat feature won’t work I am 5 weeks post op. It’s been quite the experience! Not one I’d ever want to repeat. I’ll sy more when I can get to my computer. I found a great website bonesmart.org to be very helpful! Regards to you and all my PSA buds!
Well, you are, at least, alive (but probably not kicking so much). Knee replacements really hurt. Full stop. Put it this way, if you ever need your hip done, it will seem like a tame ride. But in the end, Mimi, you will be glad that you had it done. If you are faithful about doing the physio, which I am sure you are, you being you.
Will check that website out! Thanks! And thanks for checking in. Y'all come back soon, y'hear?
Hi Seenie, I left you a message ! I am 7 weeks out and walking with a cane. It has been a slow recovery. I have not yet started a TNF inhibitor. My tendons are on fire. But I am SO glad to have that surgery behind me. I have never been through anything like it in my life and I will do the other knee when hell freezes over. I am not yet to the "I'm so glad I did this" point yet, but I hear from others that it will come.
I am basically learning how to walk all over again after years of guarding and compensating. I had severe valgus knee and for the first time in my life, I have a nice straight leg ! That is pretty cool.
I am looking for a girly, functional cane so I might saunter about like Lady Violet from Downton Abbey !
I would love to hear of others' tales of knee replacement recovery. I don't think I would have survived without a site called Bone Smart.
Hi mimiB--glad to hear your surgery is in the past and you are walking--sounds like with pain and a cane, but hopefully it'll improve with time and therapy.
I have a success story, but unfortunately, it was my mom's knee replacement and she doesn't have PsA. But, she had it replaced when she was 80--the old-fashioned way--she has a 9-inch scar. It took a few months to be back to normal, but since then she's been extremely happy with it and absolutely no pain anymore, and she's 90 now! So, there's hope! I'm sure it'll help when you get back on the biologic.
I'm disappointed about healthcare, too. Everybody I know who has health insurance through their employer has had a significant raise in their out-of-pocket costs. But, I think that was inevitable because of the ridiculously high cost of healthcare in this country. My husband's employer was raising the premiums long before Obamacare went into effect. It's crazy, though, what we have to pay!!!!!
Mimi! Yes, it's a big job, those knee replacements. I had two, six months apart. I won't lie: it was hard to bring myself to making the phone call to book the second, but I knew that I needed it, and I decided I'd rather have it done in the summer than in the dead of winter (again). If I had to do it over again, I might choose to do two at once. Why go through all that pain and physio twice? On the other hand, OUCH maybe not.
I had one valgus and one ... vagus (?) knee. Something called a "windswept deformity". It really was cool to have two straight legs again!
You're making progress, Mimi. Slow and steady. Don't leave us for so long again. We have lots of new members who would appreciate your experience and good humour. Come to think of it, lots of old members would appreciate your experience and good humour too! LOL
A friends mom just had double knee replacement at the hospital for special surgery in NYC. Very impressive.
Seenie said:
Mimi! Yes, it’s a big job, those knee replacements. I had two, six months apart. I won’t lie: it was hard to bring myself to making the phone call to book the second, but I knew that I needed it, and I decided I’d rather have it done in the summer than in the dead of winter (again). If I had to do it over again, I might choose to do two at once. Why go through all that pain and physio twice? On the other hand, OUCH maybe not.
I had one valgus and one … vagus (?) knee. Something called a “windswept deformity”. It really was cool to have two straight legs again!
You’re making progress, Mimi. Slow and steady. Don’t leave us for so long again. We have lots of new members who would appreciate your experience and good humour. Come to think of it, lots of old members would appreciate your experience and good humour too! LOL
Hi mimiB--glad to hear your surgery is in the past and you are walking--sounds like with pain and a cane, but hopefully it'll improve with time and therapy. >>>
I sure hope so, they really work me over. I schedule my therapy late in the day because afterward I have to go home, wrap my knee in ice and lie down with a good movie on Netflix to distract me from the pain. My walking is still a little weird. I know that there are people who are walking normally, without a cane at this stage of recovery ( 7 weeks, today ) but I guess I am not going to be one of those people.
I have a success story, but unfortunately, it was my mom's knee replacement and she doesn't have PsA. But, she had it replaced when she was 80--the old-fashioned way--she has a 9-inch scar. It took a few months to be back to normal, but since then she's been extremely happy with it and absolutely no pain anymore, and she's 90 now! So, there's hope! I'm sure it'll help when you get back on the biologic.>>
My Dad had both knees done in his 70's, a few years apart, but he made it look so easy ! I thought I might be like him but he does not have PsA. I have a new Rheumatologist. I really like her, but I am not sure she is convinced that I have PsA since the only signs of Ps that I have are my nails and gluteal cleft, so here we go. I will see her again in a few weeks to see what her gameplan is. She has me on methotrexate, but hasn't started me back on a biologic. Who knows what she is thinking, but it is kind of nice to have a second opinion. I feel that she is a very thorough doctor, so we will see.
I'm disappointed about healthcare, too. Everybody I know who has health insurance through their employer has had a significant raise in their out-of-pocket costs. But, I think that was inevitable because of the ridiculously high cost of healthcare in this country. My husband's employer was raising the premiums long before Obamacare went into effect. It's crazy, though, what we have to pay!!!!!
A friends mom just had double knee replacement at the hospital for special surgery in NYC. Very impressive. >>
Mercy, I don't know how those people manage !
Seenie said:
Mimi! Yes, it's a big job, those knee replacements. I had two, six months apart. I won't lie: it was hard to bring myself to making the phone call to book the second, but I knew that I needed it, and I decided I'd rather have it done in the summer than in the dead of winter (again). If I had to do it over again, I might choose to do two at once. Why go through all that pain and physio twice? On the other hand, OUCH maybe not. >>
I can't even bring myself to think about it ! I have a question. What is the point of having a knee replacement when I can't even walk as well on this one as I did on the "bad" one ? I wonder if I will ever be able to walk "normally" and without a cane.
I know that when I recover, I shouldn't have as much pain as I did pre-op, but sometimes I long for my old knee. I know that sounds crazy. It is something i will have to work through, emotionally, I guess.
My range of motion stinks ( barely 90, currently ) but I have been improving.
My surgeon wants to do a manipulation under anesthesia but that is NOT going to happen, I have made up my mind. He said to me " I just had a total hip cancel for tomorrow. and I need something to do, so let's just put you down" and I was like "I'm sorry you need something to do, but you aren't going to be doing me."He said "Come on, I will take photos of your knee in all ranges of motion and show it to you." I was thinking, "My leg is not a pretzel, no thank you."
I had one valgus and one ... vagus (?) knee. Something called a "windswept deformity". It really was cool to have two straight legs again! >>
Yes, that is a nice thing, isn't it ? It's nice for us to have a matching pair !
You're making progress, Mimi. Slow and steady. Don't leave us for so long again. We have lots of new members who would appreciate your experience and good humour. Come to think of it, lots of old members would appreciate your experience and good humour too! LOL>>
Now that it's behind you I can tell you about my big tough army guy friend who needed two knee replacements. He opted for having them simultaneously, which seemed reasonable considering he was VERY fit. Well, he came out of surgery and refused all pain meds -- he was going to tough it out. He was absolutely rigid with pain and could not move, and would not take the advice and just take the drugs. On the third day, he developed blood clots. THEN he was not allowed to move. Predictably, by the time the blood clot crisis was over, his healing process was far enough advanced that he was unable to get to 90. I will spare you the details of how they got the knees to bend. Needless to say, his knees are not nearly as flexible as he had hoped.
Moral of story: take whatever meds are necessary to be able to do the physio.
mimiB said:
Mercy, I don't know how those people manage !
Stoney said:
A friends mom just had double knee replacement at the hospital for special surgery in NYC. Very impressive. >>
Physical Therapy is important, but I am learning, the hard way, that the old adage " no pain, no gain" isn’t always correct.
Last Monday I had PT with someone that doesn’t usually manage my case. She was way too aggressive and I have had a major setback.
I am learning that nobody knows, or has to live in my body, but me. If something doesn’t feel right, don’t do it! I will listen to my gut and my body from now on. I am learning that orthopaedic surgeons and physical therapists do not always know much about psoriatic arthritis and all of the implications for our recovery after joint replacement surgery!
I am 5 weeks post op. It’s been quite the experience! Not one I’d ever want to repeat. I’ll sy more when I can get to my computer. I found a great website