November 6, 2010

• A brief personal update

  For those of you who are interested or who may have their knees (or other joints) replaced sometime: Here's an update on my progress:
  I had bilateral surgery done on Aug. 30. I moved from the hospital to a rehab hospital five days later. I was there twelve days and came home to four weeks of twice-a-week home physical therapy. By the time I left the rehab center, I was able to walk with a walker or cane but needed to push or pull myself out of a chair or off the bed. I was able to drive within a day or so of getting home and could do the grocery shopping within a couple of days. Because my wife is wheel-chair bound, we kept a 9 to 5 housekeeper companion for the first week (She had been with my wife ever since I went for the operation).
  Within a week of getting home, I was beyond where I was before the surgery. I used a cane at first, and still do occasionally; but am now completely mobile and walking around the block. It's nice to be able to move and walk without the constant pain I've had for the past several years. there are, of course several left over problems - my feet and back ache occasionally and I'm not about to run a mile.

  This type of surgery is one of the more complicated orthopedic specialties and there are a lot of gruesome web sites explaining the procedure in detail. While I am at the upper end of who gets it done, age wise; I had no particular problems. I'm surprised at how quickly I've recovered.

  • 4:44 pm
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