I have been negligent in not reporting on Bessie's BIG milestone. On June 11, 2014, she celebrated her 1 year anniversary since surgery. We celebrated by going to the surgeon where she got a great report. He took another couple of x-rays, and said everything looks great! I don't need to go back for 5 years. (Let's see if I remember that in 2019...)
One question I asked my surgeon was if there are any parts inside that could work themselves loose over time, and he said no. The only thing that might need attention at some point in the future is the plastic plate that is between the 2 "bones" that rub together. (This would have been the meniscus, originally, which is what was worn away.) He said that this plastic plate can wear down over time, but it wears at a very very slow rate, and most people are never affected by it. If it wears down enough that it is noticeable, it can be replaced with a simple surgery, but let's hope that never happens with Bess!
Tonight I went back and read my entries here from that first 10 days after surgery. She was still dead-weight at that point. Ah yes, how well I remember. Just last night I laid in bed and lifted my leg high in the air and reminded Hubs that I couldn't do that last year at this time.
Doc asked me if there was anything I wanted to be able to do that I can't do now. I told him that I need to work on stairs because I don't have any in my daily life unless I go out of my way to find some. I told him that I can do stairs as long as I have something to hold on to, but I'm not confident, and I want to get stronger with that. Hubs made me a box to step on last year for PT and I can still use that for practice. I'm going to start doing that daily.
Doc also asked me about the other knee. I told him that I originally was thinking I'd wait 2 or 3 years and get the other one done, but now I'm not sure I need it done. He said that is very common. Once the new knee is up and running at full capacity, it takes much of the pressure off the other "bad" one, so it is not as strained. I think that is what is happening with me. Of course, that whole leg is still out of alignment which ultimately affects the way I walk, so it might be a good idea to have it done anyway. That will also help my hips if I am walking straight with both legs.
I must say, my quality of life has improved immensely because of my surgery! Just last week, I flew to New Hampshire and back. My walking in the airport was very easy this year, and I didn't have to stop to rest my knees half way down the concourse as I did the last time I went. I even thought to myself as I walked up the Jetway from the plane to the airport that my knee didn't hurt at all! I still can't really bend them as tightly as I could "back in the day", so getting in and out of a car can be a small challenge, but I do have more than 105 degrees on Bessie and just a little under 100 on Tillie, so I "can" do what I need to do.
So, that's my 1-year-milestone update. I really can't complain at all about the process or the progress. Everything turned about better than I ever thought was possible! YAY !!
I appreciate your support - thanks for sticking with me!
:)Amy
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