A number of you have asked for an update on my condition following knee replacement surgery.  Here is a summary of the last four weeks, the time since going under the knife.

There is nothing like a visual to put things in perspective.  Pictured above are my 63 year old legs.  My left knee is healing nicely, although still swollen.  The incisions are slowly disappearing.  The two incisions above and below the knee are where robotic guides where attached into the bone.  The stitches have since been removed.  The knee incision was put back together with superglue.  The blue lines where drawn before the incision was made, allowing the lines to be used as a guide when gluing the skin back together.  I’ve noticed the west and east ridge lines don’t quite match up, leaving what I will call a sawtooth mountain range.  Hopefully time will eliminate the ridge line. 

For those of you who have an interest in seeing what a knee replacement looks like, I’ve included three video links for your viewing pleasure, each succeeding video getting more graphic.  Simply cut and paste the link into your web browser.  The first video is an animation.  The last includes images from the operating room.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNBX0_XLDQA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbrmZMlm5qg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ov2zorMq7Ls

I had another physical therapy session this afternoon.  I’m doing so well that my appointments are being reduced from twice to once per week.  A measure of success in recovery of knee replacement surgery is measured in how much one can bend the knee and how quickly.  Mine was calculated today to be 122 degrees, excellent for only four weeks following surgery.  Normal for my right leg is 135 degrees.  The way I’m progressing I should get to 130 degrees in the next few weeks.  The remaining 5 degrees will take a year to accomplish, or so they say.

The last four weeks has not been a bed of roses.  Taking the pain medication Percocet caused my mind to be in a constant fog in addition to being constipated.  Constipation is one of life's least enjoyable adventures.  Attempting to relieve oneself is like pushing a log through a straw.  No joy can be found in the experience.

My adverse reaction to the pain medication is still occurring, even though I’ve not been on pain medication for over two weeks.  I’ve developed “restless leg syndrome” (RLS), a result of taking Tramadol.  RLS is sleep-related movement disorder known for its overwhelming and often unpleasant urges to move the legs while at rest.  This has been keeping me up most every night. 

A week ago I came down with what I thought was another nasal infection.  Not knowing if the infection was viral or bacterial I asked my doctor to prescribe antibiotics, which he did.  I also asked the doctor about my RLS and he suggested I take an iron and magnesium supplement.  When I went to pick up my medication and the supplements the pharmacist said not to take the iron and magnesium tablets while I was taking the antibiotics.  Those two supplements would cancel out any benefits the antibiotics would provide.  So, what to do?  Take the supplements to overcome the RLS and get some sleep, or take the antibiotics for the next five days which may or may not help the nasal infection.  I chose to take the antibiotics.  I chose poorly.  My nasal infection turned into a full fledged flu type sickness.  Headaches, chills, runny nose, watery eyes, cough, and sore throat.  I’m still suffering as of this writing.

I began taking my iron and magnesium supplements last night before going to bed, hoping for RLS relief.  I woke up in the middle of the night with a headache, a headache even two Excedrine Migraine tablets had no effect in alleviating.  So much for the iron and magnesium supplements. 

Now, to make matters worse, I need to (have to) go to the bathroom every hour or two, day or night.  For men my age this is usually associated with an enlarged prostate, but I’m not sure that is the case with me.  Something about the surgery, the medication, or my weakened immune system has triggered this uncontrollable urge to constantly run to the bathroom.  Combine this little problem with my RLS and I have turned into a walking zombi.  I lie in bed at night for hours on end unable to sleep or find comfort.  During the day I’ve become the living dead. 

Who knew that the seemingly simple decision to have knee replacement surgery would turn into such a grueling, tiresome, and physically draining ordeal.  Lisa has endured it all along side me, without expressing one word of discouragement.  If not for the patience and ongoing caregiving of my saint of a wife Lisa, I do believe I would go (would have) gone crazy.