Bad news...and SOOOO painful!

Hi All,

Some of you may know that I have a "stumpy" left knee. Originally it was just my kneecap but now the whole joint dislocates if I put too much (which is a little bit) of force through it. It takes me ages to go up and down stairs, I usually use crutches or a stick and it's embarrassing at 36 to have to ask the bin men to come and get my rubbish from the side of the house rather than putting it out for them.
Lots of surgery has meant that now I can hardly use my left leg properly at all and the RSD in that leg on top of the "mechanical" knee pain is at times intolerable. Of course I have good days too, so it's not all bad.

To top it all off (as I'm getting quite used to this) yesterday I was training Zane in the park. It was quiet, he'd had his playtime with his big Dane friend, Max and was very settled into his retrieves and send-aways.

So, as I go to throw the retrieve for what I had decided was the last time (it turned out to be the last time anyway), I was standing on my right leg moreso than my left. The ground was wet (ish) and my right leg went from under me. I didn't actually land completely on the floor but must've looked at least as though I was dancing the funky chicken. God only knows what I looked like.

I remember putting my hands down to stop myself falling completely. If I end up on the floor there's NO chance of me getting up and although Zane will help me up etc in the house, out in the park no doubt he'd see it as a big game.

So the upshot of this is that I now have a strained left wrist along with a hyper-extended right leg that also has torn ligaments and damaged tendons. And all because I decided to spend an extra half hour in the park.

I have to be in Court later today which in itself isn't a problem. But trying to use crutches so as not to put strain through either leg whilst having a damaged wrist is almost impossible. Plus, it's also impossible to limp on both sides if I don't use the crutches. More funky chicken maneourvres I think!

Laura xx

Oh you poor thing. It must be really painful & debilitating ~ but you still manage your dogs. I really admire you for that.

I busted the cruciate ligaments in my knee years ago in a skiing accident & I know how painful that was so I dread to think what you're going through ~ and so young.

Is there any chance of knee joint replacement for your bad knee? I've heard that it can be completely successful & give a new lease of life?

Oh ouchies! Sounds like you've been in the wars. I also admire you for managing your dogs with all this pain. I dont know much about bones or anything - I'm squeamish so any length of detail makes me go all light headed and funny - I once fainted talking about a broken toe Hopefully you'll be on the mend soon

Probably more painful because it's my "good" ( ) leg! Of course, to go anywhere or do anything I have to use my legs and it's usually the other leg that is favoured. So the one that is more injured at the moment is the one that's had ALL fo the strain on it since I was 14.

Yes, joint replacement surgery (TKR) or even a partial replacement of my left knee (PKR) would resolve many of the problems with my left knee. But at 36 my OS won't do it. He wants to wait until I'm 40 or older. I have pointed out the argument that with a 6 year old Son I need to be physically active now, not in 5 years or more when Oscar doesn't need me for anything.
Additionally, because I have RSD, not many surgeons would take me on when it's well known (amongst those doctors who actually know about hte condition) the pain after surgery would most probably get much worse.

And nope - I'm not managing the dogs. My younger brother has taken them out for me today for a few hours to the park. So although they haven't have their usual walks, they've at least been out and about.

Must admit though, I am feeling a bit sorry for myself. I'm a wimp where pain is concerned. Still, if I can rest my leg during the days when Oscar is at school, then maybethe pain will subside quickly enough and I can forget about it (wishful thinking??!)

Ouch!!!! mind you are very lucky they have said 40 or over.
I need a new knee due to damage from a motorbike accident, hospitals have worked hard on mine so I can hold off as the specialist said they like you to be 60 and over as they only last between 10 to 12 years. They will do one sooner if incapable of walking at all

Hope you get better soon, I have exercises to tighten the muscles which hold a lot together, maybe asking about this might be useful for you xx

Oh I feel for you, I'm a right misery because my left knee isn't healing from the surgery and I have a constant limp, can't really cope with walking Henry but try my hardest and also need to go up and down stairs with the aid of a stick, (we live in a town house ). Your thread has brought me back to reality as my problems are, hopefully, only temporary.

I wish you a speedy recovery xx

Horrible isn't it?! Any sort of knee or hip problem takes longer to heal because we have no choice but to use our legs to go places.

There are many times I'm completely incapable of walking but that's because ofthe RSD moreso than the after effects of failed surgeries.
I've had loads of physio and have advanced exercises which I've done (whern I can) every day since I had my first lot of surgery back in 2002.

Must admit though, I don't feel very lucky. The OS's at Solihull and BHH all agree I need the surgery but because of my age they won't do it. They will though provide the referral for me to get it done privately. If I went private in this Country, firstly I know that NHS patients are treated better than private ones (from personal experience and I have a friend who has worked in private & NHS hospitals) and secondly I'd most likely see the same surgeon. Seems a bit silly really.
If I had that amount of money I wouldn't spend it on myself anyway but if the same surgeons would be operating, then why can't they just do it and get it over with?

Strangely, both my legs feel much better today. No doubt that wil change as the day goes on and after I take the dogs out. I'm determined to do it today. I may suffer for it later but I really missed being out with them yesterday. Plus, we have training tonight and there's no way I'm missing that. After all, I had to go to school when I was little. I didn';t get away with it if my Mom was unwell so they're not getting away with it either!

Steph, if you need a TKR why haven't they done it? I think it should be down to quality of life tbh. OK so I accept that if overused a new joint may only last 10-15 years and maybe that's part fo the reason they don't perform these surgeries on younger people but they are finding better materials to contruct them with all the time. Even if I had only another 10-15 years of being able to walk normally, I'd be happy with that beause it means I can do all the things I need to do for and with Oscar.

I know this sounds a bit morbid but I have a friend who lost her left leg just above the knee because of a motorbike accident. She was riding pillion and the bike was driven into a wall. She now drives, goes horseriding, plays squash etc and she has no pain. If I could do all those things and have even jkust a little bit less pain, I'd consider asking my OS to take the leg off. The way I see it, it's no use to me really so there's no point in it being there. Although I'd topple over without it I suppose.

Having said that I cosnider myself quite lucky really, even whwn I do feel sorry for myself. There are so many people worse off than me physically that can't get out and about, can't walk their dogs, can't go out with family/friends etc so I do sometimes feel a bit guilty about whining.

They will undertake doing it if I have no quality of walking, luckily I have had alot of input into mine and the exercise (even if I don't like doing them) do strengthen the muscles really well to hold it. I have no soft tissue now its bone on bone, so they will undertake doing it soon, I only have 2 1/2 years before 60 but luckily the muscles round the knee are strong and strengthened so as long as I am mindful of how I put my weight down I can cope.

Pats very good and if I have a large swelling which happens periodically he will take the dogs out with FS.
Would your OH be able to manage taking yours, as when you move you'll be stuck without your brother won't you. Maybe start training your OH in the training programme now Im lucky as Pat is very capable of handling these

LOL - yes my OH will take the dogs, no problem. Although training him I think will be harder than training the dogs!