Total Knee Replacement - my experience part 1

TOTAL KNEE REPLACEMENT - A JOURNEY!

Hello, I am back to writing something in the blog after 5 months. I had gone for my knee replacement surgery on both my knees. I want to share my experience. 

Fifth month on I am still counting days before I can be fully normal. The experience is not at all disappointing, but I am still making  a Profit & Loss Statement of the whole exercise; whether I am better or worse off before and after the experience. I am thinking this way, because of one simple reason - when I went for it, I was not immobile completely. I could do about half a kilometer walking still; it was not that I was crippled, struggling to take my next step. I was relatively young, I mean relatively.

I took the step considering real long term and quality of life which enhances my retirement. I planned affairs in such a way that I wound up everything I was doing. I relieved myself completely and was free for as long as it takes, which is probably not the right thing to do. When you have nothing else to do, you do the knee full time. 

What is my advice to all people thinking of knee replacement?

Firstly, it is nothing to worry about, it is no more a routine, where failure rate is huge for you to worry. Failure is negligible, more to do with post op infection and your own folly of not doing your routines rigorously. Odd cases of mishaps are there surely, but statistically you are alright.

Talk to anyone who has done it, after one year. All of them, at least all people I had a chance to talk to, are happy. They are normal. They are not running races, but they are normal for normal purposes. They resume ordinary life, as if there is no issue with the knee. However, ask anyone from month one to month six after the procedure, feedback is never wholesome. Yes, it is good, but.... I am able to walk, but..... 

Having said that, for your body, do not underestimate the procedure - for you as an individual, it is huge. It is a serious surgery and it is a long haul recovery. Be clear about it and do not take anything lightly.

Now for the normal issues:

1. When is the right time?

This really depends on individual outlook. Right time is when you feel right. The advantage of doing it at an early age and an early stage are that for the next 20 or 30 years your quality of life is restored. 

to be completed.......