new knees

[Stan]

Hey Jurassic, how are your knees holding up? Does anyone else have experience with artificial knees. I had one replaced Friday, January 13,2006 and I am scheduled to work some HS summer games this Sunday. Any advice?

Thanks, Stan

[M&M Guy]

Originally Posted by Stan

Any advice?

Sounds like you knee'd to take it easy.

Sorry.

[Jurassic Referee]

Originally Posted by M&M Guy

Sounds like you knee'd to take it easy.

Sorry.

How'd you like a smack in the wee knee?

I'd say "sorry" too, but no one would ever believe me.

[Jurassic Referee]

Stan, I chickened out. I decided on the clean-up/synvisc-neovisc treatment instead. It's only a stop-gap procedure for me, as I well know; it's good for 6-12 months, but you can repeat the injections. I just wasn't looking forward to 2 replacements being done at the same time. You get a series of 3 injections in each knee, a week apart. In my case, both knees are kaput, so there was no way that just replacing one was a viable choice. The only other option that they gave me was more cortisone shots. They seem to work well on me, but they're also just a short-term treatment - about 6 weeks. And...you shouldn't take too many of 'em anyway because of the side effects, according to my doctor.

http://www.bodyforce.net/
http://www.synvisc.com/

Stan, how did your replacement go? How long before you could start walking? I know different people that have had this procedure, and their recovery time seems to be all over the map- depending on the individual. You seem to be well ahead of the curve, being ready to run in 6 months. You have my honest admiration for getting back into the groove at all, let alone so quickly.

I know 2 guys that went back to officiating- one after a knee replacement and the other after a hip replacement. Both did football, and I worked with both of them. They both could run absolutely pain-free, and neither of them worried about any consequences either.

Btw, one of the things that was bothering me was that I heard that artificial knees were only good for 5-7 years. Apparently, with the new ones though, you're looking at a 20 year shelf life now.

Stan, please let me know how your games come out. I'm gonna have to get something done sooner than later, so any info is appreciated.

Good luck and kick azz this Sunday, Stan.

[dblref]

I'm facing this same problem, but only the left knee. Orthopedic surgeon told me I need to make a decision about whether or not I wanted to continue to officiate (I turned 63 last May) and the knee is getting worse. I'm not working any summer ball at all trying to see how the knee will feel before the season starts. I really enjoy officiating, but I am definitely in the twi-light of a mediocre career.

[BktBallRef]

Originally Posted by Jurassic Referee

And...you shouldn't take too many of 'em anyway because of the side effects, according to my doctor.

Just a wild guess here but the side effects are:

Grouchiness
Easily irritated
Crankiness
Insomnia
Addiction to brown pop
Low tolerance for bull$hit

Can anyone else think of any others?

___________________________________

Stan, get yourself some 3-in-1 Oil and you're good to go. Good luck!!!

[M&M Guy]

Originally Posted by Jurassic Referee

How'd you like a smack in the wee knee?

A penchant towards violence as well?

[Dan_ref]

Originally Posted by BktBallRef

Just a wild guess here but the side effects are:

Grouchiness
Easily irritated
Crankiness
Insomnia
Addiction to brown pop
Low tolerance for bull$hit

Can anyone else think of any others?

___________________________________

Stan, get yourself some 3-in-1 Oil and you're good to go. Good luck!!!

Caution: Do not take this medicine if you're already a huge pain in the azz.

[Stan]

I'M NOT a doctor, this is MY experience only.

High school football injury, clean up surgery 1976. Technology and procedures have improved significantly since then. I'm a farmer with a fairly high pain threshold so during the ensueing years I ignore pain, looseness in the joint and the onset of oesteoarthrites. Fast forward to about 2002, tried the synvisc route. Insurance company wants all nonsurgical avenues pursued, however, Dr. is not optimistic. Dr. was correct. Cortisone was temporarily stopping the pain but does not fix anything.

Summer 2005, it's been bone on bone long enough that the leg is starting to bow out and become shorter, and constant pain to the point that something needs done. I've never had or wanted an official officiating schedule, I've just filled in for guys at the JV and JH leval during the season and doing HS summer league games at the YMCA. I couldn't even do the filling in in '04 and '05. Lack of exercise is takeing it's toll on me.

1-13-06 knee replaced with 3 pieces of titanium, glued. Dr. said surgery went very well and that the knee is, mechanicaly, as strong now as it ever will be. He said to work hard during recovery. They made me walk (with crutches) out of the hospital. I was on crutches with varying need for about the first 45 days. Surgery was Friday morning and I went home the next Monday morning. Worst part of the hospital stay was putting in and taking out the catheter. WOW, I've never had that before.

I have a close friend that is my physical thearapist which means that he will push me to hurt more than if we were not friends Seriously though, the knee is now mechanicaly sound and I can not damage it during exercise, all were are working on is muscles, tendons, ligaments, all the soft tissue that we are accustomend to dealing with. Ice, exercise and pain releavers, only now I'm getting the narcotic stuff. The only reason I leave home for the first 30 days is to be taken to the hospital for therapy three days a week. I've got a regimen of home exercises that I actually follow for the off days, along with lots of ice and not cutting back on the drugs. I mention my concerns to my friend that I'm not able to reduce the narcotics because of the still constant soft tissue pain. He's not worried about the use of pain killers, I'm making great strides in strength and range of motion. Friend says that to continue the strenght and motion progress I need to continue the vigorious knee exercises AND that will hurt, so keep up the workout and pain killers. Somewhere between 45 and 60 days post op I'm exceeding benchmarks for strenght and motion, and getting tired of the side effects of the drugs. So I slowly start off the drugs, increase the ice and maintain the motion drills. Middle of March I'm off the drugs. Planting season is around the corner, so I slowly start back to working on machinery and looking at ground conditions in preparation to planting.

Presently, If I have a day that I "turned the crank" fairly hard, My muscles are tired and sore. Just like the rest of the body. Dr. says to not twist, jump, or anything extreme. I can hustle and move. For example: I can downhill snow ski responsibly but should not do the moguls (bumps on black rated slopes) Knee should last 15 - 20 years. Who knows what technology will be available then.

Sunday, I'm actually more concerned about my general physical conditon than my knee. My games will be 3 whistles with experience, I plan on anticipating plays and position myself accordingly. I will be pushing myself and my partners know my history. If I get beat on a fast break it won't be the first time in officiating history. Then I'll come home for the ice and Ibuprofen. Dr. and friend say that it may be a year or more, if ever, before I'm 100% completly pain free. The pain now is muscles etc. and pales in comparison to the joint pain I had a year ago.

Bottom line: Work hard during therapy AND I'd do the surgery again in a minute.

[Stan]

Forgot to mention that I was 48 when I had the knee replaced.

[M&M Guy]

Originally Posted by Stan

Forgot to mention that I was 48 when I had the knee replaced.

I was hoping all this talk was about old farts, but you're way too close to my age for comfort.

I've always tried to convince myself that I can't run fast enough or jump high enough to ever hurt myself, but I know stuff happens. It makes sense the soreness would be in the muscles and ligaments, since they need to be worked every day to stay strong.

Good luck with the continued rehab, and let us know how Sunday goes. Who knows, you may have so much fun now you'll be wanting that "official" schedule!

I also noticed you're in SE IA; has the rain in the last couple of days helped?

[Jurassic Referee]

Originally Posted by Stan

[U] Worst part of the hospital stay was putting in and taking out the catheter. WOW, I've never had that before.

Know what, Stan? That was one of the reasons I finally decided against the surgery at this time. Seriously. I've had quite a few operations over the years, including a bunch on my knees, but I've only had a catheter once. The experience was worse than anything else that I've ever endured. I swear that the nurse that took the damn thing out was reincarnated from a coach in a previous life. Either that or she was getting back at all the males in the world over the pain women have to go through at childbirth. She was freaking brutal, and she seemed to enjoy the hell out of it too.

Thanks for the explanation too, Stan. Much appreciated.

[Jurassic Referee]

Originally Posted by BktBallRef

Just a wild guess here but the side effects are:

Grouchiness
Easily irritated
Crankiness
Insomnia
Addiction to brown pop
Low tolerance for bull$hit

Good guess.

[Dan_ref]

Originally Posted by Jurassic Referee

Know what, Stan? That was one of the reasons I finally decided against the surgery at this time. Seriously. I've had quite a few operations over the years, including a bunch on my knees, but I've only had a catheter once. The experience was worse than anything else that I've ever endured. I swear that the nurse that took the damn thing out was reincarnated from a coach in a previous life. Either that or she was getting back at all the males in the world over the pain women have to go through at childbirth. She was freaking brutal, and she seemed to enjoy the hell out of it too.

Thanks for the explanation too, Stan. Much appreciated.

Somehow the idea of Nurse Ratched running a plastic tubing through your wee-knee is mildly amusing.

But I didn't realize they make 'em that small. One of them new-fangled nano-technology thingies?

btw Stan, I hope the new knee keeps working for you. A relative just had a replacement, he's not enjoying life much these days but he's loking forward.

[Jurassic Referee]

Originally Posted by Dan_ref

But I didn't realize they make 'em that small. One of them new-fangled nano-technology thingies?

Nope, this is what they used:



It's the Ron Jeremy Signature model.