You Guys are NOT Gonna Believe This! Quote: Originally Posted by Bilbo View Post On Jan 27th I had my left knee replaced, so I'll be out of the truck for a few weeks. Surgery went well, and I expect the final result to be very good. Meanwhile, I have trouble organizing my thoughts for stuff like this, as It appears that the Hydrocodone has somewhat addled my brain Kens 50 and I exchanged a few texts shortly after surgery and I proved that to him.. It appears that I'm trading coherence for pain relief for a while. Working my way off the pain meds though. I decided before surgery that I'd use the meds when needed, a little more than in the past. Rehab is moderately tough, but past experience tells me that I actually have a higher tolerance for pain than most, (According to Two different Doctors ) Well, I've been sorta' keeping you all informed about my knee replacement. Since July, I've been pretty quiet, I think. I had arthroscopic surgery on July 31, 2014 to clean up a bunch of scar tissue that was interfering with the mechanics of my knee movement, and causing major swelling and pain. For a few weeks I felt so much better that I was convinced I'd be up and running in no time. Since then, I have had continued leg pain, especially at night. Repeated Dr visits and consultations have rendered a decision. On Tuesday of this week, I went back to my Dr. We discussed a lot of stuff, and ultimately the decision has been made that my implanted knee has come loose. A bone scan in July, and subsequent X Rays indicate this. On February 2, 2015, I will be going in to surgery for Total Knee Replacement Revision Surgery.... This means removal of the loosened part(s), and installation of parts intended to hold into the bone better. The original lower, tibia, portion is about 3 1/2" long, and the Revision piece is more like 6" long. As far as what I will experience, it will be almost exactly the same surgery and rehab. The news did not come as a big shock, but did still cause considerable upset Still a couple of weeks away, so I'll try and get my truck put back together before surgery, so Clarabelle will be ready and waiting for my return.
Thanks Bill. I'm taking a tube of Super Glue to the hospital with me to give my Surgeon. He's got a sense of humor... Unrelated: Does one of the bolts that holds the bell housing to the engine block penetrate the oil passage? On the driver side, top bolt? It lines up with the plug that it appears is used with the oil filter.
Sorry to hear about your setback, Bill. Hope everything goes well this time. I'll add you to my prayer list that just seems to get longer and longer these days. May GOD bless you and your surgeon.
Sorry to hear this. Nothing worse than doing it over again, oh wait, having it done once incorrectly. If it makes you feel better, a friend's daughter had to go in for a "jaw re-alignment" which basically meant breaking her jaw, re-setting in, then living with her jaw wired shut for something like 6-8 weeks. The bad part (worse) the procedure wasn't performed correctly and she had to go through it all again! Wow. When your knee is done, you'll be very happy to gain your mobility once gain. Hang in there, we are rooting for you. Haasman
That truly sucks Bill So is the "revision" deemed warranty work, like an automotive recall, and therefore will be free of charge?
Yeah, Lake. it'll be 'warranty' I may have to get with Bill Hanlon next week and see if he'll give me a ride in his GMC, so I don't forget what it's like. Mine has been down since just after Thanksgiving. I appreciate the well wishes, All!
I believe super glue was invented for surgical uses. When my brother was returning to the surgeon to get staples removed from abdominal surgery, he superglued (a couple dots) a zipper under the bandages.. The surgeon called every nurse on the floor in to see it.
Hey Bill. Pick a day! The sooner the better. I'd like your opinion on something with my truck, before I start reassembly. If there's a conflict, we'll work out something. I appreciate the contact! I'll buy lunch? Spurgeon, I like the zipper idea! I just may steal it for later...
Do it once... Had a lady years ago come in for lower back pain into her leg. Exam and X-Ray revealed severely degenerative hip. Sent her into Manhattan (45 mins away) to the Hospital For Special Surgery. The place is generally regarded as THE place to go for joint surgery and ESPECIALLY joint replacement surgery in the entire tri-state area and even beyond. Procedure was a tremendous success. Few years later, she has to get her knee replaced and decides to do it "locally" with some local sawbones (against my recommendations). Unfortunately, she had the same experience as Bilbo and had to have it done AGAIN. The second time she went back into The Hospital For Special Surgery in the city and had it done right. Moral of the story...a good surgeon may be out of your way but in the long run they may be worth the trip! It pays to get OEM parts replaced by the best people you can get to even if they are nowhere nearby. Not that this is what happened to Bilbo, however. Just sayin'. Good luck Bilbo. I hope the second time is the charm. Andy
Best of luck on the re-do Bill, sad to hear you have to go through this again. One of the ladies at work husband had his right knee replace and they shortened his leg by 3/8's of an inch.
Here's a wild one: Fifty-one years ago, Arthur Lampitt of Granite City, Illinois, smashed his 1963 Thunderbird into a truck. This week during surgery in suburban St. Louis, a 7-inch turn signal lever from that T-Bird was removed from his left arm. Dr. Timothy Lang removed the lever Wednesday during a 45-minute operation. Lampitt, now 75, is recovering at home. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that the accident broke Lampitt's hip, drawing attention away from the arm, which healed. A decade or so ago, his arm set off a metal detector at a courthouse. An X-ray showed a slender object the length of a pencil, but since it caused no pain or hardship, Lampitt was told to let it be. He was moving concrete blocks a few weeks ago when the arm began to hurt for the first time. "Everything was fine until it started to get bigger," Lampitt's wife, Betty, said. "The arm started bulging." Lampitt decided to have surgery. He initially wasn't sure what was in the arm. He wondered if perhaps a medical instrument had been left during the emergency room visit in 1963. He unearthed a collection of old photos of the mangled Thunderbird taken by a friend at the scene. He noticed the metal blinker lever was missing from the left side of the steering column. He figured that was it, and surgery at City Place Surgery Center in Creve Coeur, Missouri, confirmed it. "Seven inches long," Lang told Betty. "Oh, my God," Betty said. Lang said a protective pocket grew around the lever. "We see all kinds of foreign objects like nails or pellets, but usually not this large, usually not a turn signal from a 1963 T-Bird," Lang said. "Something this large often gets infected." Lampitt wasn't sure what he'd do with the lever ? maybe make a key chain out of it. "We'll figure out something, I am sure," he said. PHOTO: Arthur Lampitt and his wife Betty of Granite City, Mo., show off the 1963 Thunderbird turn signal that was embedded in his arm for 51 years, after having surgery to remove it on Dec. 31, 2014. http://abcnews.go.com/Weird/wireStory/51-years-wreck-inch-car-part-found-arm-27948312
I really appreciate the support Andy, Charles, and Hassman. Not looking forward to the surgery, but I did it once so I can do it again... I am looking forward to a better outcome. I keep second guessing myself as to what I might have done, or not done, to either cause or prevent this? I have a number of discussion items for Dr flowers centered around that issue as well.
I wish you a speedy recovery! My Dad had both knees done, and he's 2 for 2. Not that you'd EVER disobey your Doctor, but heed the guidelines for recovery! "I feel fine, I'm going back to work a week early" How many times have I heard coworkers say that after some procedure, and the subsequent healing-time is drawn out an extra month or two!
Don't forget to take Duct tape and some 3" deck screws....you can fix anything with that. Also some WD40 to keep it lubed. Good luck.
Best of luck and hope everything turns out well this time. My knees are starting to go out on me also. I just had my right one blow up several months ago. Swollen very badly and then incredible shooting pain. Opted to get it drained and steroid injection. It calmed down for now. Fingers crossed.
New Parts ! Bilbo ; As everyone else said , take it slow & easy , thjis is 8very* hard to do I know . Most of 2014 was spent healing from my Dec. 18 neck fusion surgery , the good news is : I'm feeling *much* better now . I dunno if " Chicks Dig Scars " is true , I now have a Frankenstein one down the front of my neck . We'll be here waiting for you when the Hospital releases you . Enjoy that last AD ride ! .
I went to Bill's house today to put another set of eyes on his oil leak. Our consensus is that the threaded hole at about 10 o'clock on the back of the block for a bolt that holds the bell housing to the block has a flaw in the bottom of the hole that allows pressurized oil from the oil gallery immediately behind it into the hole. From there it oozes past the threads and very slowly drips down the back of the block. Putting some kind of thread sealant on the bolt will probably fix it. Meanwhile, while still under the truck, we noticed that the front bushing inside the torque tube was slightly deformed, preventing the front U joint from sliding into the bushing. Some help I am. Now Bill is worse off than before I arrived. He'll probably never invite me back again.
