Bad news I'm gutted!!!

Foxmyster

Just got home from my last hospital oppointment and my consultant told me I need TKR 100% I've got to go back for one more MRI that they will send off to the states to have a knee made for me which will take six weeks but he said its worth the wait, I've been booked in for my operation on the 5th of February 2014 bit scary now I no for sure. Well what will be will be. Thanks for your help guys. The fox.

stickywicket

It will take some getting your head round but I guess some would see it as very good news. I presume that ordering it from the USA is because that prosthesis will be more suitable for you given all the keyhole surgery your knee has already undergone? Start preparing now, foxmyster. Do the quad exercises from Arthritis Care's booklet. They really will help to get your TKR off to a good start.

Foxmyster

Where can I get the booklet from please?

villier

I think if you phone the helpline number at top of page I think they may send it to you, if I am wrong someone will come along and correct me.............good luck for the op I am sure you will be so glad you did it...............Marie x

dreamdaisy

Scary indeed but good news methinks. (I am typing this from the viewpoint of someone who has needed a double TKR since 2011 but was too young; next year might be the year when I hit the the jackpot age of 55 but so what? The resulting rubbish of the three year wait may render them useless. )

Surgery is meant to help and it usually does as long as the patient does the right things. You now have time to get your muscles in shape for the operation - the better they work prior to the op the better the post-op recovery can be. Use this time well, OK? DD

stickywicket

Foxmyster wrote:

Where can I get the booklet from please?

http://www.arthritiscare.org.uk/PublicationsandResources/Selfmanagement/Healthylifestyle

Here you are, foxmyster. You should actually be given some at your pre-op but not all hospitals do. They are all variations on a theme. The basic idea is to get all the muscles strong and keep them that way. Good luck

barbara12

Hi Foxmyster
I know how you must be feeling right now very scary, made to measure knee ssound good to me..if my new hip is anything to go by you will be so glad you had the op...good luck

Foxmyster

Dreamdaisy I'm 47 years old you should take it further I've been in pain with my knees since I was 13 years old had 3 keyhole opps over the years and 2 years ago I was told I could have a TKR but I opted out and had been in pain ever since so I've got to go for it now!! . You should tell your doctor to send you to some one else as the surgeon who is doing mine has operated on a 27 year old girl with a TKR. I couldn't wait 8 more years I'd be in a wheelchair ! And thanks to every one who has left me a message it does help. When I get in from work I go on my iPad and look on this site first thing thanks every one 71 days and counting ( unless theres a cancelation) still got to go back for the MRI they are sending of to the USA !!!
Thanks again foxy.xx

Foxmyster

stickywicket wrote:

Foxmyster wrote:

Where can I get the booklet from please?

http://www.arthritiscare.org.uk/PublicationsandResources/Selfmanagement/Healthylifestyle

Here you are, foxmyster. You should actually be given some at your pre-op but not all hospitals do. They are all variations on a theme. The basic idea is to get all the muscles strong and keep them that way. Good luck

Thank you very much for your help

dreamdaisy

Everyone's situation is different and the only guarantee of clarity is hindsight (which has no value whatosever). I concur that you have a longer history of knee trouble compared to me but I don't understand why you refused the first offer - I would have bitten off the surgeon's hand if I had been given that chance. I began with one knee but, as I now have both an auto-immune plus OA so many more joints are now affected which renders the prospect of new knees redundant; they won't help the rest.

Geographical NHS differences play a part, plus the history of knee troubles; as I said on Celebrationb's thread today (she has been told she has to wait for fifteen years or so for a TKR) my cousin's wife had her first knee done aged 18 but because that was due to bone cancer it was hardly surprising. And here you are saying that you are 'gutted' by this prospect at the grand old age of 47.

The forum highlights not only our similarities but also the gulf that separates. We are all living with similar conditions but each of us is unique. DD


I cannot be bothered to take this further. It is what is is and it will do what it will do. I have the OA as a result of the joint damage caused by my auto-immune arthritis,

Foxmyster

dreamdaisy wrote:

Everyone's situation is different and the only guarantee of clarity is hindsight (which has no value whatosever). I concur that you have a longer history of knee trouble compared to me but I don't understand why you refused the first offer - I would have bitten off the surgeon's hand if I had been given that chance. I began with one knee but, as I now have both an auto-immune plus OA so many more joints are now affected which renders the prospect of new knees redundant; they won't help the rest.

Geographical NHS differences play a part, plus the history of knee troubles; as I said on Celebrationb's thread today (she has been told she has to wait for fifteen years or so for a TKR) my cousin's wife had her first knee done aged 18 but because that was due to bone cancer it was hardly surprising. And here you are saying that you are 'gutted' by this prospect at the grand old age of 47.

The forum highlights not only our similarities but also the gulf that separates. We are all living with similar conditions but each of us is unique. DD


I cannot be bothered to take this further. It is what is is and it will do what it will do. I have the OA as a result of the joint damage caused by my auto-immune arthritis,

I'll tell you why I'm gutted, at 47 I've got 13 years left on a mortgage I'm a self employed carpenter and won't earn a penny while I'm out of work for a min of 3 months can not get any bennifits and I'm worried about losing my house. That's why I turned it down 2 years ago. Can't be bothered to carry on drop me out!!! :oops:

barbara12

Foxmyster I am so sorry to read your story, my hubby is self employed and has OA in his knees..and for the same reason has you he as put off doing anything about it apart from having one knee washed out...I do wish you well with everything ,and hope you can someway or other get your op ...

stickywicket

Foxmyster, you are quite right. Pain sneaks into our lives under many disguises and arthritis is but one. Financial worries are another. A combination of the two is a scary prospect indeed. Maybe, if you contacted our Helpline people, they could suggest places where you could get advice about how to deal with the mortgage aspect of things. Sometimes, if dealt with in advance, there can be a solution to financial matters. CAB might help too. Please let us know the outcome.

dreamdaisy

Now that makes sense and I can understand your worries - I don't think I was aware of your situation so I sincerely apologise. I too was self-employed and I dare not think about how much money I lost with all the time I had to take off every now and again.

Do you have any form of mortgage insurance? This is the time to start talking to your mortgage company to see if they can help in anyway, plus the CAB may be a useful source of information. There is also the Helpline here, they are good listeners. DD

Foxmyster

barbara12 wrote:

Foxmyster I am so sorry to read your story, my hubby is self employed and has OA in his knees..and for the same reason has you he as put off doing anything about it apart from having one knee washed out...I do wish you well with everything ,and hope you can someway or other get your op ...

I don't want to moan about it but it's just a worrie I'm working all hours god sends at the moment saving for my 3 month break, my wife works as well but we have got lots of out goings as most people nowadays. I no I'm truly lucky to be able to have the opp but wasn't in a position 2years ago never mind I'll be alright got a great wife of 27 years oh yeah 4 dogs and 2 horses as well. Thank you for being so nice.

Foxmyster

stickywicket wrote:

Foxmyster, you are quite right. Pain sneaks into our lives under many disguises and arthritis is but one. Financial worries are another. A combination of the two is a scary prospect indeed. Maybe, if you contacted our Helpline people, they could suggest places where you could get advice about how to deal with the mortgage aspect of things. Sometimes, if dealt with in advance, there can be a solution to financial matters. CAB might help too. Please let us know the outcome.

Thanks for your kind words it's 6:30 now and I left for work at 5:30 this morning getting the hours in while I can, I'm a smiler and keep going always have done and fill lucky I've got a great doctor, great consultant, and a fantastic wife I'll be ok just a worrying thought at first been waking up in the middle of the night thinking about it ( shall I have the opp shan't I ?) but I'm in lots of pain at work and walking nowadays so I'm going for it thanks for your help.the fox.

Foxmyster

dreamdaisy wrote:

Now that makes sense and I can understand your worries - I don't think I was aware of your situation so I sincerely apologise. I too was self-employed and I dare not think about how much money I lost with all the time I had to take off every now and again.

Do you have any form of mortgage insurance? This is the time to start talking to your mortgage company to see if they can help in anyway, plus the CAB may be a useful source of information. There is also the Helpline here, they are good listeners. DD

No worries on edge at the moment.

dreamdaisy

Me too. I am sorry, it is so easy for things on here to be mis-read, mis-understood and mistaken. We are all under various pressures at various times and it is hard to remember everyone's circumstances. DD