Regrettably I live in Alberta and fell on my knees while walking in January 2008. I felt some pain, which gradually intensified over time to the stage where I went to my doctor in May 2008. I was X-ray soon after and found that I had two broken kneecaps. No treatment was offered until I had MRIs. I had to wait until November 19 2008. On December 12 2008 I learned that I have a floating 4 mm fragment in my left knee and a floating 8 mm fragment in my right knee. Also, my kneecaps are pretty badly eroded and need to be smoothed, especially on the rear. I am in constant pain, but its not as bad as a toothache and is easily masked with a six-pack.
My doctor tells me that I will need to wait from between four to six months (maybe longer) to see a surgeon. I may then, so I have been warned, have to wait from between six months and a year to have surgery. I live alone and have an eleven-month-old lab that needs walked daily. I hobble with him for an hour or so every day, and don’t mind doing so. I would say that the walking is a pain in the ***, but it’s really a pain in the kneecaps. My left knee is much more painful than the other. On one walk, I met a lady who said that my knees wouldn’t be treated simultaneously.
Does anybody know what awaits me? Will keyhole surgery be enough? What is the recovery time? What are the likely complications?
I have a doctor friend who can get me an appointment with a UK surgeon within a month’s notice (I am a UK citizen). Any advice?
My doctor tells me that I will need to wait from between four to six months (maybe longer) to see a surgeon. I may then, so I have been warned, have to wait from between six months and a year to have surgery. I live alone and have an eleven-month-old lab that needs walked daily. I hobble with him for an hour or so every day, and don’t mind doing so. I would say that the walking is a pain in the ***, but it’s really a pain in the kneecaps. My left knee is much more painful than the other. On one walk, I met a lady who said that my knees wouldn’t be treated simultaneously.
Does anybody know what awaits me? Will keyhole surgery be enough? What is the recovery time? What are the likely complications?
I have a doctor friend who can get me an appointment with a UK surgeon within a month’s notice (I am a UK citizen). Any advice?
Wow, I actually broke both of my knee caps last May 2008. I was brought to a hospital and had surgery on them within 2 days. I can't even imagine not having the surgery. I recently had to just have 1 other surgery on one of my knees to remove the hardware that was placed in the knee because it was causing problems. I am still in constant pain and walk with a cane. I can not take stairs yet. The recovery time to be back to "normal" is 2 -2/12 years. But that takes a lot of therapy and to be at a normal weight. I am about 30lbs overweight and I know that if I could lose that weight that would be so helpful. But it is really hard to lose weight when you can't really work out.