The agony and the ecstasy of deciding to get a knee replacement

I realized about a year ago that I was headed for a wheelchair. I'd had knee problems for about 20 years. It had gotten so severe I was using two canes to get around.

I'd visited a variety of knee doctors over the years and they all came up with the same diagnosis... I had severe arthritis and needed total knee replacements in both knees. Of course, I was just a kid at 50-years-old. The first doctor I saw who told me I needed knee replacements said I should put it off for as long as possible, cause, you know, new knees don't last forever.

Well, lucky me, I also discovered that I had back issues about a year ago which were causing severe Sciatica and terrible muscle spasms in my legs, so I also needed back surgery.

The back doctor and the knee doctor agreed it might be best to get the back surgery first, since knee replacement surgery takes longer to recover from. Also the back doctor thought the back problems might be causing some of the knee pain.

So in March 2010 I had spinal fusion surgery. It did help with the Sciatica and the muscle spasms, especially in the left leg. It wasn't fun. Surgery is never fun. But the knees were still so bad they interfered with the back physical therapy.

The blasted knees felt like they were made of broken glass. Imagine facing that every time you have to stand and then having to take a step knowing how bad the pain will be. And then another step and another, until eventually the pain dulls enough for you to make it to the bathroom or the dining room chair.

So I scheduled the knee replacement for my right knee and had a total knee replacement on June 22. It was even less fun than the back surgery. A lot less fun. But things did improve every day, if sometimes by inches. I'm now about 3-1/2 months in, I'm done with physical therapy, and I've scheduled my second knee replacement on December 14. Three surgeries in one year.

This blog will chronicle my journey, both as I continue physical therapy on my own for the right knee and as I prepare for the next one and beyond in my quest to have pain-free legs and knees that actually work.

Please add your voice to mine if you are considering a knee replacement, or you've already discovered the joys and challenges of this journey. Comment and tell me your story.