A message from Terry Wallace

[Privatetreaty]

I just receive this email from Terry Wallace at noon:

Hi Helen...I just got home from the hospital yesterday afternoon. My knee is so swollen that I did not think a human knee actually *could* swell that big and not "split its seams".....I put my seamstress measure tape around the top of it and it is a whopping 25" in cicumferance. The color ranges from dark brown to midnight blue on the bruising...yep, its quite a site.... I'm able to use a walker and am getting around. The doctor had to replace all three pieces...femur head, tibia head AND patella. They usually leave your original patella if they can, but my knee cap had big spurs on the underside that dragged across the joint and it had to be taken out. Would you please be so kind as to poston the BB that I'm home....you can sure cut & paste from this if you like...I'm going to try and get on my computer later this afternoon...right now my husband brought me his laptop so I could use it for a bit. I'm drugged and kind of weak, but I'm hangin' in there....Thanks for asking! Talk to you later.....Terry

[Pasogirlz]

That sounds painful. :mad: I pray for her quick recovery, Hope that knee calms down quick for her. Thanks for the update. Keep us posted.

[Paula]

Thanks for sharing that. Terry is a sweetheart and a friend and I wish her a speedy recovery!!!!

As energetic as she is, she'll have cabin fever in no time!!!!!!

Get well soon, Terry!!!!!!!!!

[DebbieS]

Thanks for posting Terry's msg.

Terry, hang in there and get better soon!!

[Carol Nelson]

Yay, Terry...good to hear from you! Here's wishing you a speedy recovery, hang in there, kiddo!!!

[LynnG]

glad to hear you're on the healing end of it all now Terry. just take it easy for as long as needed!!!!!!!

feel better soon.
Lynn

[CarolU]

Wow...25"...that IS big!

Terry, glad you're out of the hospital and with a new knee now, you'll be mounting and dismounting with the best of em'. Just TAKE IT EASY and let it heal properly!!! :razz:

Thinking of you! If you get TOOOO bored you can write us an article on something for the Newsletter!

[Monty]

It may hurt and be a pain now - But ," this too shall pass"! ;-)
Sounds like you need some ice on that knee! And keep the foot up!
And don't rush it :D
GET WELL SOON!

[Linda Y]

Oooo, big owie!
Hope you feel lots better soon. Just THINK how good it is going to feel when it heals!

[JennLM]

EEEEk 25" is big poor Terry. Hope she is up and getting around soon. And enjoying getting hooked on some soaps while she is out of commission. = )

[Terri]

OOOOO, that must hurt. I'll be thinking about you Terry and praying for a speedy recovery. We need you back in action!!!!

[Terry Wallace]

Big..you betcha! Hurts...you betcha...thank the lord for modern medicine....

Cabin fever...Yep Paula..already got it bad.....I'm sitting here thinking...wonder if I can drag that garden hose around with this walker?
Wonder if I can weld up/ fabricate some kind of hose holder...wonder if I can install a 5HP small engine to power this WALKER!

Alas.... guess I shall go lay down a while...at least I got to watch Black Beauty... I love the movie, and it never ceases to bring a tear to my eye....Black Beauty & Pharlap..... sniffle!

Thanks for all the well wishes! I shall check in from time to time.

Anybody need any cut-rate, price reduced, Paso Finos? I have some...PM me! ;-)

[Barbwire]

Hay, Terry babeee! So glad to see yer back. :D Missed ya somethin' fierce. :D

[Cindy]

Welcome back, Terry. Glad that you are doing well. Enjoy the time that you have to DO NOTHING. It doesn't come that often. You will be back to the grind soon enough. And I am sure that you will be productive even with a walker. But DO NOT OVERDO!!! And best wishes for a good recovery. This would be a good time to work on those artsy things that you are so good at. Forget the physical labor stuff. It will still be there when you are back on all fours. :lol:

[GeorgeGuns]

YOUCH!!!! That's no simple knee replacement, and I sure do feel for ya. I'll give you a hint: ibuprofen (advil, motrin, etc) makes the advanced pharmaceuticals work a lot better and helps cut down the swelling and inflammation, and might cut down on muscle spasm if you can even feel any through the rest of the pain... my leg hurts thinking about it. You really will be amazed at how much better you feel after the surgical pain is gone. Take care and speedy recovery!

[jan k]

Welcome back Terry. Glad the surgery is over for you. Now the road to recovery. Please. don't rush things. Give yourself time to heal. I'm sure Rick will be glad to take of you (at least for awhile). He's a good guy.

It won't be long until you're back in the saddle again.

Regards,

[Blameitonbrio]

I am glad your surgery went well. Please take care of yourself as you heal.

[Jane Hurl]

Ouch, Terry! Ouch! Ouch! Ouch!

They say a replaced knee is harder to rehab than a replaced hip ... so you be a VERY good girl and do EVERYTHING the physios and doctors tell you to do ... and (ahem!) to not do.

[motorgypsy]

As they say in our local religious meetings BE HEALED BE HEALED BE HEALED!!!!

[Barbwire]

Don'tcha have to wave a poisonous snake over her for that to work proper? :question

[Fino1]

Don'tcha have to wave a poisonous snake over her for that to work proper? :question

Terry, whatever it takes....get better and take it nice and slow.

Judy and Chloe the Bengal who is happy now. She is out of lockdown and prowling the house for her spidey

[Privatetreaty]

Don'tcha have to wave a poisonous snake over her for that to work proper? :question

Terry, Barb wanted to kill a chicken in your front yard.
I refused to give her your address. :roll:

[SandyMM]

I have recently met several people who have had knee replacements... one is Bob, the WNC photographer - for those of you who know him. 100% movement returned to that joint... I would never have believed it if he hadn't been giving some encouragment to a guy at the Asheville show who had a recent knee replacement

[Terry Wallace]

That is what I'm hoping for Sandy... the past five years of pain has been
"quite enough" !!

My knee circumference is down a whole inch today!

The blue & purple hues, quite a sight!

I can post exactly what the joint looks like if anyone has interest.
Its a drawing...nothing "bloody" !!
It is a two-piece affair...a "cap" of sorts. One goes over the tibia, and one goes over the femur. Its what they have to do to install it, that causes all the trauma.

First..they make about a ten inch incision down the front of the knee. Then, your leg is locked into a device to holde it at an angle for the duration of the surgery.
They must cut off the ends of the bones, by use of a template. Then they hammer the caps onto the ends of the bones. It is pure trauma to your leg, so of course it bruises from ankle to thigh.

I know several people who have had it done...all are very happy with the results....for me......I'm wanting to get back into training...so that is my goal.

[Privatetreaty]

I have recently met several people who have had knee replacements... one is Bob, the WNC photographer - for those of you who know him. 100% movement returned to that joint... I would never have believed it if he hadn't been giving some encouragment to a guy at the Asheville show who had a recent knee replacement

Yeah, and I bet they didn't have to use a chicken or snake, right?

All kidding aside, people generally recoop nicely from knee surgery.
I've heard the trick is also in the person's weight.
Although, Terry's surgery was not your regular, run of the mill knee job.

[Terry Wallace]

Well....actually....it was the typical surgery...nothing special or fancy.

Weight is/was not a factor. I saw all sizes of people on the wing of the hospital with the same surgery...

The titanium joint will hold LOTS of pounds! Isn't it ironic, that I used to work as a machinest for Synthes....I used to make the ex-fix rods for external fixtures of fractures.

The joint I got is far advanced of what we were making for the military 18 years ago!

[CarolU]

Arthur's grandfather wore out his knee, had it replaced, and wore that one out too...30 years later.

I think you'll feel great again soon...but I know the inbetween time is H@LL, not being able to get around. You might try a backpack on backwards to carry things with your walker, or knowing you, you can get Rick to weld you on a basket so you carry stuff.

I hope you'll be able to come to Mile High for a day or two...would enjoy seeing you again. No hill at Loveland...:-)))

[Privatetreaty]

Well....actually....it was the typical surgery...nothing special or fancy.

Weight is/was not a factor. I saw all sizes of people on the wing of the hospital with the same surgery...

The titanium joint will hold LOTS of pounds! Isn't it ironic, that I used to work as a machinest for Synthes....I used to make the ex-fix rods for external fixtures of fractures.

The joint I got is far advanced of what we were making for the military 18 years ago!

I thought a simple knee surgery is shaving off bones spurs?
I know these guys do this everyday, but the way you described
yours, it didn't sound too typical.

Just get well soon Terry !!!

.

[Bonnie M]

Hope you are feeling great soon!

My mom actually had this done to both knees at the same time! Best thing to do is to keep up with your physical therapy. It is amazing the difference in her now.

[Terry Wallace]

BOTH knees at once...oye the PAIN !!!

Helen...You are probably thinking of meniscus surgery (arthroscopic) ....I had that done in 2002...it didn't fix anything though, and had to go to the total replacement anyway....

Here are the new "parts"...

That lower piece (the "spike") gets hammered into the tibia.....
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v101/twobarwpaso/KneePARTSEmail.jpg

[Terry Wallace]

Here is how it all "fits" together after the bone ends are cut off......
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v101/twobarwpaso/KneePARTSinstalledEMAIL.jpg

[Barbwire]

Far out, man! Kinda gross too, well the hammering part, anyways. ;-)

[Terry Wallace]

Yep...makes ya think twice if you REALLY want to proceed...but going onto six years of pain...helps decide!

P.S....you are unconcious when all this is done....

I can feel the joint...and it does not hurt...its the soft tissue damage/bruising that hurst like the devil! ;-)

[JennLM]

They will rebuild her.. the 6 million dollar bionic Paso woman..

Glad to hear you are recovering. I have never had this type of surgery so can't even guess at how much it hurts but really hope you feel better soon.

[CherylE]

Terry, don't check this post much....glad I did this time....Here's hoping for a speedy recovery....

Yep, mother in law had this on both knees (separately) and the physical therapy before and after made all the difference.

Take great care of yourself! :D

[TrueStepPaso]

They will rebuild her.. the 6 million dollar bionic Paso woman.. :lol:


Terry.....hang in there. I hope you feel better every day...and the swelling in the knee goes down fast (ouch).....take care.

[motorgypsy]

That is seriously interesting! Aren't we lucky this technology exists! WOW! Get well soon!!!!

[Moniece Dickerson]

Cool!I am soooo glad you're getting better :D !!I'll feel so good not to have that pain anymore once you're all healed up!!Your friend,Moniece