Kelsey: Why did you need to get your knee replacement done?
Sheila: My knee was very sore because the knee joint was worn down from osteoarthritis.
Kelsey: What did they replace your knee with?
Sheila: Titanium. Now I will beep when I go through security at the airport.
Kelsey: What was the surgery like?
Sheila: I woke up towards the end of the surgery, but I couldn’t feel any pain. I could feel my body moving while they were hammering, however.
Kelsey: How many days were you in the hospital and what was it like?
Sheila: I was in the hospital for two nights. I would have gone home sooner but I was in too much pain. They had me up walking the day of surgery, which was fine, but the physio made me do some exercises that were very painful, and I nearly passed out.
Kelsey: How was the recovery?
Sheila: Recovery was good. I could tell every day that I was healing a little more. I followed all the rules and healed quite quickly. Exercises, icing, elevating my leg – it was quite time consuming. I only used a walker for a few days, then switched to a cane. I didn’t need it very long either. I did have a reaction to the blood thinners and bruised quite badly.
Kelsey: How bad and for how long did you have pain?
Sheila: The pain was pretty bad doing physio at first. The physio told me I had to straighten my leg before I left the hospital, and there’s no way that was happening! My leg was too swollen. It took weeks before I could completely straighten in. I’m not sure what that physio was thinking. I think I only took something for pain for maybe a week.
Kelsey: Do you think it was worth it?
Sheila: Absolutely!
Kelsey: Do you have pain now?
Sheila: I wouldn’t say my knee is like it was when I was 20, but it’s pretty good. It is sometimes stiff, but I wouldn’t really say it hurts.
Kelsey: How long did it take you to fully recover?
Sheila: I’d say it took a full year to really recover. It’s a big surgery.
Kelsey: How is your other knee?
Sheila: Well, it will need to be replaced also, along with my hip.
Kelsey: Is this a hereditary thing?
Sheila: I’m not sure. My parents never had any joints replaced, nor did my grandparents, but my sister has had both her hips replaced, and my one brother had a hip replaced. Also, my nephew, and he was only 42!
Kelsey: Any advice for someone needing a knee replacement?
Sheila: Don’t wait too long. If you wait too long, you might damage your hips or other knee. The first few days aren’t much fun, but it improves quickly. Also, do your exercises, icing, elevating…all the things physio tells you.
This is what I found on Knee replacements if you want to read more about them:
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