When the "Good Knee" Becomes the "Bad Knee"

Or is it the "old knee" and the "new knee"?

Whatever.

About six-seven years ago I bit the bullet and agreed to knee replacement on my right leg.  It was necessary.  Bone again bone.  Cartilage nearly gone.  Pain when I walked.

You've seen the 'mall walkers' - you know, those retired people who walk around the mall for steps and exercise?  Well, they were walking faster than I was.  Sprinting, compared to me.

So I agreed.  The surgery was set for the beginning of May, then in the pre-op session the AFib was discovered and the surgery was delayed over a month while I underwent a cardioversion, my heart slipped out of rhythm again, and we decided to just control it as best we could with medication.

All was well.  Surgery at the end of June.  Therapy.  Back to work mid-August.  I even hid the surgery from Mom since she fell during that time, bruised her hip, and was in Smithville-Western for several weeks.

A few years later when we were boarding the plane for the return trip from spending a week in Orlando with Megan, Matt, and Cooper, something popped in my new knee as I slid into the window seat from the aisle.  Dr. Page finally correctly diagnosed the problem after several weeks of guessing and specuation.  The metal piece in the middle of the new knee had popped out---something that rarely happens. I was one of the lucky ones!  Right!  So another surgery in 2014 which caused me to miss my first few weeks of classes and which was followed by shingles.  What a fall semester!

After that, however, all was good. Occasionally my knees would hurt...or tire...or ache...or be overworked.  Usually that occured after lots of walking (such as at Disney in 2016) or working in the yard all day or standing all day at the auction in August.  But usually a good rest and some Tylenol and I would be great for the next adventure.

Every time I complained about my knees or winced about some pain, Gary would always ask 'Old knee or new knee?'  Usually it would be the old knee that would be giving me trouble, and I anticipated another knee replacement at some point for that one.

During the past few weeks, though, something different happened.  My 'old knee' was not working properly and would hurt at strange times. Then the 'new knee' started to ache also.  I thought that was kind of strange, very unusual, especially since there was no unusual stress on either leg at the time.  No intense walking. No fairs.  No airplanes to board.  Just normal activities.

Then it happened.  One evening I turned my leg to do something, I think I was even sitting in the recliner and reaching for something, and I felt a crunch, something similar to the feeling that would happen when one stepped on a pile of potato chips on the floor.  My knee crunched.  Not on the spot where the incision was.  Not in the area of the knee replacements as I remember it, but up on the top toward the inside area of my knee.

Now I may be 'babying' the knee, but it does hurt when I try to bear weight on it to climb or descend steps.  It does hurt when I try to rise or sit at the table.  It does hurt when I try to enter or exit the car.  Depending on the height of the toilet, it does hurt when....well, you get the idea.

Walking is fine.  Sitting is fine.  No pain at all.  Except when I try to stand up.  Or when I try to bear weight on it to walk up the steps on Hilary's porch to her front door.  Or when I try to go down the steps at Megan's house.

The funny thing is....(and it really isn't funny --ha ha) that the 'bad knee' is now the one that doesn't hurt, but there is no strength in it,  and the 'good knee' is very painful and swollen.

What to do?

Tonight will be a Tylenol night. I might even put some Icy Hot or something like that on it before I go to bed.

But the next step will be a call, then a visit to Dr. Page.

I DO NOT want to have surgery again on that knee.  I DO NOT!  But as Hilary and Gary have told me, I don't know what is wrong and I don't know what the remedy will be until I see him.

Just pray for the best.