Stumbled across this thread when looking for something else in my history, and I realized that it’s past the date when FCM’s husband was expecting to have surgery.
@FairyChatMom , how are things going with your husband? Did they do that implant for the neuropathy? Have they done knee #2?
No, they haven’t done FairyChatDads second knee, believe that’s planned for January, after some front office/scheduling glitches. No neuropathy implant that the rest of us Mumpers heard about. They did welcome a gorgeous baby grandson, check the MMP for lovely pictures.
I ended going back twice because the incision still wasn’t healing. They treated it with silver nitrate. The first time it burned like hell. I think partly the problem was that I kept banging the knee on things and the scabs would break off etc. I’m about 95% healed on the incision now. Jeez!
But here’s something I didn’t know. I went to see my dentist a couple weeks ago for a cleaning. They asked routine questions and I said, “Oh yeah, I had knee replacement surgery.” Doc said, “Did you take an antibiotic today?” I said ah, no…? It turns out that after surgery they should have told me that infections from something like a dental cleaning could be a real disaster if it gets in the bloodstream. Normally your immune system takes care of it but with a prosthetic, the dentist looked it up…better take an antibiotic an hour before, for the next two years.
The dentist started on the cleaning, told his assistant, “We’ll stay above the gum line,” but after poking around a bit, he said, “There’s blood. Let’s just give him a polish” and that was that. Too risky, he said. He was surprised the surgeon hadn’t told me.
Next time I saw the knee surgeon I asked. I thought he might point out that it said so in the literature somewhere or that the nurse should have told me. He simply said, “I recommend an antibiotic before procedures for the rest of your life,” and wrote me a prescription. “It can travel to the prosthetic and hide there and that’s bad news.”
Found out this week the reason they canceled his December 3 surgery - the surgeon had a heart attack. That’s why he’s got a new doc and why his right knee will be done on Jan 3. After that’s done and healing, he’ll see the pain management doc again.
At his last physical therapy, the therapist did some measurements - turns out his right leg is about 1/2" shorter than the left - he’s slightly bowlegged. That may be contributing to his back pains. But they figure when the other knee is replaced, he’ll be balanced again. So, yeah, always something…
Glad I got it close to right. I hope the second knee goes extra smoothly and the PT after eliminates all pain. Bow legged isn’t so bad, he is a seagoing man after all.